The fact is that in the United States between 50-100 people die from chicken pox each year.  According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), there are 11 million cases reported annually.  Since it is not mandatory for health care providers to report chicken pox cases to the CDC this probably doesn't represent all of the cases that actually occur.  When you look at the odds that means that a person with chicken pox has a 0.0009% chance of dying.  As for chicken pox being dangerous for pregnant women, that isn't true.  Pregnant women aren't in danger from chicken pox.  It can be a threat to a fetus if the mother contracts the virus but what do the statistics say about this?  The fetus will be affected 2% of the time if the mother contracts chicken pox.  

Although chicken pox is extremely contagious and uncomfortable, it is not dangerous.  To put it into ironic perspective, more people die in what is classified as accidental deaths due to complications in medical/surgical procedures each year (about 3,000 per year).  There is a better chance that a person will suffer an allergic reaction from a vaccination than that they will die from a chicken pox infection.  There is a better chance that a child will suffer a seizure (23:10,000) from receiving a chicken pox vaccination than that they will die from a chicken pox infection.

The vaccine has only been in use for the past 14 years.  Although the cases of chicken pox infections are down as are the fatalities we have little information on the long term impact of the vaccination.  The procedure is 85% effective; 15% of those vaccinated will have a less intense outbreak but it is still contagious and will last for about a week.

Most of us had the chicken pox as a child and we are fine.  The virus has not become more virulent or dangerous since that time.  There is no medical reason that a vaccination of this type would be necessary.  So why do school districts require it?  I'm glad you asked.  I think the answer has more to do with funding than the health of our children.  School budgets are based on the number of days that children are in school.  Missed school days mean less money for school districts.  While I think that school funding is important it is poor justification for a health care decision.

I'm not generally opposed to vaccinations.  The fact is that they have probably saved millions of lives.  However, I do oppose vaccinations which are unsafe (ie toxic, allergenic, risky, etc) or unnecessary.