In the case of Phillips v. New York, a group of Jehovah's Witnesses challenged a New York law that required all children to receive certain vaccinations before attending public school. The plaintiffs argued that this requirement violated their First Amendment rights to freedom of religion and speech, as they believed these vaccines were harmful and contrary to God's will. However, the Supreme Court upheld the law in 1959, ruling that it was within the state's power to enact such laws for public health reasons. They stated that while religious beliefs are protected by the Constitution, they do not exempt individuals from following laws meant to protect societal welfare - including mandatory vaccination programs aimed at preventing disease outbreaks among schoolchildren.

The dissenting opinion in the case of Phillips v. New York argued that the majority's decision to uphold a state law requiring vaccination for school admission was an overreach of government power and violated individual liberties. The dissenters believed that compulsory vaccination laws infringed upon personal freedoms, specifically the right to make decisions about one’s own body and health care. They contended that such mandates should be left up to individuals or their parents in the case of minors, rather than being imposed by governmental authorities. Furthermore, they expressed concerns about potential risks associated with vaccines and questioned whether it was ethical for governments to force citizens into accepting these risks against their wills. Ultimately, they disagreed with the majority's view that public health considerations justified this intrusion on personal liberty.