Parental Rights

Top Five Accomplishments of 2025

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 21:59:00 GMT

It was an excellent question: What were our biggest accomplishments of 2025?

I was having lunch with a friend the other day, and in the interest of catching up (in a very “January” sort of way), he asked, “So, apart from the ALEC thing” (which we had been discussing already), “what was your (PRF’s) biggest accomplishment of 2025?”

Before I get to my answer, I should explain that “ the ALEC thing ” refers to my trip to the American Legislative Exchange Counsel (ALEC) in Fort Worth in early December. I attended in part to champion a model bill protecting the due process rights of parents (as well as children and relative care givers) when the State feels that family separation is necessary but doesn’t want to bring the children into formal foster care. In such instances, the agency will recommend parents send their children to live with a relative for a time, and our model bill would govern such arrangements.

This model bill was drafted by lawyers, policy experts, and persons with lived experience. What’s more, the drafting team spanned both sides of the political aisle. To carry a bill that has input from the ACLU and other left-leaning organizations into a right-leaning coalition like ALEC is a rare gift that, frankly, sets the Parental Rights Foundation apart from other pro-family organizations. And that makes “the ALEC thing” a definite inclusion on my list of “biggest accomplishments of 2025.”

So, what does the rest of that list look like? (Note to my friend: I’ve had more time to think about this since lunch, so I’ve filled out the list a little more.)

First, there’s the passage of a state Parental Rights Amendment to the Texas Constitution. Now, I want to be careful not to take too much credit for that. Although their amendment borrows some language from our own, and although we fully supported it as it was going through the legislative process and onto the ballot, other organizations, especially Texas-based organizations, took the lead and did most of the heavy lifting. (These organizations included Family Freedom Project, Texas Home School Coalition, and the Texas Public Policy Foundation, to name a few.)

Since Texas is the first state in the country to successfully adopt a Parental Rights Amendment to their constitution, that accomplishment certainly merits a mention on my list for 2025.

Next, there’s the passage of Senate Bill 143, the Parents’ Bill of Rights, in Indiana. The accomplishment may seem less impactful at first blush—Indiana is now one of about twenty states with similar laws protecting parental rights, not a lone outlier like Texas. But the new law will make all the difference for families in Indiana.

And it was such a long time coming. I got to witness the faithful and selfless dedication of our state volunteer (I called her “Esther” in this article from October ) beginning all the way back in 2018, and despite various trials along the way, she (and her family) never gave up. Thus, I simply must include this accomplishment—in many ways her accomplishment—on this “biggest accomplishments of 2025” list.

Moving from the States to Congress, the next big accomplishment of 2025 was the reintroduction of the Parental Rights Amendment, H.J. Res 127, by Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) on September 19. To date, the resolution has twelve cosponsors, which is just shy of twice as many as its predecessor received in the last Congress (seven). You can see that list of cosponsors here .

If your congressman isn’t yet on the list, why not email or call and ask them to sign on today? Simply tell them you’re a constituent and that you support H.J. Res. 127, the Parental Rights Amendment, and that you would like them to sign on as a cosponsor. They can do so by reaching out to Worth Loving in the office of Rep. Mary Miller.

And that brings me to the last item on my list, and perhaps our biggest accomplishment of the year: the Supreme Court’s ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor .

Like the Texas PRA listed above, obviously we can’t take credit for the Supreme Court’s ruling per se . We certainly didn’t write it for them.

But what we can take credit for is an excellent amicus brief written by our founder and former president, Michael Farris, on behalf of the Parental Rights Foundation, National Religious Broadcasters, Wagner Faith and Freedom Center, and Concerned Women for America. In it, Farris leaned on the Supreme Court’s own history of parental rights jurisprudence and argued that the Court “has promised parents that public schools must adhere to religious neutrality.” Parents do not send their children to school to be indoctrinated into viewpoints the parents don’t share. Rather, they send them to school to receive an education.

The result of the case, with our brief in consideration, was a wholesale win for parents who send their children to public schools. It was the most significant parental rights case in a quarter century , and it was one of the most favorable in the storied history of such cases. Today, religious parents (of all faiths ; the litigants in Mahmoud included Jewish, Muslim, and Catholic families) can feel a little safer sending their children to public school, knowing their right has been restored to direct the upbringing and education of their children.

Yes, my friend asked an excellent question. And as I thought it through, I realized: with your partnership and support, we accomplished a lot in 2025! Thank you for standing with us, and empowering us to stand with you.

Action Needed in Indiana for Reasonable Childhood Independence

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 19:48:00 GMT

Several years ago, we had the privilege of weighing in on a model bill being drafted by lawyers at Let Grow to protect “reasonable childhood independence.” This model preserves the right of parents to decide when their children are ready to take a walk or play at a nearby park, without being accused of neglect. We are proud to have championed this model at the American Legislative Exchange Counsel and to host it on our website.

Today, a bill based on that model is coming to Indiana and it needs your help.

The following is a message from Let Grow’s legal consultant, Diane Redleaf, about the bill’s upcoming introduction in the House Judiciary Committee. Please take a moment to weigh in for the sake of parents and children in the Hoosier State.

We are excited to let you know that “Permissible supervised activity” legislation, HB 1035, sponsored by Rep. Jake Teshka (R.), Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn (D.). and Rep. Ryan Lauer (R.) will be heard in the Indiana House Judiciary Committee on January 12, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time (Room 156B) . The bill being heard is HB 1035 and you can review its language here.

Let Grow has been working closely with the sponsors and with other allies in Indiana [including the Parental Rights Foundation] to support the effort to eliminate the threat of criminal and child neglect charges against parents who let their children engage in ordinary, normal, and age-appropriate independent activities. The language of Indiana’s legislation is very similar to Georgia and Florida laws that passed in 2025. If Indiana passes this law, it will be the 12th state to join the childhood independence movement.

We are asking friends and supporters to please contact Judiciary Committee Chair Rep. Chris Jeter (R.) to let him know that you support this legislation. He can be reached at H88@iga.in.gov or by phone at 317-232-9769 or 1-800-382-9841 . An email or call should indicate where you live in Indiana, any special background you have (including being a parent or grandparent to children in Indiana or a professional background that you have that makes you particularly concerned about children’s independence), and an indication that you support the bill. You can add a personal reason why this is important to you in just a line or two if you wish.

You can also contact your own representative (if they are on the Judiciary Committee). You can go here to find the name of your representative and how to contact them. This link has the names of the Judiciary Committee members.

If you wish to testify in-person in support of the bill, you must submit this form on the day of the hearing. You can also email our sponsors to find out more information about in-person testimony. To submit written testimony, please email it to Chair Jeter and cc Rep. Teshka at and myself at diane@letgrow.org .

You can watch the livestream here .

You can read yesterday’s IndyStar op-ed by Rep. Teshka and Rep Garcia Wilburn here .

Thank you for your support in getting Indiana to be the next state to pass a reasonable childhood independence law.

Sincerely,

Diane Redleaf

Legal Consultant to Let Grow

New Jersey Blinked

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 15:19:00 GMT

The holidays weren’t even behind us yet when the first warning over parental rights legislation was sounded in New Jersey. Assembly Bill 5796 , which would require every homeschooling family to visit with a school official for a “welfare visit” on an annual basis, was scheduled to be heard in the Assembly Health Committee on Monday, January 5.

We received word of this threat from our friends at the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) and New Jersey Parental Rights, and we passed their warning on to those of you living in the Garden State. And you responded!

Over the weekend, we learned that the bill had been pulled from the committee’s Monday morning agenda. This was in direct response to the outpouring of emails and phone calls from concerned New Jersey parents. Like us, these parents don’t believe they should have to give up their Fourth Amendment right to be secure in their homes and persons in order to exercise their fundamental rights to choose and provide their child’s education.

We should never be forced to choose which rights we are going to exercise and which ones we will give up. That isn’t how rights work.

As a result, the bill was pulled from the committee agenda, which was the right thing to do.

Unfortunately, experience has told us this is likely not the end.

A.5796 could be added to a later committee meeting agenda and move forward. It could be replaced by another bill that is as bad or worse. So, while we are hopeful some lawmakers are listening to the concerned parents reaching out, others may simply be waiting for a more opportune time to bring the bill forward.

For that reason, we must (and we will!) remain vigilant.

And that’s not only true in New Jersey, but all over the country.

We expect challenges to home school freedoms to arise in multiple states in the weeks and months ahead. Because, while we agree with the Supreme Court that “natural bonds of affection lead parents to act in their child’s best interest,” and that parents should receive the benefit of that legal presumption, many statist lawmakers do not. They believe that, if it will save even one child from abuse, then all parents everywhere should simply surrender their rights.

In contrast, we believe that supporting and empowering loving parents will produce the best outcomes for the greatest number of children.

That’s why we’ll be watching state legislatures and standing for parental rights. We will support those bills that further parental rights, and we will stand in opposition to bills like A.5796 that rob families of their proper rights.

This week is only the beginning. And while it is exciting to report that the proponents of this bill blinked first and withdrew it from the committee agenda, we don’t want to celebrate too early. We still have a long way to go to cross that finish line.

Thank you for taking this journey with us, for supporting us, and for making your voice heard when and where it is needed. Only together can we protect children by empowering parents in 2026!

Urgent State Alert: New Jersey

Fri, 02 Jan 2026 17:24:00 GMT

The New Jersey Assembly’s Health Committee is taking up a bill on Monday to require every homeschooling family in the state to meet with their local school officials once a year for a “health and wellness check.” Assembly bill 5796 would require school officials to annually assess the wellness of homeschool students, though it fails to define what that means.

Please check out the alert below, which we are forwarding verbatim from our friends at the Home School Legal Defense Association.

Urgent Action Needed to Stop a Bill Calling for Homeschool Health and Wellness Checks

Please join us on Monday, January 5 to oppose a bill that would require every New Jersey homeschooled student to meet with public school officials annually for a “health and wellness check.”

Assembly Bill 5796 would empower and require school officials to annually assess the wellness of homeschooled students, but it fails to define just how they would do that. This raises concerns about whether the bill could be used to violate privacy and undermine parental rights.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Attend the legislative committee hearing 10 a.m., Monday, January 5, in Committee Room 11, 4th Floor, State House Annex , Trenton, NJ.

Wear red to help send a powerful message that many families oppose AB 5796!

Contact (email or call) your two Assembly representatives and respectfully ask them to oppose Assembly Bill 5796. For Assembly member emails and phone numbers, go here and use the dropdown box to select your municipality. This will pull up contact info for your two Assembly representatives (no need to contact your senator yet). If you call and don’t get through to a live person, keep calling.

WHAT YOU CAN SAY

Your message can be simple. Here are some examples that may be helpful.

“Please oppose A5796. Health information is private, but this bill empowers thousands of school officials to question children about their health. Homeschoolers should not be singled out for this harsh treatment.”

“Please oppose A5796. It presumes that homeschooling parents fail to properly care for their children. It will result in some parents being treated differently just because they exercise their constitutional right to homeschool their children.”

“Please oppose A5796. It is very poorly worded. It demands a ‘general health and wellness check’ that is not defined in any statute or regulation.”

Or you can use information below to craft a message.

WHY WE ARE CONCERNED

First, this bill would permit intrusion into the private health information of children by requiring officials to “conduct a general health and wellness check” of homeschooled children, without defining what this means. In fact, the plain language of the bill does not limit the official to asking questions and may even give an official authority for physical exams, which might be invasive. It’s possible that such a check may include questions about lifestyle, behavior, and mental health.

Second, the bill requires both the child and parent to answer health questions from a school official. Nothing in the bill would prevent a school official from separating the child from the parent for questioning.

Third, the bill does not state what standards will be used to determine if the child “passes” the health and wellness check and does not specify what may happen if, in the subjective assessment of the official, there is a concern.

Finally, it violates a principle of fundamental fairness: that every person is innocent unless there is some evidence they have committed a crime. This bill presumes that every homeschooled child in New Jersey needs a “check” by a school official based on the sole reason that the parent or guardian choose to homeschool. This is wrong.

Join HSLDA attorneys Will Estrada and Ralph Rodriguez in opposing this bill.

For more information, you can view this video where Ro Uwague of ENJOY and I discuss (starting at 7:04) just a few of the problematic features of this bill. (Thanks, Ro!)

Thank you for standing with us for freedom!

Scott Woodruff, Esq.

Senior Counsel at the Homeschool Legal Defense Association

Season’s Greetings

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 21:26:00 GMT

The staff and board of the Parental Rights Foundation wish you and your family a beautiful holiday full of warmth, light, love, and joy.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Facing Challenges in 2026

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 21:26:00 GMT

As we wind down another year and look toward 2026, I am struck by all that we have accomplished in the last twelve months, and at the challenges we will face in the days just ahead.

On the one hand, parental rights have been at the forefront of our culture and political awareness over the last five years, and we have made great strides in protecting them during that time.

Just this past year, we saw the Supreme Court hand down a significant win for parents in Maryland (and around the country) in Mahmoud v. Taylor , a case we weighed in on with a formal amicus brief. We argued that parental rights are fundamental, and that schools should keep parents informed and listen to parents’ reasonable wishes when it comes to what their children are being taught.

The Supreme Court listened. They handed down an important decision that preserves a parent’s right to opt out of materials they find objectionable in their child’s public education classroom.

Along the way, the Court made one crucial point that overturned some earlier, dangerous precedents:

In at least two important cases from the early 2000s, courts had held that if parents didn’t like what is taught in the schools, they could enroll their children in private school or they could homeschool them. Once they put a child in public school, their rights over what the child learned were at an end.

In Mahmoud v. Taylor , the Court pointed out that this is simply not an option for a lot of our nation’s marginalized parents. And their rights should not end at the school door simply because they can’t afford to homeschool or send their child to private school. This may seem a minor point, but it is a huge win for parents everywhere, and especially for parents whose children go to public school.

We are proud to have been a part of that vital case!

We have also seen changes out of Washington about how parents are to be treated. Not long ago, parents concerned enough to speak up at school board meetings were being labeled “domestic terrorists.” Now, their rights are being lauded and promoted in policy briefs and executive orders. This is a season, and like every season it will pass. But it has been a boon for parents while it lasts.

And we are seeing changes in state laws, which are far less fleeting.

This year, Indiana passed a parental rights law to preserve the parental role as fundamental, accorded strict scrutiny judicial protection. That means parents in the Hoosier state are in the driver’s seat more than they have ever been before.

And parents in Georgia, Virginia, and Texas now have the freedom to let their children explore and experience a bit of independence, as our Reasonable Childhood Independence bill (featured and led by our partners at Let Grow) has been adopted in these and eight other states since 2018. These laws say plainly to state agencies that letting a child play unsupervised in his yard or letting her ride her bike to the park does not in itself constitute neglect or warrant any kind of investigation or intrusion.

This means a lot to Georgia mom Brittany Patterson, who, months before Georgia’s law was passed, was arrested in front of her house, with her children watching , because her almost 11-year-old son walked a mile to the store in their rural community. (I was honored to host Brittany and her lawyer on our EPPiC Broadcast podcast earlier this year.)

On the other hand, elections in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and especially in my home state of Virginia may foreshadow a much more challenging landscape in 2026. Already, lawmakers are seeking to carve up our homeschooling rights, as some frightfully controlling bills have been proposed in New Jersey, Virginia, and Illinois in the last twelve months.

With our allies at the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) and countless state-level organizations, we were able to hold off those efforts in 2025. But we expect them to return in the coming months, and it will take all of us working together to stop them.

The liberty of parents to direct the education of their children means we don’t answer to the state for what they must learn (beyond the core principles of literacy and numeracy—areas where homeschools and private schools far outperform their state-run counterparts). But that won’t stop lawmakers from trying to take control so that they—not you—can shape what your children think and believe.

We will stand up to them again and declare with a loud voice that your children are not theirs to take, that your rights must be respected and preserved for your children’s sake.

As I look to 2026, it is not all “doom and gloom.” There will be challenges, especially for homeschooling in these states. But there will be progress, too .

In the same state of Virginia that may host one of the biggest challenges to homeschoolers, we are already working with a bipartisan coalition to bring child welfare reform. Numerous lawmakers who don’t ordinarily stand with us are part of that coalition, ready to make changes to better protect Virginia families. And their party will have the majority to do it.

At the federal level, likewise, we are working with coalition partners from many states and both sides of the aisle to bring meaningful change to the laws that define “abuse” and “neglect,” that give state incentives either to separate or to preserve families.

And we are continuing our relationship with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a Conservative, Republican-based gathering of state lawmakers and private groups who coordinate legislative efforts in the states.

At the start of this month, I was at ALEC in Fort Worth to present a model to protect parents, children, and caretakers in “Hidden Foster Care” situations—instances where child welfare agencies encourage parents to choose voluntary placement agreements in lieu of formal foster care.

When voluntary, these arrangements can be very helpful. Overwhelmed parents can send their children to live for a time with an aunt and uncle, grandma, or even a neighbor, long enough for the family to get things sorted out.

But there is also the temptation for the agency to encourage these arrangements simply because they lack the evidence they would need to go before a judge for an order to remove a child. Parents can be coerced, robbed of any court oversight or civil rights protections.

Our bill is now ALEC-approved, and it was drafted by a bipartisan coalition who can help reach both sides of the aisle when the bill comes up in your state.

This is the strength of our coalition: we remove the red flags for either party before the model language is adopted by groups like ALEC or by lawmakers ready to present it in their state. The bills we champion have the approval of lawyers from the ABA and the ACLU on the left and from HSLDA and Texas Public Policy Foundation on the right.

There is a lot of work ahead of us in 2026. We have built the relationships, the reputation, and the tools to get that work done. But we need your support to see it through.

Can I count on you today to make your best investment of $25, $45, or even $100 to empower our efforts in the coming year?

Moms like Brittany Patterson shouldn’t need to worry about being arrested for letting their children walk to the store alone. And children shouldn’t disappear into the cracks of “hidden foster care” when an agency lacks evidence to take their parent to court. (If there’s no evidence of abuse, the children should remain at home where they belong!)

Together, we can preserve the right of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children in more situations, in more states, and ultimately in the text of the United States Constitution.

Will you stand with us today ?

(And because the Parental Rights Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on policy and education, your investment is tax deductible as allowed for by IRS guidelines.)

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents all across the country.

P.S.—We’ve had many wins to celebrate these last five years, and there are mounting challenges right in front of us. Your tax-deductible gift today will empower us to meet those challenges and turn those into victory celebrations for families, as well!

A Bridge Across the Aisle for Families

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 21:43:00 GMT

PRF President Michael Ramey with Think of Us CEO Sixto Cancel in Ft. Worth, Texas, on Dec. 3, 2025.

Last week, I attended the American Legislative Exchange Council’s (ALEC) annual States and Nation Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, to present a model policy on Family Separations.

ALEC is a cooperative of conservative state lawmakers and private entities like the Parental Rights Foundation, who meet to discuss and shape model policies for state legislation. Based on its conservative focus, it is unashamedly Republican.

Our model policy on Family Separations , on the other hand, was drafted by a bipartisan coalition, including members from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the American Bar Association (ABA), working closely with members from PRF and the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF).

The aim and strength of this Coalition to End Hidden Foster Care is to remove partisan barriers and put forth policies both sides can agree on. And my trip to ALEC proves that we are reaching that goal.

As I said, several left-leaning lawyers were an integral part of drafting this model bill. There are lawyers whose organizations would never be allowed to join ALEC—and who would never want to. In terms of partisan politics, ALEC would be their enemy.

But on the issue of parental rights and family defense, we are all on the same page.

As a member of both the Coalition to End Hidden Foster Care and ALEC, and as someone welcome on the political right, I had the privilege of serving as the “bridge across the aisle,” taking our model from one group to the other.

In practical terms, that looked like talking to lawmakers about our model last week, then presenting it before a “task force” (committee) on Health & Human Services, where it was put to a vote.

I didn’t hide the fact that the proposal was bipartisan. In fact, I find that one of the highlights of our model: it has already been vetted by both sides, with all the potential “red flags” taken out.

At the end of the day, our model received unanimous support, both from the public sector (elected legislators from various states) and the private sector (other nonprofits and for-profit corporations who are also members of ALEC). It is still listed on ALEC’s website as a “draft” model, but that will change in the next week or so as their IT team makes the updates from the conference.

So, what does our model say?

Our model covers instances where the state’s (or local) child welfare agency is involved with a family and suggests a Voluntary Placement Agreement. Such agreements are increasingly popular since the passage of the Family First Prevention Services Act in 2018 as a means to prevent foster care. But in many states, they are ripe for coercion and abuse since they do not involve any kind of court oversight or data tracking (leading to the unofficial title, “Hidden Foster Care”).

This kind of prevention certainly has its benefits: Instead of being removed to foster care with strangers, the children are moved to the home of a relative or close friend chosen by the parents. This means less trauma and disruption for the child. And the parents don’t have to go to court to defend themselves, either.

But, again, there is the potential for problems, such as pitting parents against the very kin they chose to provide the childcare, and the fact that there is no judge involved to make sure things are done properly.

That’s where our model comes in. It includes a section to make sure the parent’s rights are being protected —rights to have the details in writing, to know the aims and time limits of the separation, to rescind their agreement to the arrangement at any time, to have a lawyer advise them, and so on. This section makes sure the arrangement is truly voluntary, not coerced, and that it is designed to serve the family’s needs rather than the agency’s convenience.

It also includes a section to protect the rights of the affected children, such as a right to know what’s happening, to have a say (depending on their age) in the details, and to keep disruptions of their life to a minimum. (This means a family member in their same school district or close to their same church community would be a better choice than a family member two counties away.)

And there’s even a section to protect the rights of the caregivers, including the right to say “no” in the immediate timeframe, but to still be considered as a potential placement later on if the circumstances change.

Texas passed a similar law in 2023; the lawmakers who passed it and are members of ALEC were notably supportive of our model. They understand from their own experience the need for these reforms to protect families at their most vulnerable time.

I am proud to present this model for the coming legislative session and will work with lawmakers in any state who want to bring it to the floor. And I am especially proud to be the bridge across the aisle to make sure this important work gets done.

Thank you for standing with us and empowering us to build bridges to protect families by securing parental rights!

The post A Bridge Across the Aisle for Families appeared first on Parental Rights Foundation .

Thank you for your support!

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 17:51:00 GMT

Thank you so much for your generosity this Giving Tuesday. Your investment has positioned us to continue our work and make even greater strides for parental rights in the coming year.

Together we raised almost $45,000 in a single day, and we are genuinely grateful for every single contribution. Your support helps strengthen our mission to ensure that parental rights are protected, respected, and advanced nationwide.

Your partnership equips us to continue showing up in legislatures and in communities where families need a voice. We could not do this work without you .

Thank you again for standing with us. We are honored to continue this work by your side.

P.S. – If you did not have a chance to give yesterday and would still like to support our work, you can make a gift here .

There is still time to triple your impact

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 18:52:00 GMT

Giving Tuesday continues until midnight , and there is still time to make a difference! Give before midnight to have your gift tripled.

Even though our office closes at 5 p.m. EST, Giving Tuesday is not over.

No matter where you are or what time zone you live in, your gift will be counted until 11:59 p.m.

And tonight, your support goes even further.

Thanks to two generous matching grants, every dollar given will be tripled until we reach our sixty thousand dollar goal.

If you have been planning to give, now is the time . Every contribution, large or small, helps strengthen parental rights for families across the country.

Thank you for being part of this movement and for helping us finish strong.

Today is Giving Tuesday

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 18:48:00 GMT

Today is Giving Tuesday , and families across the country are coming together to strengthen parental rights. This is one of the most important days of the year for this movement, and we are grateful that you are part of it.

Today only, your impact will be multiplied! Thanks to two generous matching grants, every dollar given will be tripled until we reach our sixty thousand dollar goal. Make your Giving Tuesday gift here and have your donation tripled.

Parents are facing real challenges. In schools, courts, and state agencies, policies and decisions are affecting their ability to guide the upbringing, education, and care of their children. These pressures continue to grow, and parents need strong allies who will stand with them.

Your support makes that possible. When you give today, you help us develop model legislation, elevate stories from across the country, share trustworthy resources, and educate lawmakers and community leaders. You ensure that families understand their rights and that policymakers understand why those rights matter.

We invite you to join us this morning to launch this important day on a strong footing.

Thank you for standing with families and strengthening parental rights across the country.

Florida’s Office of Parental Rights, with Attorney General James Uthmeier

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 18:49:00 GMT

In this episode, James Uthmeier, Attorney General of Florida, joins us to discuss the creation of the state’s first-in-the-nation Office of Parental Rights within the Attorney General’s Office. Established earlier this year in response to a growing number of parental complaints, the office works to ensure Florida’s parental rights laws are upheld and that parents have a place to turn when those rights are violated.

Attorney General Uthmeier outlines how the office operates, why enforcing existing parental rights protections is so essential, and why he hopes other states will follow Florida’s lead in creating similar offices across the country.

The EPPiC Broadcast is hosted by Michael Ramey, President of the Parental Rights Foundation. Stay informed on parental rights news by signing up for email alerts at parentalrightsfoundation.org/getinvolved .

One Week Until Giving Tuesday: Standing With Families Nationwide

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 22:34:00 GMT

Giving Tuesday is just one week away. Next Tuesday, December 2, marks one of the most crucial moments of the year as parents and advocates join together in supporting efforts to improve our nation by strengthening families.

The challenges are real.

Across the country, parents are navigating policies and proposals that ignore their role in education and health care, or that limit their ability to guide essential decisions for their children. These situations are appearing in schools, state agencies, and courts, revealing just how much is at stake for families today. These pressures are not isolated to one state or one circumstance, but reflect a nationwide trend that demands clarity, transparency, and steadfast advocacy.

Your support equips the Parental Rights Foundation to meet that need. You help us develop model legislation, share vital research and resources, elevate the stories of parents and advocates, and educate lawmakers and community leaders. You make it possible for families to understand their rights and for policymakers to see why those rights must be protected.

On December 2, your impact will multiply. Thanks to two generous matching grants, every dollar given will be tripled until we reach our sixty-thousand-dollar goal. Your generosity, multiplied, will allow us to expand our education and advocacy efforts at a time when parents need trustworthy information and strong allies more than ever.

As we count down to Giving Tuesday, we invite you to stay connected, follow the stories we share throughout the week , and prepare to stand with families across the country. Next Tuesday is an opportunity not only to give, but to strengthen a movement that empowers parents by protecting children.

Thank you for continuing with us. Together, we can ensure that parental rights remain strong for the next generation.

Homeschool Co-ops and Micro Schools, with Darren Jones

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 20:53:00 GMT

In this episode, Darren Jones, Senior Counsel and Director of Group Services at the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, joins us to explore the growing world of homeschooling, co-ops, and micro schools. Darren explains why parents are fully capable of educating their children, pointing to decades of strong academic outcomes and the wide range of resources available to families today. He also breaks down what co-ops and micro schools are, how they differ from private schools, and how parent involvement varies across these models.

Darren offers practical guidance for families looking to join or start a homeschool co-op or micro school, discusses how state laws can impact these options, and shares insights from nearly 30 years of helping homeschool families navigate challenges such as diploma recognition and group formation.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

HSLDA’s list of homeschool co-ops and groups: https://my.hslda.org/groups/s/

Voices for Parental Rights Across the Country

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 20:45:00 GMT

As we continue our virtual Road to Parental Rights , we are highlighting the voices of parents and advocates who have faced challenges in their own communities and stepped forward with courage. Their experiences show the real world impact of parental rights across the country and remind us that this movement grows stronger when ordinary people speak out.

You can watch this week's featured video on our YouTube here .

Across the United States, parents and advocates are confronting school policies, legislative proposals, and administrative decisions that threaten their ability to guide the upbringing of their children. Some, like January Littlejohn of Florida, are challenging policies that cut parents out of essential decisions. Others, like Esther in Indiana, are working to protect longstanding freedoms in areas like education, health care, and religious liberty.

Each story reveals something we cannot ignore: The pressure on parental rights is not limited to one region or one type of community. Whether urban, rural, or suburban, and whether the issue arises in a classroom, clinic, or statehouse, parents and advocates are being forced to defend their most basic role.

And it’s even more vital when the pressure comes right to your own front door—like the day police arrived to arrest Brittany Patterson of Georgia, right in front of her children , because her 11-year-old son walked to the store a mile away from home without supervision.

As we continue this journey, we hope you will see what we see. This is a nationwide movement. Parents deserve transparency, respect, and a seat at the table. They deserve allies who will stand with them when it matters most.

Your engagement makes this work possible. When you follow these stories, share them, and help spread awareness, you strengthen a movement that is growing across the country. Your support encourages parents and advocates who often feel alone in these challenges.

As we prepare for Giving Tuesday on December 2, we invite you to stay connected, learn with us, and help amplify these voices. This week is an opportunity to understand why this work matters now more than ever.

Together, we can ensure that the voices of parents and advocates are heard across the country and that their rights remain strong for generations to come.

Obstacles on the Road to Parental Rights

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 18:21:00 GMT

As we continue our journey along The Road to Parental Rights , this week we confront the challenges that stand in the way. Across the nation, parents are encountering barriers that strike at the heart of their most fundamental responsibilities. Whether in classrooms, hospitals, or courtrooms, the freedom to guide a child’s upbringing and care is being tested.

These threats are real, and they are growing. In education, we find parents like January Littlejohn, whose daughter’s mental health plan was intentionally ignored by her school and replaced with that they thought she needed, making treatment and health virtually impossible. In health care, parents face resistance when they seek to make informed medical choices for their children, from vaccine schedules to needed care for pain, like in the case of Maya Kowalski. And in law and policy, we continue to see antiquated practices that elevate government authority over the family itself, ignoring the trauma caused both to parents and the very children the government is “trying to save.”

While the obstacles are serious, they are not insurmountable. Every challenge we face reminds us why this work matters and why it must continue. Through rigorous research, educational outreach, and principled advocacy, the Parental Rights Foundation works to equip citizens, lawmakers, and courts with the knowledge needed to protect the family as the cornerstone of a free society.

Your support makes that possible. Each time you share these stories, engage your community, or contribute to our mission, you help ensure that no parent faces these challenges alone.

We invite you to watch this week’s video in our Giving Tuesday series to see how these roadblocks are affecting families and how, together, we can clear the way forward. Then, share it with your friends and ask them to consider supporting us on December 2. On that date, every gift will be tripled , right up to our $60,000 goal.

Thank you for standing with us on this road. The threats are real, but so is our resolve, and with your help, the future can be brighter for every parent and child.

Uncovering Hidden Foster Care, with Aubrey Edwards-Luce

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 16:02:00 GMT

In this episode, Aubrey Edwards-Luce, Executive Director at the Center for Families, Children, and the Courts at the University of Baltimore School of Law, joins us to discuss the growing issue of hidden foster care. Hidden foster care is a way to keep children with family instead of entering the foster system, but with no oversight or due process, it doesn't always give parents, children, or caregivers the tools their family needs.

Aubrey shares how these arrangements can harm everyone involved and outlines four key policy changes from her upcoming paper, The Hidden Foster Care Policy Agenda , that would bring oversight, accountability, and fairness to this shadow system.

The EPPiC broadcast is hosted by Michael Ramey, president of the Parental Rights Foundation. You can sign up for email alerts to keep yourself informed on parental rights news at https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/get-involved/.

Resources Mentioned: Annie E. Casey Foundation New Insights on State Kinship Diversion Policies

The Road to Parental Rights Begins

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 14:51:00 GMT

This Giving Tuesday (December 2), we invite you to join us on The Road to Parental Rights , a national journey that traces both the history and the continuing importance of one of our most essential liberties: the right of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children.

The concept of parental rights has deep roots in our nation’s legal and cultural heritage. A century ago, in Pierce v. Society of Sisters , the United States Supreme Court affirmed that parents possess a fundamental right and responsibility to guide their children’s education and moral development. That principle has served as a cornerstone of American family life ever since. Yet, in recent years, parents across the country have faced increasing challenges to that foundational freedom. From local classrooms to federal courts, the question of who ultimately directs a child’s upbringing remains one of the most pressing issues of our time.

Over the next four weeks, we will travel together along this “road,” reflecting on the origins of parental rights, examining key moments that have shaped the modern debate, and highlighting current efforts to safeguard these rights for future generations. Our goal is not only to educate but also to inspire action and renewal. By understanding where we have come from, we can more clearly see the path forward.

Your partnership makes this work possible. Each research project we publish, each policy initiative we support, and each family we stand beside is strengthened by the generosity of friends like you. This Giving Tuesday, your contribution will have an even greater impact. Through two generous matching grant opportunities, every dollar given will be tripled to advance parental rights in communities and courtrooms across the nation.

There’s also a geographic aspect to our “Road to Parental Rights,” as we’ll be featuring supporter videos from around the country. I’ll start at home, with a video of my own ( included here ). But you’ll want to follow along to see just where in the country this Road will take us.

As we embark on this journey together, we invite you to reflect on the enduring importance of family, freedom, and responsibility. The road ahead may be challenging, but with your support, we can ensure that parents remain at the center of decisions affecting their children’s lives.

Follow the Journey on our YouTube channel here . (You can also find our videos on Facebook and Instagram .)

Thank you for standing with us in this vital work. Together, we can protect families today and secure the future for our children tomorrow.

Texas Adopts State Parental Rights Amendment

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 18:44:00 GMT

On Tuesday, Texas voters chose overwhelmingly to add parental rights to their state’s constitution.

Supported by Texas Home School Coalition (THSC), Texas Public Policy Foundation, and the Family Freedom Project, the ballot proposition will add to the Texas Constitution the right of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children.

Your Parental Rights Foundation also supported the proposition as good for families.

THSC Director of Public Policy Jeremy Newman is quoted on Ballotpedia thus: “This is a priority because, currently, the constitutional rights of parents are found only in case law, which is controlled by judges. Those rights could disappear if we have bad judges who make it into office… Adding parental rights to the Texas Constitution is a critical protection for these most foundational rights that families have, which are essential to the functioning of our society.”

Proposed by state Senator Bryan Hughes and passed by a two-thirds vote of the legislature, the measure needed a simple majority in the election to be adopted. One hundred percent of Republicans and 66% of Democrats in the legislature approved the proposition.

As of this morning, with 93% of precincts reporting, voter support is running 70% to 30% . While the result has not yet been certified, the outcome at this point is clear.

Texas becomes the first state in the nation to recognize parental rights in its constitution. A 1996 effort in Colorado came up short when a late misinformation campaign convinced voters that a PRA would protect child abusers.

Families in the Lone Star State can breathe a little easier knowing their parental rights will soon be preserved in the state’s constitution. Still, there is a lot of work ahead as those rights continue to be ironed out in the day-to-day of Texas life.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents in Texas and across the nation.

The Krueger v. Petrak Case and Parental Rights, with Aaron Rapier

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 18:59:00 GMT

In this episode, Attorney Aaron Rapier from the Rapier Law Firm joins us to discuss the troubling Krueger v. Petrak case in Illinois. In this case, investigators found the abuse allegations to be unfounded and the case was officially closed. However, only weeks later, the children were still removed from the home and separated from their parents for over a year.

We explore what this case reveals about the growing tension between medical professionals and parental authority and why protecting a parent's right to be fully informed and involved in their child's medical care is essential to preventing future injustices.

Shutdown Not Stopping the Parental Rights Amendment

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 20:53:00 GMT

A partisan budgeting impasse shut down parts of the federal government on October 1, but that hasn’t stopped the Parental Rights Amendment from moving forward in Congress.

On October 1, House Joint Resolution 127 (H.J. Res 127), introducing the Parental Rights Amendment and led by Illinois Rep. Mary Miller, had seven cosponsors.

Today, after a full four weeks of government shutdown, that number has climbed to ten , as Reps. Ralph Norman (R-SC), Randy Fine (R-FL), and John Rutherford (R-FL) have all signed on this month.

This is a promising start for a resolution that previously garnered only eight cosponsors in the entire last Congress. But it is only a start.

If we are going to get to the point of seeing a subcommittee hearing on the Amendment, which will add important discussion to the congressional record, we will need to see an even larger groundswell of support.

That support will be visible in the number of cosponsors, which in turn will reflect the number of contacts congressmen are receiving from their constituents. And that’s where you come in.

Please consider taking a moment out of your busy schedule today to reach out to your congressman and ask them to cosponsor H.J. Res. 127, the Parental Rights Amendment. Their staff can reach out to Worth Loving in the office of Rep. Mary Miller to sign on.

You can find your lawmaker’s contact information here , then call or email with the following message (preferably in your own words):

We are continuing to work behind the scenes on securing a lead sponsor for the Senate, and I look forward to giving you an update on that effort when it is available. In the meantime, though, we can continue to push the Amendment in the House, with or without the government shutdown.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through the Parental Rights Amendment.

I am calling/writing to encourage my congressman to cosponsor H.J. Res. 127 proposing a Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In a day when seemingly every government agency wants to control my children without my say, it is vitally important that we protect the irreplaceable role of parents in directing the upbringing, education, and care of our own children. This Amendment can protect families by preserving parental rights now and for future generations.

Please contact Worth Loving in the office of Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) to sign on as a cosponsor of this very important resolution.

Thank you for your service to our district.

The Family Rights and Responsibilities Act, with Matt Sharp

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 17:11:00 GMT

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! In this episode, Matt Sharp, Senior Counsel and Director of the Center for Public Policy at Alliance Defending Freedom, discusses the renewed push for the Family Rights and Responsibilities Act. Matt explains how this legislation would strengthen parental rights at the federal level by applying the strict scrutiny standard to any government action that interferes with those rights, giving parents the same high level of legal protection afforded to other fundamental freedoms. Matt also shares how this bill complements the proposed Parental Rights Amendment, why bipartisan support is essential, and what listeners can do to help move this legislation forward.

If you'd like to support this effort, contact your senator or representatives today and urge them to cosponsor the Family Rights and Responsibilities Act, Senate Bill 204 led by Senator Tim Scott, and House Resolution 650 led by Representative Virginia Foxx.

Rewind: Minimizing the Government’s Role in Families’ Lives, with Grover Norquist

Tue, 21 Oct 2025 16:46:00 GMT

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! We're re-featuring one of our well-received episodes featuring Grover Norquist, the founder and president of Americans for Tax Reform, a political advocacy group fighting for lower taxes. Today, he talks about limiting the government’s role in telling citizens how to live their lives - which naturally impacts its power over parents and families.

The EPPiC Broadcast is hosted by Michael Ramey, president of the Parental Rights Foundation. You can sign up for email alerts to keep yourself informed on parental rights news at https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/get-involved/.

Newsom Signs AB 495 Against Parental Rights

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 17:02:00 GMT

California Governor Gavin Newsom on October 12 signed Assembly Bill 495 into law.

This is the bill that allows any adult to sign an affidavit and take charge of major life decisions of a minor child without the knowledge or consent of the parent.

Under the law, the person must sign a sworn “Caregiver’s Authorization Affidavit” that they are a close relative before they can make decisions like enrolling or disenrolling a child from school. To make a medical decision, they must also attest that they tried to contact the parents first, but were unable to do so.

The kicker, though, is that the law specifically says that the school or hospital administrator, doctor, or other person receiving such an affidavit does not have to check on its validity in any way. They do not have to try to contact the parent, and they need not question the authority of the document.

And that makes the whole situation ripe for abuse, allowing bad actors to take control of minor children with the simple signing of a paper. No one is going to check anything until it is too late.

As we outlined in an earlier alert here , and as I talked with California Family Council Vice president Greg Burt on our podcast here , this robs parents of the right to make decisions regarding the upbringing, education, and care of their children by transferring that power, with very few safeguards, to some other adult. These rights, this power, is not the State’s to give away.

And it is the children who will ultimately pay the price.

Now that the bill is signed into law, the Parental Rights Foundation and our allies will be watching for cases where parental rights are violated so that we can push back on this law in court. Its unconstitutional removal of parental rights is ripe for a challenge, and we will happily do all we can to bring it one.

If you or someone you know sees their rights negatively affected by this law, please let us know right away. While we are not a law firm and don’t have lawyers on staff, we are well connected with allies who would love to take up this charge to protect California families.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents, even in California, where parental rights don’t seem very popular with the government.

Rewind: Arrested for Valuing Her Son’s Independence, with Brittany Patterson and David DeLugas

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 14:47:00 GMT

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! This week, we're rewinding to our episode featuring Brittany Patterson, a Georgia mother who made headlines when she was arrested after her 10-year-old walked to the store solo. David DeLugas, executive director of ParentsUSA and Brittany’s attorney, joined us as well.

Brittany tells her story and gives us a closer look at what happened on the day she was arrested. She and David both discuss the injustice of the event and what it signifies for parental rights and childhood independence for any family.

This episode has a happy ending! Not long after this, Georgia passed a Reasonable Childhood Independence law, making it clear that letting kids walk to school, play outside, or stay home for a short time is not neglect.

Texas: Vote ‘Yes’ on Proposition 15

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 20:04:00 GMT

This November, your ballot will include the opportunity to enshrine fundamental parental rights in the Texas Constitution. Proposition 15 (Senate Joint Resolution 34) would amend the Texas Constitution to include language that recognizes and affirms a parent’s "responsibility to nurture and protect the parent’s child and the corresponding fundamental right to exercise care, custody, and control of the parent’s child, including the right to make decisions concerning the child’s upbringing.”

You can find the full text of the proposed amendment here .

The Parental Rights Foundation supports Proposition 15. While it does not create any new rights, it codifies in the highest law of Texas the natural rights of parents as already recognized by the Supreme Courts of Texas and the United States. This will protect those rights from shifting ideologies of the courts for all future generations—just as the Bill of Rights protects fundamental liberties that were at the core of our fight for independence. Those rights persist today expressly because they are enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.

Connecting parental responsibility directly to “the corresponding fundamental right” (emphasis added) of decision-making will protect families from government overreach or any attempt to redefine what a parent must do. Short of actual physical harm by abuse or neglect, it is the parent’s role “to make decisions concerning the child’s upbringing.”

Adding this language to the Texas Constitution would provide additional legal protection to parents by demanding that state actors recognize these rights as fundamental.

Texas Home School Coalition (THSC) and Family Freedom Project both worked hard to get SJR 34 through the Texas legislature, and now its success is up to you, the voters. (You can visit THSC’s page on Proposition 15 here .)

I am hopeful that, with Texas leading the way, additional states will want to add parental rights protections to their constitutions, as well. But it all starts right here.

Thank you for standing with other Texas voters to protect children by empowering parents with your vote for Proposition 15, the Parental Rights Amendment to the Texas Constitution.

From ‘Resolutionary’ to Victor

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 14:15:00 GMT

On Monday, October 6, I had the pleasure of attending the annual Fall Dinner of the Indiana Family Institute, as they gathered to celebrate recent legislative victories and honor parental rights champions in their state.

Now, one champion there is a very private individual, but she agreed to let me share her story, as long as I don’t use her name. I’m going to call her Esther, because she was there “for such a time as this.” (IYKYK)

On that Monday night, IFI was celebrating this year’s passage of Indiana Senate Bill 143 , Parental Rights. Senator Liz Brown, who championed the bill, was in attendance and was recognized, as were several other lawmakers who voted for the bill.

Starting a Resolution

But protecting parental rights in the Hoosier State didn’t start there in January.

“It started with the ‘Resolutionary Campaign,’” Esther reminded me. “That’s really what got me going.”

Now, in case you don’t remember, our “Resolutionary Campaign” in September of 2018 aimed “to launch resolutions in as many states as possible—resolutions whereby your state lawmakers urge the 2019 Congress to pass the Parental Rights Amendment (PRA).”

Well, Esther took that charge seriously and began reaching out to Indiana lawmakers about a resolution.

Over the next few months, two remarkable things happened. First, when Esther reached out to a homeschooling father in the Senate, Senator Dennis Kruze, his office put together a meeting not only with Esther’s family, but with Senator Liz Brown, as well. Senator Brown had championed a parental rights bill in 2014 that didn’t get out of committee.

Second, when Esther sat down with the two lawmakers, they not only agreed to introduce a resolution (which didn’t make it out of committee in 2019), but they also concluded, “We (that is, the Indiana legislature) should be doing this”—not just asking Congress to do it. And so the idea of a fundamental parental rights statute was born.

All of that was seven years ago.

Since that time, Esther and her family have not once let up. They have faced challenges of their own, including long term health issues with multiple family members. But they never stopped pushing for this Indiana legislation.

In the last few years, Esther developed relationships not only with Indiana lawmakers, but with the terrific leaders at the Indiana Family Institute and Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) , both of whom became powerful on-the-ground allies in the cause.

Along the way, I took a lot of phone calls from Esther and answered a lot of questions about parental rights, strict scrutiny, and good language that Indiana could pass that would really mean something for families.

Paying the Price

Sadly, during that same time period, other Indiana families were paying a high price because parental rights were not already protected.

One couple lost custody of their 16-year-old son because of his gender confusion. There were no accusations of abuse, neglect, or any other form of unfitness, yet a judge decided to punish these parents for how they chose to parent according to their (traditional mainstream) beliefs—a blatant violation of their fundamental parental rights.

Then there was the school counselor, summarily fired after twenty-five years of faithful service, because she spoke to the press about her school’s policy of secretly transitioning students to another sex without ever notifying the student’s parent. Schools were undertaking serious mental health treatment for minors without any form of parental consent. I had the honor of meeting that counselor at IFI’s dinner, too. Her case is ongoing in the courts.

While these cases were certainly devastating for the families and communities involved, they nevertheless served a powerful purpose: They showed lawmakers in deep red Indiana that yes, we do in fact need a law to preserve parental rights.

Victory at Last

Finally, after multiple attempts came up short, Senator Brown introduced Senate Bill 143 in January of this year. We wrote a letter of support and encouraged our followers in Indiana to let their lawmakers know they support it, too. Allies at ADF and IFI testified in hearings and appeared at rallies to further bolster the campaign. And on April 22, Governor Mike Braun signed SB 143 into law.

Today, parents’ right to see all of their child’s school records is protected. The law states:

In case you’re new to this newsletter, I’ll point out that the last part of that is the very definition of “strict judicial scrutiny,” and is the very highest standard of legal scrutiny available. It is a very high bar for state actors to reach.

Further, the law includes a “private right of action” whereby parents can sue governmental agencies, including schools or child welfare agencies, who violate these decision-making rights.

It is one of the tightest and strongest parental rights laws in the country, passed with bipartisan support. And it is our hope that other states will follow Indiana’s example.

Monday was a special joy for me, because after countless phone calls and emails over the years, I was able to meet my friend Esther and her beautiful family for the very first time. And it was a special privilege to be a part of honoring them in this ultimate legislative victory for Indiana families.

Now, who will be Esther in your state?

The post From ‘Resolutionary’ to Victor appeared first on Parental Rights Foundation .

Parenting under Slavery vs. Parenting under the Child Welfare System, with Prof. Peggy Cooper Davis

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 13:52:00 GMT

During the times of American legalized slavery, the relationship between Black parents and their children was fraught with fear, and entirely controlled by the heavy hand of their owners. In her book Neglected Stories: The Constitution and Family Values , Prof. Peggy Cooper Davis draws the connection between this past reality, and the present reality of Black families finding themselves under the control of the child welfare state, subject to the whims of oft-biased court systems and social workers.

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! Today, Prof. Peggy Cooper Davis, Esq., Professor of Lawyering and Ethics Emeritus at NYU, is here with us to discuss her book’s analysis of the analogous relationship between the historical slavery system and the current child welfare system - and the horrible impact both have had on Black parents and children.

Bringing Reasonable Childhood Independence to Pennsylvania

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 14:54:00 GMT

Several years ago, the Parental Rights Foundation partnered with Lenore Skenazy and Diane Redleaf at Let Grow in drafting legislation to limit a state’s definition of “neglect.” Under the law we drafted together, that term would no longer apply to letting a child walk to school or to the park, or otherwise play outside unsupervised in most instances.

Parents have always had the right to make these decisions, of course. The fundamental right to direct a child’s upbringing and care has been recognized by the Supreme Court for more than a century.

But these laws free parents from having to fight for the decision-making right that was theirs all along.

The first such law was passed in Utah in 2018, and since then ten other states have followed suit: Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Virginia, Connecticut, Illinois, Montana, Georgia, Florida, and Missouri.

These are not red states or blue states. Or, rather, they are a mix of both. That’s because support for “reasonable childhood independence” comes from both sides of the political aisle.

Experts have noted in recent years that keeping children always inside and always under adult supervision is having negative effect on their resiliency, self-sufficiency, and overall mental health.

Now, I’m happy to report that we are bringing this bill to Pennsylvania, as well.

Take Action, Pennsylvania

Last month , House Bill 1873 , Reasonable Independence for Children, was introduced in the Pennsylvania House by Reps. Jeanne McNeill (D - Lehigh), Rick Krajewski (D – Philadelphia), and David Zimmerman (R – Berks and Lancaster). Six additional cosponsors have since signed on.

The bill was assigned to the Committee on Children and Youth on September 22 and is scheduled for a hearing on Monday, October 6, at 10 a.m. EDT. (The hearing will be live-streamed here .) Lead sponsor Rep. McNeill is the chairman of this committee.

If you live in Pennsylvania , please take a moment today to reach out to your state representative in Harrisburg and ask them to cosponsor this important parental rights bill. This will be especially helpful if your lawmaker is a Republican, as the current cosponsors are mostly Democrats.

Simply call or email your lawmaker and tell them that the decision of when a child is ready to play outside unsupervised or walk around the block without a parent is one that parents can and by right should make. We don’t need government agencies intruding every time we give our child a little independence. HB 1873 will protect this right and protect our children from unnecessary interference with their outdoor play.

You might also mention that similar laws have passed 11 other states in the last 7 years, and that these states are a mix of red and blue. This is not a partisan issue.

Then, respectfully ask your representative to sign on as a cosponsor of the bill.

If You’re Not in Pennsylvania

If you are not in Pennsylvania, please do not reach out to Pennsylvania lawmakers . Your calls will only cause confusion, and perhaps a bit of irritation from the lawmakers whose favor we are trying to win.

Rather, why not reach out to your own lawmaker and find out if there is interest in bringing this commonsense legislation to your state? We already have model language they can start with, and eleven real-life examples they can sample language from to best fit your state’s legal code.

Together, we can bring a greater respect for parental rights around the country. This month, it’s Pennsylvania. Coming this January, it could be right where you live.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through commonsense laws like these!

California AB 495, with Greg Burt

Tue, 30 Sep 2025 14:25:00 GMT

AB 495 is a troubling bill in California that’s just passed the legislature and is heading to the governor’s desk for his signature or veto. The bill would allow for any adult to make custody-like educational or medical decisions for any minor child, simply by signing an affidavit claiming they are “related to the child by blood, adoption, or affinity within the 5th degree of kinship.” No proof would be required for this process to take place.

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! Today, Greg Burt, Vice President of the California Family Council, is here with us to discuss this bill, its ramifications, and potential consequences.

Parental Rights Amendment Introduced in Congress

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 20:55:00 GMT

On Friday, September 19, Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL-15) introduced a resolution to Congress proposing the Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. By Tuesday, the resolution had been assigned a number: House Joint Resolution (HJRes) 127 .

At the time of introduction, the resolution had the support of six cosponsors: Reps. Sheri Biggs (R-SC-3), Ashley Hinson (R-IA-2), Mike Collins (R-GA-10), Addison McDowell (R-NC-6), Ben Cline (R-VA-6), and Greg Steube (R-FL-17).

Rep. Mike Haridopolis (R-FL-8) signed on as a cosponsor on Monday, September 22.

In the last Congress, Rep. Debbie Lesko’s HJRes 38 accumulated only eight cosponsors in the entire two-year term; HJRes 127 is already at seven cosponsors, and the bill isn’t even a week old. This inspires me to hope we can get this conversation moving again in the months ahead.

“For too long, unelected bureaucrats and activist judges have trampled on the role of parents, treating them as obstacles, instead of the primary protectors and decision-makers for their children,” Miller told The Daily Signal on Friday. “That must end.”

The Amendment, which has been championed by the Parental Rights Foundation and our parent organization, ParentalRights.org, since 2008, simply takes longstanding Supreme Court precedent and gives it an anchor in the text of the U.S. Constitution:

In order to become part of the Constitution, the resolution must be approved by a two-thirds vote in each house of Congress, then ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures (meaning 38 states).

At this point, the biggest challenge is crossing the aisle to gain the support of Democrat lawmakers, which will be necessary to reach a two-thirds vote.

Several conservative organizations are on record as supporting the Amendment, including Alliance Defending Freedom, Concerned Women for America, Parents Defending Education, Moms for Liberty, and the Family Research Council.

Support from the left, however, has been harder to find.

Still, we know that parents on both sides of the aisle believe in parental rights and want to be left alone to raise their children according to the dictates of their own conscience. If we can further the discussion, therefore, I believe we will eventually see
support come from both sides of the aisle.

What You Can Do

We can best further the conversation by adding cosponsors to HJRes 127. The more we get, the more likely the Judiciary Committee is to put the Amendment on a subcommittee hearing schedule, where lawmakers on both sides can discuss the pros and cons, the reasons and concerns.

If your U.S. representative is not already listed above, you can help by reaching out and asking them to sign on as a cosponsor. You can find your lawmaker’s contact info through this link at Congress.gov .

Then, simply call or email and ask them to cosponsor the resolution. Your message should be in your own words, but can be as simple as this:

Together, we can further the cause of parental rights in this 119th Congress. Thank you for making your voice heard and for taking a stand!

SECTION 1. The liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children is a fundamental right.

SECTION 2. The parental rights to direct education includes the right to choose, as an alternative to public education, private, religious, or home schools, and the right to make reasonable choices within public schools for one’s child.

SECTION 3. Neither the United States nor any State shall infringe these rights without demonstrating that its governmental interest as applied to the person is of the highest order and not otherwise served.

SECTION 4. The parental rights guaranteed by this article shall not be denied or abridged on account of disability.

My name is ______ and I am a constituent of Representative _____. I wish to urge my congressman to sign on with Rep. Mary Miller to cosponsor HJRes 127, proposing the Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. As a parent, I want the government at every level to respect my right to direct the upbringing and care of my child(ren), and this Amendment will see that those rights are protected. Thank you for your careful consideration of this common-sense Amendment.

The Washington State CPS Voluntary Placement Hotline, with Marci Comeau

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 14:28:00 GMT

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! Today, our guest is Marci Comeau, the managing attorney at the Washington State Office of Public Defense in the Parents Representation Program. She talks with Michael about the hotline she manages, the WA Voluntary Placement Agreement Legal Consultation Hotline. This is a number that parents can call if they are facing a CPS investigation where they are offered the option of a voluntary placement for their children. Parents often don’t know what the right decision is in these circumstances, and Marci and her team are here to help.

The hotline’s toll-free number (State of Washington only) is 833-240-9746. It is open and staffed by an attorney 24/7 and also provides translation services.

Happy Constitution Day!

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 17:06:00 GMT

Today is Constitution Day, commemorating September 17, 1787, when the U.S. Constitution was signed and sent to the States for ratification. After 238 years, the nation thus constituted, while far from perfect, is still standing, and remains the best hope for freedom and liberty in the world.

We still have a lot of work to do, of course. And that includes amending the Constitution to safeguard for all generations the liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their minor children.

Toward that end, Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) is reintroducing the Parental Rights Amendment to Congress later this week!

As I write this, the expected introduction date is Friday, September 19, which gives your congressman just one more day to sign on as an original cosponsor. If he or she wants to be included, they need to reach Worth Loving in Rep. Miller’s office by the end of the day on Thursday.

But original cosponsors are not the end of the push; they are only the beginning. By this time next week, the proposed Amendment will have a new bill number and will be open for adding even more cosponsors. I will update you next week with that information so you can share the number with your lawmakers and further encourage their support.

I thank all of you who took time out of your summer to talk to your lawmaker about the Parental Rights Amendment, and I encourage you to keep up the good work. Together, we will magnify our voice in Congress and bring the Amendment to a hearing to further the conversation.

I hope your Constitution Day today is a happy one, and I thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through the Parental Rights Amendment.

Letting Kids Go Outside, with Lenore Skenazy

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 19:42:00 GMT

A family who had CPS called on them four separate times for letting their children play outside in front of their house. A mother who was arrested after her ten-year-old walked into town and back alone. How do we keep this from happening?

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast - today, our guest is Lenore Skenazy, president of Let Grow. She’s here to discuss the negative consequences of society not allowing responsible children to spend time independently in their neighborhoods - and how to affect change.

You can also find Lenore’s recent TED Talk here!

The Landmark Decision of Mahmoud v. Taylor, with William Wagner

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! We’re kicking off season 11 with returning guest William Wagner, Esq. William is the Vice President of the Parental Rights Foundation, and a constitutional legal scholar. Today, he discusses the recent monumental Supreme Court decision on Mahmoud v. Taylor from this past summer, and what it means for parents' right to direct the education and upbringing of their children.

Final Chance: Ask Your Rep to Cosponsor the Parental Rights Amendment

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 21:08:00 GMT

Next week, Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) plans to introduce the Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to the current Congress. That makes this week the last chance to encourage your representative to sign on as an original cosponsor.

To be clear, Rep. Miller will continue to gather cosponsors through the end of the Congress in December 2026. But the opportunity to be listed among the original cosponsors—those listed on the resolution at the time of its introduction—is ending soon!

So, if you haven’t done so yet, here’s a quick note to remind you to contact your congressman and urge him or her to sign onto the Parental Rights Amendment as an original cosponsor. The person they’ll need to contact is Worth Loving in Rep. Mary Miller’s office.

Thank you for taking the time to make your congressman aware of the vital role parents play in their children’s lives, and the vital role this constitutional Amendment can play in protecting that important relationship for generations to come.

Parental Rights Amendment Coming on Constitution Week

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 17:30:00 GMT

Recognized as “Constitution Day,” September 17th will mark the 238th anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Constitution in 1787.

That same week— the week of September 15th — Rep. Mary Miller is planning to introduce a resolution in the U.S. House proposing the Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution , carrying on an effort that started with Congressman Pete Hoekstra back in 2008.

Many of you have been visiting your lawmakers over the past several weeks while they have been home for August Recess. Thanks to your efforts, I am hopeful we will see at least a few of them sign on as original cosponsors when that resolution is introduced. Thank you for making the effort to get your lawmaker on board!

If you haven’t reached out to your lawmaker yet, there is actually still time, though the method for doing that has changed. With August Recess over, Congress is now on a Labor Day Recess—a chance for them to catch their breath before heading back to D.C.

Though lawmakers themselves won’t be easy to reach this week, you can still call either their district or D.C. office and urge them to support the Parental Rights Amendment. It’s not as exciting or fun as an August Recess visit, but it is a step you can take right now to let your Representative know to cosponsor this important Amendment.

Or, you can wait until next week when they will all be back in their D.C. offices, and you will be able to reach them (likely through their staff) there.

Whether you call them next week in D.C. or call them this week at either office, let me urge you to reach out to them and tell them about the Amendment. Ask them to contact Rep. Mary Miller’s office and sign on as an original cosponsor before Constitution Week arrives September 15th.

And why is this so important? Because only the Parental Rights Amendment can take the rights currently recognized by the Supreme Court, but often overlooked by lower courts, and place them directly in the text of the U.S. Constitution. Further, the Amendment will back those rights with “strict scrutiny,” the highest level of judicial review accorded to the most fundamental of rights in America today.

Not only will the Amendment enshrine parental rights in the Constitution and protect them with strict judicial scrutiny, but it will preserve those rights for our children and our children’s children, for countless generations to come.

This introduction by Rep. Miller is the first step toward continuing the conversation in Washington and toward educating lawmakers on the importance of parental rights and why we need this Amendment to protect them. It all starts with a solid introduction later this month.

So, can I count on you to take a moment today to reach out to your U.S. Congressman and urge him or her to sign on?

Thank you for standing with us as we protect children by empowering parents through the Parental Rights Amendment.

There’s Still Time to Make a Difference

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 13:54:00 GMT

Every voice matters. Your participation is part of something bigger than a single conversation. Together, we can secure lasting constitutional protections for parental rights and for our children!

We’re in the home stretch of August Recess and our campaign to talk to as many U.S. Representatives as possible about the upcoming introduction of the Parental Rights Amendment in Congress .

Have you met with your representative yet? If not, there’s still time! These final two weeks are your chance to make an impact before Congress returns to D.C. and all its busy demands.

And if you have met with your representative, we would love to hear from you! Please email foundation@parentalrights.org , put “My Visit” in the subject line, and let us know how your visit went.

Why the urgency? Because in September, the Parental Rights Amendment will be in the spotlight! As lawmakers reconvene and families across the country settle into school routines, Rep. Mary Miller will be introducing the Amendment in this Congress. The conversations happening right now will shape who stands with her at its introduction, and that in turn will shape the conversations and debates to come.

If your representative hasn’t heard from you yet, they need to—before they head back to D.C. and their focus shifts.

Here’s what you can do this week:

Schedule your meeting. Find your representative’s contact info here .
Use the Advocacy Toolkit. We’ve included a sample request, talking points, and a one-pager to take with you. You can find the Advocacy Toolkit here .
Tell us about it. Sharing your story encourages others and shows Congress this movement is growing! You can email us at foundation@parentalrights.org .

Let’s finish strong. Will you take the next step today?

Posted in Parental Rights Amendment , Updates and tagged legislation , parental rights , parental rights amendment , pra2025

URGENT: California Bill Threatens Families

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 19:32:00 GMT

The Parental Rights Foundation joins our colleagues at Family Protection Ministries, Christian Home Educators Association of California (CHEA), Home School Legal Defense Association, and Alliance Defending Freedom in urging California senators to vote “No” on Assembly Bill 495, the “Family Preparedness Plan Act. Please read the following alert and contact your state senators immediately.

Parental Rights at Risk—Stop AB 495

AB 495—the so-called “Family Preparedness Plan Act”—is being sold as a way to help families when parents are detained or deported. But it’s not limited to those cases. As written, it:

Expands who can claim parental authority to distant kin (up to the fifth degree) and even non-relatives with a “mentoring” or “familial” link.
Leaves “unable to contact” undefined, meaning even brief delays could strip parents of decision-making authority when it comes to children’s education and medical care.
Requires no proof that the parent entrusted the child to the caregiver.
Builds on a constitutionally shaky 1994 law without fixing its flaws.

These changes could invite overreach by hostile relatives , confusion, and misuse by courts or agencies.

We need you to call your California state senator and oppose a bill now being considered in the California Legislature.

Assembly Bill 495 takes an already flawed law that undermines parental rights in education and medical decision-making—and makes it worse. Current law already leaves the door open to overreach by hostile relatives; AB 495 would throw that door wide open.

Why AB 495 Is Dangerous

AB 495 is being promoted as a compassionate fix for families in crisis when a parent is detained or deported. But the bill’s text doesn’t limit its use to immigration-related emergencies—it could apply in any situation that meets its broad definitions.

The measure would:

Greatly enlarge the definition of “relative” to include kin as distant as the fifth degree—such as second cousins, great-great aunts and uncles, and their descendants.
Create an entirely new category of “non-relative extended family member” covering virtually anyone with an “established familial or mentoring relationship” with the child—or even with a relative of the child.

The more people who can purport to step into a parent’s role, the greater the chance for confusion, conflict, or outright misuse —especially if a school, agency, or court treats “unable to contact” as a low bar for bypassing the parent. This undefined phrase could be interpreted so loosely that even brief delays in reaching a parent would allow others to act in their place, including authorizing major medical care.

Key Points—Why FPM Opposes AB 495

Overreach by hostile relatives and even non-relatives becomes more likely with broader definitions of who can claim parental authority.
Undefined phrase “unable to contact” could be stretched to mean even brief communication delays.
No proof is required to verify that the parent entrusted the child to the caregiver.
Vague language plus broad definitions equals greater risk of court or agency misuse.
Expands an already constitutionally shaky law instead of fixing its flaws.

The Current Law—and Its Flaws

Since 1994, California’s “caregiver affidavit” law (Family Code § 6550) has let certain adults who live with a child temporarily enroll a child in school and authorizes “relatives,” broadly defined, to consent to medical or dental care—without a formal guardianship. In other words, existing law already allows certain relatives to avoid the formal remedy of legal guardianship to obtain the same legal rights as a parent to authorize medical care of a child.

Under current law, by presenting a statutorily created affidavit to schools or medical providers:

A caregiver over 18 who lives with the child can enroll her in school and consent to school-related medical care.
Certain “relative caregivers” could also claim the same authority as a parent to approve medical or dental treatment.

The affidavit must say the parents have been advised and do not object—or that they are “unable to be contacted.” But there’s no requirement to prove the parents placed the child with that person in the first place, and “unable to contact” is undefined. That leaves the door open to overreach if someone, including a hostile relative, uses the affidavit without clear parental consent.

We are not aware of any case where this law has been abused in that way— but the combination of broad authority with vague standards is a constitutional flaw.

What AB 495 Would Do

AB 495 takes these existing weaknesses and widens the opening:

More potential claimants— far more distant relatives and non-relatives could qualify.
Looser guardrails— the undefined “unable to contact” standard remains, now with a much larger pool of people who could invoke it.
Greater risk of misuse— the more people who can claim parental authority, the greater the chance of overreach, particularly in contentious family situations.

Small openings in the law can become wide gateways when vague language meets expansive interpretation. Once that opening exists, courts and agencies can push far beyond what the legislature originally intended.

A Better Path Forward

A more carefully drafted, narrowly drawn statute could meet genuine needs—such as helping children when parents are truly unavailable—without threatening the fundamental right of parents to direct their children’s upbringing. That would mean:

Narrower definitions of “relative” and “non-relative caregiver.”
Clear proof that the parent entrusted the child to that person.
A precise definition of “unable to contact” that prevents misuse.

CALL Now to Protect Parents—Reject AB 495 as Written

Parents should never lose their right to make education or medical decisions for their children because of vague legal language, overly broad definitions, or undefined terms like “unable to contact.” AB 495 compounds existing flaws in the caregiver-affidavit statute, making it easier for third parties, potentially including hostile relatives, to assert parental authority without clear consent.

As it stands, AB 495 begins with a constitutionally shaky law and makes it more vulnerable to abuse and misinterpretation. That is a step in the wrong direction for California families.

The bill already passed the Assembly on June 3 and was scheduled for hearing in the Senate Appropriations Committee this morning, August 18 at 10:00 a.m.

Ask your California state senator to reject AB 495. Call now to protect parental rights!

Find Your California Senator Here.

Virginia School Violated Parents’ Trust?

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 18:54:00 GMT

Once again, my Northern Virginia neighbors are in the national news for taking inappropriate liberties with somebody else’s kids.

It wasn’t that long ago that Loudoun County Schools were under fire for covering up cases of sexual assault by a student against multiple female students, then having an angry father of one of those girls removed from a public school board meeting for daring to speak out.

This time, officials from neighboring Fairfax County Public Schools’ Centerville High School are alleged to have arranged and paid for abortions for two minors without any effort to gain parental knowledge or consent , a direct violation of school policy and Virginia’s parental notification law.

According to multiple news sources, the two minors were taken to Fairfax Healthcare Center by school officials, without even a phone call to their parents, back in 2021. One girl underwent the abortion. The other, five months pregnant, pleaded to keep her baby and fled from the appointment.

The school’s written policy states, “Every effort shall be made to encourage and support students suspecting pregnancy to discuss their concern with their parents or guardians…. In no case shall personnel commit themselves to maintain such information confidentially, keeping it from parents, guardians, or appropriate school authorities.”

Yet, according to the allegations, school social worker Carolina Diaz coordinated with the clinic and arranged payment for the procedures on the taxpayers’ dime, even telling one girl, “You have no choice.” Further, Principal Chad Lehman knew all about it.

This week, the board of Fairfax County Public Schools initiated an investigation into the matter. In a letter sent home to parents, Superintendent Michelle Reid declares, “I want to stress that at no time, (sic) would the situation as described in these allegations be acceptable in Fairfax County Public Schools.”

Whatever your views on the issue of abortion, I trust we all agree that the crucial role of parents should not be lightly pushed aside when a minor is faced with an unplanned pregnancy. And no one should be violating school policy and breaking state law to cut parents out of these critical moments in a child’s life.

Good Laws Drive Good Policy

Unfortunately, no law is going to stop those who willingly break it. But good laws will guide policy and practice for the vast majority, who are law-abiding citizens, and provide due punishment for criminals. If these allegations prove true, there will be a reckoning for the school officials responsible.

That’s why the Parental Rights Foundation works so hard every year to bring new and better parental rights laws to the states.

A basic parental rights law can clarify that parents have a fundamental liberty interest in directing the upbringing, education, and care of their minor children, so that public officials know better than to strip them of that role too lightly.

A more defined parental rights law might lay out specific details, including the right of parents to be notified of changes in their child’s mental or physical health while in the care of school or other public officials.

And the best parental rights laws include all of this, plus a private right of action that allows parents to file suit and take public agents or agencies to court who violate these precious rights. (Unfortunately for these Fairfax families, Virginia’s parental rights law still lacks this provision.)

Wherever your state is on the political spectrum and in terms of parental rights protection, the Parental Rights Foundation can point you to model bills or existing state laws that lawmakers in your state can take up in the coming legislative session to take the next step in protecting families where you live.

Because, at the end of the day, it isn’t really our rights we are worried about—it’s our children.

Parents are not interested in a spitting contest with the government to see who has more power over our children’s lives. We’re in an all-out war with the world to see our children safely to adulthood, and the government can join us in the fight or get out of the way.

In Fairfax, someone allegedly got in the way. Now the board has an opportunity to get on the parents’ side and do right.

Here’s hoping we see justice done, a lesson learned, and the rights of many families better protected as a result.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through good laws and policies in every state.

Meet with your Lawmaker about the Parental Rights Amendment.

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 14:46:00 GMT

It’s not too late to enlist your congressman as an original cosponsor of the Parental Rights Amendment coming to Congress this September!

By now, you know about August Recess, when your congressman is working, not in Washington, D.C., but in the home district—right around the corner from you!

You’ve seen our Advocacy Toolkit , with a handout you can take with you that summarizes the Amendment and why it is so important in protecting the precious parent-child relationship, as well as a step-by-step planning guide for leading your meeting with the congressman.

And you probably saw last week’s email telling you it was time to set up that appointment.

But in case you missed that email or think your opportunity has passed, let me assure you: there is still time to make a difference!

The August Recess is so named because it lasts all month. So even if you don’t have a meeting on the calendar yet, it’s not too late to reach out to your congressman’s district office and schedule one today!

Simply find your lawmaker’s contact information here , then call the closest district office to you (some lawmakers have four or five, depending on the size of their district) and ask for a meeting to discuss the Parental Rights Amendment with them.

From there, you can follow the instructions in the Advocacy Toolkit to have a successful meeting!

Then, let me ask one more favor of you: Email us at info@parentalrights.org and let us know how your meeting went! We’re not asking for an official report, but perhaps you’ll have a story we can share to encourage other volunteers in their meetings later in the month.

And it’s always good for us to know which lawmakers had meetings and heard about the Parental Rights Amendment because of your work.

That’s really the point.

“Success” in this effort is not necessarily limited to seeing your lawmaker become an original cosponsor, though that would certainly be welcome. “Success” is in simply expanding the conversation. It is bringing your lawmaker into discussion about how the Parental Rights Amendment can protect our children.

There’s still a whole lot of August left. Meetings are just beginning. And I am looking forward to hearing about yours and how it went in your district!

Thank you for taking the time and making the effort to expand the discussion of parental rights to your congressman this August!

It’s Time to Speak Up for Families

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 15:37:00 GMT

This is it. August Recess begins this week, and if you haven’t scheduled a meeting with your representative yet, now’s the time!

Every year, members of Congress return to their home districts for August Recess. That means they’re in your area and available to meet with you. But their calendars can fill up fast, so if you want your voice heard on behalf of families and parental rights, this is your moment.

Here’s why it matters:

There’s no explicit protection for parental rights in the U.S. Constitution. The Parental Rights Amendment (PRA) would change that, securing your right to direct your child’s upbringing, education, and care, both now and for future generations.

The recent Mahmoud v. Taylor ruling confirmed that strict scrutiny applies to the right of religious parents to direct their child’s upbringing, which is a major win. However, this is only partial protection, and no full protection exists in the written text of the Constitution.

Now is the time to secure parental rights in the Constitution and protect families once and for all!

Here’s how to set up a meeting (it’s easier than you may think):

Find contact info for your US representative here and your senators here .
Call their district office: You’ll find the number on their website.
Request a meeting: You can meet with a staffer or the lawmaker directly.

Prepare with our Advocacy Toolkit :

Sample meeting request
Talking points
Follow-up tips
Everything you need to feel confident and prepared

If you want to learn more about the Parental Rights Amendment , the toolkit also includes:

A clear one-pager to bring with you
A deeper dive into what the Amendment does and why it matters

Congress needs to hear from people like you. You don’t even have to be a parent; just be concerned about parental rights and the future generations of our nation.

Let’s make sure parental rights are part of the conversation this August!

Your voice matters. Schedule your meeting today.

Foundation Releases New Public School Opt-Out Report

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 17:24:00 GMT

Today the Parental Rights Foundation is proud to release our latest report, Opting Out: A Summary of Parental Rights Laws Relating to Opting Children Out of Certain School Classes and Activities .

This report brings you a state-by-state summary of the laws governing when and how a child can be opted out of a public-school program or curriculum , including sexual education and other courses. Does your state require opt-outs or opt-ins? Is it limited to certain class material, or to any course the school offers? This report answers these questions and more.

Last month, the United States Supreme Court published its decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor , regarding the opt-out rights of parents in Montgomery County, Maryland. And while that case may force corrections in local policies, it will not immediately affect the laws listed in this report. Any such changes in the law will take a vote of the legislature, or a ruling by the state’s courts applying the Mahmoud decision to the state’s laws.

This means that this report is up to date as it pertains to state laws, though some of those laws could possibly change over time if they are seen to violate parental opt-out rights as recognized by the Mahmoud decision.

I am grateful for the leadership and editorial oversight of my predecessor, William Estrada, and the legal interns he directed in preparing this report.

I hope you will find it useful for your own family, or to share with family and friends who may wonder what their rights are in directing their child’s education in their state’s schools.

Thank you, as always, for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents, and for helping to spread the word about this important new resource.

Now’s the Time: Schedule your August Recess Meeting!

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 18:43:00 GMT

August Recess is almost here, and now is the time to schedule your meeting !

Members of Congress will be back in their districts throughout August, but their schedules can fill up quickly. So, to be sure you can speak with your representative or their staff about the Parental Rights Amendment , the time to act is now.

We’ve made it easy. Here’s a quick guide to help you get that meeting on the calendar and feel confident when you walk through the door:

Step 1: Find your representatives

Look up your two U.S. Senators and one U.S. Representative here:

Find your Representative: house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Find your Senators: senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm

Step 2: Call their local district office

You don’t need to go to D.C. to meet your lawmakers. Just reach out to their local office and ask to schedule a meeting. Be sure to specify that your aim is to meet during the August recess to increase your chances of speaking with your senator or representative in person. Whether you meet with the Congressman or with a staffer, though, your meeting is valuable!

Step 3: Tell them what matters

You don’t have to be a policy expert. You just need to share why you support the Parental Rights Amendment and why it matters to families like yours.

Download our step-by-step guide to learn exactly what to say and how to say it — including a sample meeting request, talking points, and follow-up tips.

Download our How to Advocate for the Parental Rights Amendment here !

Want to learn more about the Parental Rights Amendment itself?

Grab the full Advocacy Toolkit , including:

A one-page summary to bring to your meeting
A detailed one-pager on what the Amendment is and why it matters

Your voice matters. Congress needs to hear it.

Make the most of this August Recess as you speak up for the Parental Rights Amendment!

The Advocacy Toolkit Is Here

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 17:59:00 GMT

I am pleased to share with you the Parental Rights Advocacy Toolkit — a brand-new resource designed to help you speak up for parental rights during Congress’s August Recess.

Whether you're new to advocacy or a seasoned supporter, this toolkit gives you everything you need to take action:

A clear overview of the Parental Rights Amendment and why it matters
A step-by-step guide to meeting with your members of Congress
A concise, printable one-pager to bring to your meeting

What Is the Parental Rights Amendment?

The proposed Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution would recognize the liberty of parents to raise, educate, and care for their minor children as a fundamental right.

Currently, parental rights are vulnerable to shifting legal interpretations and government overreach. This Amendment would provide clear constitutional protection.

Why It Matters:

Section 1 affirms that the liberty of parents to direct their children’s upbringing, education, and care is a fundamental right.
Section 2 protects the right to choose private, religious, or home schools—or make reasonable decisions within public education.
Section 3 requires the government to meet the highest legal standard before burdening these rights.
Section 4 ensures that parental rights are not denied or limited on account of disability.

Research consistently shows that when parents are empowered, children thrive. Yet in recent years, courts have begun applying lower legal standards to parental rights, increasing the risk of unwarranted government interference. The Constitution is currently silent on this issue. This Amendment would provide the clarity and protection families need.

This isn’t about politics — it’s about principle. The Parental Rights Amendment affirms what the vast majority of Americans believe, regardless of their political affiliations or leanings: that, absent evidence of abuse, parents, not the government, should be the ones to make decisions about a child’s upbringing.

Download the toolkit and prepare to meet with your members of Congress:

What is the Parental Rights Amendment?

How to Advocate for the Parental Rights Amendment?

The Parental Rights Amendment One-Pager

Together, we can protect children by empowering parents through the Parental Rights Amendment. Thank you for making a stand!

Opt-Out Report

Tue, 08 Jul 2025 17:55:00 GMT

Opting Out:

A Summary of Parental Rights Laws Relating to Opting Children Out of Certain Public School Classes and Activities

July 9, 2025

Dear Parent, Grandparent, or Guardian,

Parents have a fundamental, pre-political right to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their minor children. Contrary to a quickly-revised 2005 ruling by the Ninth Circuit, this right does not simply evaporate at the school house door.

One way parents of public school children exercise this right to direct their child’s education is to opt their child out of certain materials that the parent finds objectionable or contrary to the worldview they wish to instill in their child. But just how readily a parent is able to enforce their decision varies from state to state, and sometimes from school to school.

On June 27, 2025, the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor which reinforced this parental right on the basis of religion. This decision will no doubt alter the opt-out provisions and policies of some states and many districts.

At the time of this review, however, that decision had not been published. What follows, then, is a list of laws by state as they are currently on the books, before any state legislature has had the chance to amend them to comport with that Supreme Court decision.

The majority of these laws are not likely to change as a direct result of the Mahmoud ruling, but if you find your local situation to be in question, I encourage you to check with an education attorney in your state.

I hope you find this information helpful as you look to exercise your parental rights to best protect and provide for your children.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey

President

Parental Rights Foundation

The Supreme Court on Public School Opt-out Provisions

Wed, 02 Jul 2025 16:28:00 GMT

On Friday, June 27, the Supreme Court handed down its decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, a case out of Montgomery County, Maryland, over whether parents have a right to opt their children out of public education materials that promote beliefs in contradiction with those the parents wish to teach their children. The Court decided 6-3 in favor of the parents.

I believe the Court’s decision makes this the ideal time to announce a new resource we will soon have available, as well: Later this month, we are publishing a review of the opt-out provisions in the laws of all fifty States, which I’ll outline below.

Mahmoud v. Taylor Background & Decision

In 2022, Montgomery County Public Schools adopted a set of books on LGBTQ+ topics to be incorporated into their elementary school curriculum. At first, parents were given notice and a chance to opt their children out if they didn’t want their children exposed to these materials.

Soon, however, so many parents were opting out that the school board decided to cancel the opt-out option. Administrators decided the process was just too burdensome, and they worried that the departure of so many students from the lessons would send a negative signal to the students who remained.

Parents objected, protested, and attended school board meetings to complain, but the school board did not relent. They simply would not be giving parents the right to opt out.

Writing for the majority, Justice Alito quoted earlier precedent, saying “‘[W]e have long recognized the rights of parents to direct “the religious upbringing” of their children.’ Espinoza v. Montana Dept. of Revenue, 591 U.S. 464, 486 (2020)(quoting Yoder, 406 U.S., at 213-214).” He went on to say that “for many people of faith across the country, there are few religious acts more important than the religious education of their children” and that “for many… the religious education of their children is not merely a preferred practice but rather a religious obligation.”

Certain lower courts have held that a parent’s right to send their child to a parochial or other private school if they choose solves this problem. If you don’t like what the public schools teach, take your child elsewhere.

But the majority opinion says that is not good enough:

“Due to financial and other constraints, however, many parents ‘have no choice but to send their children to a public school.’ As a result, the right of parents ‘to direct the religious upbringing of their’ children would be an empty promise if it did not follow those children into the public school classroom. ” (citation omitted)

Then, the Court considered the standard of review, holding that to justify limiting the parents’ rights the schools’ policy must “survive strict scrutiny.”

This is a significant improvement over the Court’s holding in Troxell v. Granville (2ooo), which found parental rights to be “fundamental,” but mysteriously refrained from calling for ‘strict scrutiny,” the standard applied to every other fundamental right in our country. This case restores that high standard, at least regarding parental rights to direct the religious upbringing of their children.

Unfortunately, it does not do away with the need to secure a Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The proposed Amendment will apply the same high standard to parental rights in every area, not just in religious upbringing, and will protect our rights from changes by a future Supreme Court decision.

Opt-Out in All Fifty States

Now, about that opt-out report:

I am pleased to announce the upcoming release of a publication, made possible through the hard work of legal interns here at the Parental Rights Foundation under the oversight of Will Estrada and then myself, that outlines the laws of all fifty States pertaining to opting your children out of certain classes, courses, or materials in the public schools.

We’re just putting the finishing touches on that report now, and it will be live on our website at ParentalRightsFoundation.org the week of July 21!

Conclusion

The Court’s decision on Friday is a tremendous victory for parents wishing to raise their children according to their own religious beliefs. Just how it affects State laws and public-school policies remains to be seen (and may ultimately vary by location). But I believe that respecting parents will prove good for children and good for our country.

As we celebrate our nation’s independence this weekend, let’s celebrate this victory for our family freedoms, as well!

BREAKING: SCOTUS Decision on Parental Rights

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 19:50:00 GMT

Today, in a significant victory for families, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of parental rights in Mahmoud v. Taylor .

In a 6–3 decision, the Court upheld parents' religious free exercise rights in directing the upbringing of their children. Writing for the majority, Justice Alito emphasized:

“[W]e have long recognized the rights of parents to direct ‘the religious upbringing’ of their children.” — Espinoza v. Montana Dept. of Revenue, 591 U.S. 464, 486 (2020), quoting Yoder, 406 U.S. at 213–214.

“[T]he right of parents 'to direct the religious upbringing of their children would be an empty promise if it did not follow those children into the public school classroom.”

The Court also held that claims involving these rights must be evaluated under strict judicial scrutiny , which is the highest level of legal protection. This ruling is a tremendous win for parents who send their children to public schools and have religious concerns about classroom materials that conflict with their family's beliefs.

By affirming parental rights, the Court recognized a foundational truth: families, not government institutions, are best suited to raise and educate their children. And when parents are free to fulfill that role, society benefits.

Coming Soon: Your Guide to Meeting Congress This August

Wed, 25 Jun 2025 18:25:00 GMT

This fall, Congress will take an important step to protect parental rights, with Representative Mary Miller of Illinois introducing the Parental Rights Amendment in the House of Representatives in early September. This proposed Amendment would enshrine in the United States Constitution the fundamental right of parents “to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children.”

Every August, the Congress takes a recess so that members can return to their home districts, making it one of the most important opportunities to speak up for parental rights. The August Recess is fast approaching, and that means the critical time to get involved starts in just a few days.

During the Recess, you have the chance to meet with your U.S. Representative and Senators in their local offices to ask them to support and co-sponsor this landmark Amendment. You don’t need to be a policy expert, you just need to show up. And in the next few weeks, we’ll provide everything you need to feel confident and ready to lead.

To help you every step of the way, we are preparing a comprehensive Advocacy Toolkit — a simple, step-by-step guide that will include:

A clear explanation of the Parental Rights Amendment
How to schedule your meeting
Key talking points and messages
Printable handouts to bring with you

Your voice is powerful, and the most important time to use it is now. This is your opportunity to defend parental rights and make a lasting impact for children and families across the country.

Stay tuned for the full toolkit, coming to you right after Independence Day — and get ready to make a difference!

Juneteenth Means Parental Rights

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 17:25:00 GMT

As the nation prepares to celebrate Juneteenth on Thursday, I’d like to remind you that true freedom involves parental rights—the liberty to raise your own family as you see fit.

Juneteenth is the commemoration of the day that Federal troops under Major General Gordon Granger brought the news to Texas, at the end of the Civil War, that the institution of slavery had been abolished.

Following that vast conflict, the States adopted three new amendments to the Constitution to ensure that slavery was ended and that the rights of all persons, regardless of race or color, were permanently secured.

These include the Fourteenth Amendment, whose Due Process Clause has been the source of “substantive” rights since the 1920s. Parental Rights, couched as part of the “liberty” of which a person cannot be deprived without due process under that amendment, have been recognized by the Supreme Court since 1923.

In its Meyer v. Nebraska decision, 262 U.S. 390 (1923) at 399, the Court held:

“While this Court has not attempted to define with exactness the liberty thus guaranteed, the term has received much consideration and some of the included things have been definitely stated. Without doubt, it denotes not merely freedom from bodily restraint, but also the right of the individual to contract, to engage in any of the common occupations of life, to acquire useful knowledge, to marry, establish a home and bring up children, to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and generally to enjoy those privileged long recognized at common law as essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men.”

Yet, even as we celebrate the end of slavery coming to Galveston 160 years ago, we still have work to do.

That’s because more than 50% of all African American children in America today will be part of a child welfare investigation before they reach the age of 18. The vast majority of those investigations will be for “neglect,” a poorly defined and even more poorly applied term that tends to mean almost anything the government wants it to. And roughly four of every five investigations will ultimately be closed as unsubstantiated or unfounded.

In short, Black families are still being intruded upon, and their right to family autonomy is still being threatened, by the very government the Fourteenth Amendment was intended to rein in.

Family separation was one of the worst atrocities of the slavery system. That a child could be ripped from his mother’s arms, taken from his father, and shipped to another plantation like so much chattle, was an inhumane horror.

Yet, today, families are ripped apart with a judge’s stamp of approval, simply because a child welfare investigator believes they know better than the child’s parent.

It is time for these violations to end.

That’s why the Parental Rights Foundation is working in states across the country to bring child welfare reform, from ending anonymous reporting to making sure “neglect” does not include choices to give a child reasonable autonomy and independence.

It’s also why we champion a Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which will empower all parents, regardless of zip code or skin color.

While we celebrate the end of slavery as an institution on Thursday, we also commit ourselves to reining in a child welfare system that keeps vestiges of it alive to this day.

Thank you for standing with us as we champion the rights of all parents to protect their children!

Take Action: Laying the Groundwork for the Amendment

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 15:06:00 GMT

Right now, the Parental Rights Foundation is laying the groundwork to reintroduce the Parental Rights Amendment (PRA) in Congress later this summer.

Last week, we were commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s touchstone parental rights case, Pierce v. Society of Sisters, which famously held that “[t]he child is not the mere creature of the State; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations.”

During those commemorating events, we were networking with likeminded champions of parental rights—the sort of parental rights advocates who would be in DC to celebrate the Pierce decision in the first place. We were strategizing with allies, making plans for the Amendment’s introduction coming in just a few months.

We were also on Capitol Hill, educating lawmakers on the important role parents play in the lives of their children and the pressing need to preserve that role in the text of the U.S. Constitution. And it was an exciting and highly productive trip!

Ordinarily, when we visit Capitol Hill, we ask to meet with the congressman, but end up meeting with their staff instead. The actual lawmakers are often very busy and their time is at a premium. If we can connect with a constituent, the congressman might “pop in” for a couple of minutes, but that’s usually the best one can hope for.

Not last week.

In the offices we visited last week, we were able to speak directly with five of the six congressmen. (We arrived at the sixth office just as a vote was being taken on the floor, so that congressman was in the House chamber doing his job.) I believe we were truly blessed to arrive when we did and find those lawmakers able and willing to meet with us.

So, five voting members of Congress took the time to sit down and talk with us about parental rights and why an Amendment is needed to protect them. Most importantly, every one of them was friendly toward our cause and appreciated what we are striving to do, putting parents back in the driver’s seat when it comes to the upbringing and care of their children.

These congressmen from Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia, are now ready to sign on as cosponsors of the Parental Rights Amendment when Rep. Mary Miller introduces it later this summer.

But that is only the beginning. If we are to get the PRA into a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee (my goal is to see a subcommittee hearing scheduled next summer), we’re going to need a lot more cosponsors than just these.

That’s where you come in.

First, if you can donate to the Parental Rights Foundation , even a few dollars will help in covering the cost of DC trips like the one we took last week. These trips help us speak directly to lawmakers and bring them onboard the cosponsors list.

And most importantly, we need to prepare for getting new cosponsors on board. Over the next few weeks, we’re going to lay out how you can do that by visiting your congressman while they’re home on the August Recess.

But even before that, we need to begin now to grow our network so that more such meetings can take place, and so that more congressmen will hear from us—from you and me!

So, please take a moment and consider: Who do you know who would reach out to their congressman to support this crucial role of parents in the lives of their children? Think family, friends, old college buddies, work colleagues, and those at the clubs or events your child attends. Who would take action to get their congressman on board with the Parental Rights Amendment?

Then, send this email—or send your own personal message!—asking them to sign up for our email newsletter so that they can be part of those August meetings, as well. New supporters can sign up here . (Or just click the “Subscribe” link on our home page.)

It has been a while since we highlighted the Amendment. But with the current leadership in Congress, I believe we can further the discussion with a hearing next year if we can just get enough sponsors on board. What’s more, I believe we’re just one or two Democrat sponsors away from a real shot at passage.

Our work begins with this very exciting summer ahead.

So, please take action today to support the effort and grow our voice by enlisting your friends to join us.

Together, we can make a lasting change to protect children by empowering parents through the Parental Rights Amendment to the Constitution.

Sincerely,

Michael T. Ramey
President

Parental Rights Returning to Congress

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 16:10:00 GMT

This week, the Parental Rights Foundation team is on Capitol Hill, working to reintroduce the Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution (PRA). We’re visiting congressional offices representing Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia, and pointing key congress members to our new lead sponsor in the U.S. House, Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL).

Please note that we are not requesting any action on your part at this time. Although we plan to make a push for original cosponsors before the PRA is reintroduced, we anticipate that effort is still at least a few weeks off.

(That said, if you happen to speak to your congressman in the next couple of weeks, you could invite them to reach out to Worth Loving in Rep. Mary Miller’s office to become an original cosponsor.)

We are also working on a lead sponsor in the Senate, but that process has been slowed by other Senate obligations; with budget bills, confirmation hearings, and other such responsibilities, there simply hasn’t been an opportunity for other measures to get off the ground, despite our best efforts.

Hopefully, our visits to the House this week will help change that. As we get the PRA moving in the House, we hope to see a response to that move in the Senate as well.

That’s why our team is on Capitol Hill today, including board members Jim and Patti Sullivan from Florida and our local team members, Elisabeth K., Elizabeth S., and myself.

We also plan to attend an event Wednesday afternoon celebrating 100 years of the Supreme Court’s Pierce v. Society of Sisters decision, which was published on June 1, 1925. This decision gave us the now-famous line, “The child is not the mere creature of the State,” and with it the assurance that government cannot simply shape all children into who the government wants them to be. Rather, parents “have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare them for additional obligations.”

This case was the subject of our recent 2-part series at The EPPiC Broadcast, including our “left panel” on May 13 and our “right panel” on May 20. You can find both on our podcast page here .

All told, this week is about building relationships and planting seeds that will bring about a vital reintroduction of the Parental Rights Amendment in the 119th Congress. Once that happens, we will work toward subcommittee hearings to further the discussion of your parental rights and how best to protect your children at the national constitutional level.

Thank you for standing with us. Your partnership makes visits like this possible.

Texas Proposes Parental Rights Amendment

Thu, 22 May 2025 15:31:00 GMT

This November, Texas voters will be asked to vote for or against “ the constitutional amendment affirming that parents are the primary decision makers for their children .”

This follows a unanimous May 20 vote in the Texas Senate in favor of House amendments to Senate Joint Resolution 34 (SJR 34), which proposes a Parental Rights Amendment to the Texas Constitution .

The Senate originally passed SJR 34 on March 11, sending it to the House for concurrence. In the House, the resolution was amended before it passed that chamber on May 14. Since the Senate and House versions both passed but did not match, the Senate had to vote again, agreeing to the House’s changes by a 31-0 vote on Tuesday

If Texas voters approve the measure in November, it will add the following to Section 1, Article 1 of the Texas Constitution:

Sec. 37. To enshrine truths that are deeply rooted in this nation’s history and traditions, the people of Texas hereby affirm that a parent has the responsibility to nurture and protect the parent’s child and the corresponding fundamental right to exercise care, custody, and control of the parent’s child, including the right to make decisions concerning the child’s upbringing.

Obviously, this is a major victory for parental rights in the Texas legislature, and well worth celebrating.

But now is when the real work begins.

A similar measure went down in defeat in Colorado in the 1990s, because opponents of parental rights are well organized, well funded, and not above using lies and scare tactics to have their way with our children. The Colorado measure was winning in polls until two weeks before the election, when opponents launched a misinformation campaign claiming that preserving parental rights would mean protecting child abusers. Out of concern for the safety of children, Colorado voters reversed course and voted the measure down.

What this means for Texas in 2025 is clear: We must educate voters (if you’re in Texas, that means your family, neighbors, and friends) that protecting parental rights does not protect child abusers. Parental rights are fundamental, but they are not absolute: No one has a right to abuse a child.

Rather, this measure links parental rights with “the responsibility to nurture and protect” their children.

Sadly, abuse does occur. And when it does, the state will still have the power to protect children from abusive parents. This amendment will not change that.

What it will accomplish, however, is a greater respect for the irreplaceable role of fit and loving parents in the life of their child.

We see government overreach in so many areas of our children’s lives, where we as parents are trying to do what we know is best for them, while a government actor is standing in the way. This amendment will empower parents in those situations.

Texas has made great gains in parental rights in recent years , passing laws protecting a parent’s right to a second opinion in a “medical abuse or neglect” investigation; requiring the Department of Child Welfare to notify parents of their rights at the start of an abuse investigation; and tightening the definition of “neglect” to exclude things that are really just signs of poverty.

While it takes time for changes made at the legislative level to make their way to the day-in, day-out routine of Texas families, these are positive changes that will make the Lone Star State safer for families.

Hopefully, this November, Texas voters will add another tool to this legal arsenal: a parental rights section in the Texas Constitution.

100 Years of Pierce, Part 2: The Right Panel, with Michael Farris, Melissa Moschella, and Emilie Kao

Tue, 20 May 2025 17:37:00 GMT

On June 1, 1925, the Supreme Court declared, “The child is not the mere creature of the State; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations.” Pierce firmly established the liberty of parents to direct the lives of their minor children without interference by the government.

You’ve listened to our Left Panel’s discussion of Pierce – now, it’s the Right Panel’s turn! Today, we speak with Michael Farris, founding president of ParentalRights.org and former CEO and president of Alliance Defending Freedom; Melissa Moschella, professor of practice and philosophy at Notre Dame University’s McGrath Center for Church Life; and Emilie Kao, Vice President of Alliance Defending Freedom.

100 Years of Pierce: “Left Panel” Available Now

Wed, 14 May 2025 16:43:00 GMT

The post 100 Years of Pierce: “Left Panel” Available Now appeared first on Parental Rights Foundation .

Based on the encouraging feedback I received from last week’s announcement that the EPPiC Broadcast is featuring a two-part series to celebrate “100 Years of Pierce,” I decided to replace our regular weekly newsletter with a quick note pointing you to that first episode, now available .

As a quick reminder, we’re celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s landmark parental rights case, Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925), with a two-part podcast series. The first episode, released Tuesday, features our “Left Panel,” made up of Martin Guggenheim, Angela Burton, and Josh Gupta-Kagan.

Next Tuesday, we’ll follow with the “Right Panel” of Michael Farris, Emilie Kao, and Melissa Moschella.

Prepare to be challenged as each panel leans into its side of the political aisle, even as both support a parent’s fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their child. And share the podcast with others who might be interested in this topic of parental rights .

Thank you as always for your faithful support of this vital cause to protect children.

Episode Twelve: 100 Years of Pierce, Part 1: The Left Panel, with Martin Guggenheim, Angela Burton, and Josh Gupta-Kagan

Tue, 13 May 2025 15:39:00 GMT

The Supreme Court released its landmark parental rights decision in Pierce v. Society of Sisters on June 1, 1925—exactly 100 years ago next month. To celebrate this milestone, we’ve gathered two special panels on the EPPiC Broadcast, comprised of parental rights champions from either side of the political aisle to protect our children.

Today, we speak with the Left Panel: Martin Guggenheim, founder and co-director of New York University School of Law’s Family Defense Clinic; Angela Burton, founder and co-chair of the New York City Narrowing the Front Door workgroup; and Josh Gupta-Kagan, a clinical professor of law and director of the Family Defense Clinic at Columbia University’s School of Law.

The book referenced in our episode is Neglected Stories: The Constitution and Family Values by Peggy Cooper Davis. Find more information here:
us.macmillan.com/books/9780809016075/neglectedstories/

Celebrating 100 Years of Pierce

Wed, 07 May 2025 14:56:00 GMT

The Parental Rights Foundation and the EPPiC Broadcast are joining other pro-family organizations in celebrating “100 Years of Pierce.” The Supreme Court released its landmark parental rights decision in Pierce v. Society of Sisters on June 1, 1925—exactly 100 years ago next month.

When in the Court’s most recent parental rights case ( Troxel v. Granville , 530 U.S. 57, 65 (2000)) Justice O’Connor wrote for the plurality that “[t]he liberty interest at issue in this case—the interest of parents in the care, custody, and control of their children—is perhaps the oldest of the fundamental liberty interests recognized by this Court,” she cited Meyer v. Nebraska (1923) and Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925) as its foundation.

This is not to say that parental rights are given by the Supreme Court, nor by the government, nor even by the Constitution. These are “pre-political” rights, derived from nature before any government is ever involved. But the Supreme Court’s recognition of this liberty as a constitutionally protected right had its beginnings in Meyer and Pierce.

The Court in Pierce famously declared,

The fundamental theory of liberty upon which all governments in this Union repose excludes any general power of the State to standardize its children by forcing them to accept instruction from public teachers only. The child is not the mere creature of the State; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations.

Stemming from that clear pronouncement, parental rights have become among the most universally recognized rights in American jurisprudence. Since Pierce, the Court had uniformly recognized the liberty of parents to direct the lives of their minor children without interference by the government.

Unfortunately, this Supreme Court recognition is not always reflected in the policies and practices of government institutions, including child welfare agencies, some public schools, and even many lower courts and state courts.

But the precedent is firmly established, thanks to Pierce .

To celebrate this milestone, I gathered two special panels on the EPPiC Broadcast, the official podcast of the Parental Rights Foundation. (EPPiC stands for Empowering Parents, Protecting Children, which is the heartbeat of the Foundation.)

The first panel, which I affectionately call “the left panel,” will be released on Tuesday, May 13, and features stellar left-of-center family defense scholars Martin Guggenheim, Angela Burton, and Josh Gupta-Kagan.

The second panel, affectionately called “the right panel,” will be released the following Tuesday, May 20. Right-of-center scholars Michael Farris, Melissa Moschella, and Emilie Kao make up that panel.

For years I have proudly pointed to our coalition and boasted that parental rights are a bipartisan issue. Policy giants and thought leaders on both sides of the political aisle agree on the foundation that Pierce has laid. (For example, all six panelists named above also serve on the Parental Rights Foundation’s Board of Advisors.)

But for those same years, we have featured these scholars on our podcast episodes and discussed the things we have in common rather than the ways we differ. We have inadvertently made it easy to imagine we’re really not so different after all.

With this two-part series, we have broken that mold, encouraging “the left panel” to speak from the left and “the right panel” to speak from the right. If you listen to both panels, you will certainly hear something you disagree with.

And I did this on purpose. But not to drive a wedge between us. Rather, I wanted our audience to hear just how diverse we are in other political matters.

I want you to hear for yourself just how different you may be from other people who, despite those differences, still stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you in the belief that children belong with the loving, fit parents who know and love them best.

Some of us champion parental rights out of a desire to keep the government out of our religious and education choices. Others of us champion parental rights to keep an agency from taking our children away just because we struggle to make enough to live on, or because our skin is the wrong color.

For all of us, our parental rights are like a boat, and we each have leaks to plug in our own end of the boat. But at the end of the day, it is the same boat—and to protect our children we must work together until every leak is filled.

So, we celebrate together the legacy of Pierce and 100 years of parental rights recognition, working together from both sides of the political aisle and from every walk of life to protect our children.

Together, we can make the next hundred years even greater for America’s families.

Hidden Foster Care and Its Victims, with Sarah Katz and April Lee

Tue, 06 May 2025 18:20:00 GMT

Our topic for today is hidden foster care: a process wherein children are sent to live with relatives or friends in order to prevent foster care with strangers. Considered a “voluntary” placement, in reality it often involves coercion or threats. In one such instance, Su’Leya Williams was a baby girl taken from her mother’s care and placed with a woman who claimed to be a relative, but wasn’t. Baby Su’Leya died in her care.

Today, we welcome Sarah Katz, a Professor of Law at the Temple University Beasley School of Law and Director of Temple Law’s Family Justice Clinic, and April Lee, the Founder of Philly Voice for Change. Sarah and April discuss the requirements DHS is legally bound to in this process, how they are often skirted or ignored completely, and the resulting impact on parents and children.

Florida’s First-in-the-Nation Office of Parental Rights

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 17:03:00 GMT

On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier launched a national first: the Office of Parental Rights. In a press release , he says the “initiative is established to provide justice to parents and families whose rights have been violated.”

He celebrated the launch with a press conference at a Jacksonville school, where our own Florida State Coordinator and PRF Board Member Patti Sullivan joined him at the platform. Moms for Liberty founder Tiffany Justice, Southeastern Legal Foundation executive director Kimberly Hermann, and parent activist January Littlejohn, plaintiff in the 11th Circuit lawsuit Littlejohn v. Schoolboard of Leon County , were also part of the presentation.

(The Parental Rights Foundation filed an amicus brief supporting fundamental parental rights in the Littlejohn case.)

AG Uthmeier explained in the press conference his belief that “freedom begins at home; it begins with the understanding that parents have God-given rights to raise their kids the way they deem appropriate…. Government should not be in the middle of those parental decisions. ”

He also contrasted Florida’s efforts to California’s, where recently passed laws strip parents of rights to make medical and healthcare decisions for their children if they disagree with a government-enforced ideology.

The office includes “a team of litigators,” Uthmeier announced, adding, “They’re moms; they’ve got their own kids; they are fired up and ready to get to work” defending families from government overreach.

“No parent should have to fight to know what’s happening in their schools,” Kim Hermann declared. Her Southeastern Legal Foundation has been working on a number of cases where schools are asking survey questions of students without parental consent, even denying parents a copy of the questions after the fact—all of which violates the federal Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) .

“I’m proud to share a historic moment for Florida families,” Moms for Liberty’s Tiffany Justice added in her remarks, declaring the initiative a “model of courage” and a “call to action for every other governor and attorney general across the United States.”

“Stand with moms and dads,” she added, “[who are] fighting to protect their kids from policies that erode our authority.”

Patti Sullivan, in sharing some of the history that brought us to this moment, said, “The passage of the Parents’ Bill of Rights [in 2021] not only was a great thing, but also revealed the deeper issues…. And we are not done yet.” She elicited spontaneous applause when she added, “We shouldn’t have to expand our parental rights. This is a restoration of what is already a God-given right.”

This is tremendous news. And it is my hope that, just as Florida’s passage of their Parents’ Bill of Rights in 2021 has led other states to take up similar legislation, so too we will see other states follow this example and set up offices of parental rights in their own attorney generals’ offices.

I also sincerely hope we will see, in Florida and then elsewhere, these offices take up parental concerns not only about schools and school boards, but also about family courts and child welfare agencies that are breaking up families without cause.

I am so grateful for Patti Sullivan and all her hard work in Florida, dating back more than a dozen years. And I am grateful to the Florida Administration for taking this historic step to “have parents’ backs” when local agencies stand against them and remove their natural, fundamental rights.

Thank you for standing with us as we protect children by empowering parents across the nation through good policy, good legislation, and now good executive action. As we continue to lift our voices together, may we keep finding administrations and lawmakers who listen, like the ones we’ve found in Florida.

In the Matter of Sapphire W., with Melissa Friedman, Zoë Allen, and David Shalleck-Klein

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 18:13:00 GMT

Today we discuss In Re: Sapphire W . with three attorneys who worked on the case: Melissa Friedman and Zoe Allen of the Legal Aid Society's Juvenile Rights Practice and David Shalleck-Klein of the Family Justice Law Center. In Sapphire W ., they took on New York City family courts' practice of placing families under the supervision of ACS any time a child was alleged to have been neglected or abused, even if there was no allegation against the custodial parent.

Together, our guests won a major victory to preserve family integrity for Sapphire and her mom, and for countless other NY families.

Rewind: Why Reasonable Childhood Independence Matters, with Diane Redleaf

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 18:00:00 GMT

This week, we're rewinding to a conversation with Diane Redleaf from February 2024.

Diane is the legal consultant at Let Grow , an organization that promotes reasonable childhood independence. She’s also the author of They Took the Kids Last Night .

In this episode, Diane tells us what reasonable childhood independence is and why it matters for protecting parental and family rights. Plus hear about her work advocating for families caught up in the child welfare system.

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Diane Redleaf's mother, Rhoda Redleaf, herself an iconic national leader in child advocacy for six decades who was instrumental as a strategic partner of our speaker in her own career as a child and family advocate. Rhoda passed away on Feb. 3, 2024.

Legislative Update

Wed, 16 Apr 2025 17:28:00 GMT

A lot has been happening in state legislatures around the country regarding parental rights, including some big news out of Indiana. But before I get to that, check out what’s going on in these states:

In Florida , the Reasonable Childhood Independence bill is nearing the finish line . Introduced concurrently by Sen. Erin Grall in the Senate as SB 1286 and by Rep. Monique Miller in the House as HB 1191 , the bill would clarify that allowing children a certain degree of freedom—things like riding their bikes or walking to a nearby park, or spending time at home alone—does not constitute “neglect” or warrant interference by law enforcement or child protective services.

SB 1286 already passed all three of its committees and the full Senate, which voted unanimously on April 9. HB 1191 passed its third and final hearing on Tuesday, April 15, and is now being scheduled for a vote on the House floor. If it passes, the bills will be combined and sent to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.

Meanwhile, a bill to restore parents’ rightful authority over their children’s medical care and records needs your help (if you live in Florida). HB 1505 was introduced by the Judiciary Committee and has passed two of the three committees to which it was assigned. It is now in the Education and Employment Committee. Its companion bill, SB 1288 , was introduced by Senator Grall and has also passed two of three committees, waiting now in the Senate Rules Committee.

Unfortunately, due to the legislature’s schedule, there is only one remaining chance for each of these bills to get on its respective committee calendar. So, if you live in Florida, please take a moment today to take the following actions:

Contact Sen. Kathleen Passidomo [(850) 487-5028, Kathleen@flsenate.gov ] and urge her to add SB 1288 to the Senate Rules Committee agenda.
Contact Sen. Ben Albritton, Senate President [(850) 487-5229, ben.web@flsenate.gov ] and urge him to please stand with Florida parents by supporting and passing SB 1288.
Contact Rep. Jennifer Canady [(850) 717-5050, Canady@flhouse.gov ] and urge her to add HB 1505 to the Education & Employment Committee’s April 22 agenda.

You can find out more about these bills and get late-breaking updates from State Coordinator Patti Sullivan by following the Parental Rights Florida page on Facebook .

In Illinois , HB 2827 , a bill to place homeschooling and private schools under the authority of the state’s public education administrators has stalled due to strong opposition from parents who choose these forms of education for their children. But the bill is not dead yet. If you live in Illinois, be sure your state lawmaker knows you oppose this bill, and be prepared to submit more witness slips if the need arises. Parents, not the State, have the primary responsibility for the education of their own children. And, frankly, parents are doing a better job!

In Colorado , HCR25-1003 would add to the state constitution the inalienable right “of directing the upbringing, education, and care of their children.” It was only recently introduced and has a long way to go, but if you live in Colorado, you should reach out to your state lawmakers and let them know you support this measure. The Colorado legislature has not been friendly lately to parents’ rights to direct their child’s upbringing and care (see HB1312 ), so we expect this to be an uphill battle. But we are grateful to Rep. Ken DeGraaf for leading the charge.

In West Virginia , Governor Morrisey signed into law on April 14 the Parents’ Bill of Rights , HB 2129 . This law, sponsored by Del. Jim Butler (R-Mason), is based on our model language and includes fundamental parental rights and strict scrutiny protection. It was championed by our friends at Alliance Defending Freedom and other

organizations in West Virginia.

And, finally, we come to Indiana , where SB 143 to codify fundamental parental rights and strict judicial scrutiny protection for these rights has passed both houses and awaits the governor’s signature . Introduced by Senator Liz Brown (R-Dist. 15), the bill passed the Senate (44-5) on January 27 and passed the House with amendments (69-24) on April 1. The Senate concurred in the House amendments (43-4) on April 8, sending the bill on for signatures.

We are extremely grateful for our friends at Alliance Defending Freedom and the Indiana Family Institute, as well as other state-based organizations, for their support on this measure. And I am deeply grateful for one state volunteer (who prefers not to be named), who has been instrumental over a period of years in bringing parental rights to the very brink of Indiana law.

Now, we wait hopefully for the signature of Governor Mike Braun.

These are only the highlights of parental rights legislation around the country. In Alabama , you’ll want to keep an eye on HB 340 to inform parents of their existing constitutional rights in child welfare investigations. In Pennsylvania , you’ll want to watch out for parental rights legislation to be introduced later in the year (per the rumblings I’m hearing from your state, subject to change). And there are so many more.

Thank you, wherever you live, for championing parental rights with your lawmakers. Making our voices heard together, we can truly protect children by empowering parents through good state legislation.

Supporting Parents Instead of Punishing Them, with Nora McCarthy

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 17:22:00 GMT

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast! Our latest episode features Nora McCarthy, director of the NYC Family Policy Project and founder and former director of Rise, a NYC parent advocacy organization. Nora discusses her recently released article about the harm CPS investigations cause to families. Over a third of all US children will experience a CPS investigation by age 18, and over half of Black children. This, paired with the statistic that only 7% of families take advantage of resources offered by the child welfare system, shows that changes are needed for parents to feel safe in asking for help.

You can read Nora’s article here: https://imprintnews.org/opinion/child-welfare-reckons-with-the-harm-of-investigations/258536.

Coalition Seeks Hidden Foster Care Stories

Wed, 09 Apr 2025 16:47:00 GMT

Every year, we estimate that hundreds of thousands of children are removed from their parents and sent to live with relatives or friends in order to prevent foster care with strangers. Considered a “voluntary” placement, it often involves coercion or threats: “Send your children to live with this relative, or we will take them into foster care.”

Nationally and in most states, there are no statistics for how often this happens or how many children this affects. And often there is no court oversight, no exit ramp to get those children back home. Once children are “safe with relatives,” the Department can wash their hands and move on to their next case.

In a 2020 law review article , Professor Josh Gupta-Kagan called this “Hidden Foster Care” due to its lack of transparency or oversight.

Your Parental Rights Foundation is part of a national coalition, aptly named the Coalition to End Hidden Foster Care, to collect data, learn how extensively this practice is used, and bring it to an end.

Sending children to live with relatives voluntarily to help parents get through a rough patch is a positive and powerful option. But pushing parents to separate from their children involuntarily, without court oversight or a reunification plan is devastating.

And some of you know what I’m talking about.

Right now, the Coalition to End Hidden Foster Care is looking to gather stories from those who have experienced this practice first-hand.

Perhaps you are a parent whose child was sent away. Perhaps you were the child. Perhaps you are the relative caregiver, pushed to take in your nieces and nephews, your grandchildren, or your neighbors’ kids and then left without support or an exit plan.

Whatever your experience, if Hidden Foster Care is part of your story, I’d like to invite you to visit the Coalition’s website and enter your story in their form here .

The Coalition will honor your privacy, and no story will be published unless we get back to you first and secure your consent.

Ideally, we will be gathering stories that we can share with lawmakers to educate them on the scope of hidden foster care and the problems that arise. But even if your story is too sensitive or is one we cannot share for some other reason, consider this an opportunity to vent what you have been through safely.

Further, I invite you to forward this email to anyone you know who has been through or is now in a hidden foster care situation.

By working together, we can bring attention to this traumatic practice and secure supports for kinship caregivers and due process rights for parents and children.

We can protect children by empowering parents in situations like these.

The Enemy that Is Illinois House Bill 2827, with Will Estrada

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 18:06:00 GMT

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast! Our latest episode features Will Estrada, the Senior Counsel at the Home School Legal Defense Association, and former President of the Parental Rights Foundation. Will and Michael discuss a state bill that has gained international attention due to how dangerous it is for parental rights. This bill would overturn over 75 years of state homeschooling precedent, and would criminalize parents who fail to file paperwork, opening them up to arrest and jail time.

Department of Ed to Schools: Honor Parental Rights

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 16:56:00 GMT

In a “ Dear Colleague Letter ” (DCL) on March 28, the United States Department of Education’s Student Privacy Policy Office encouraged schools receiving federal funding to comply with the parental rights provisions in the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupils Rights Amendment (PPRA).

Per a press release on the Department’s website, Ed.gov, “Compliance with these laws means schools must allow parents to review all education records of their student , including any document related to a student’s ‘gender identity.’”

Regardless of your politics on hot-button issues, the Parental Rights Foundation holds strongly to the belief that parents, not government agents, know what is best for their minor children.

Per the website, “‘Parents are the most natural protectors of their children. Yet many states and school districts have enacted policies that imply [that] students need protection from their parents,’ said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. ‘These states and school districts have turned the concept of privacy on its head—prioritizing the privileges of government officials over the rights of parents and wellbeing of families.’”

This matches our own analysis, which is that a proper application of FERPA would empower parents as their children’s legal representatives, not cut them out of their children’s lives. FERPA creates a bubble of privacy around the family, not around the child to the exclusion of the parent , as has wrongly been applied in too many cases around the country.

More specifically, FERPA recognizes a parent’s right to access their children’s education records, the right to request amendments or corrections to those records, and the right to control the disclosure of “personally identifiable information” in those records (with certain important exceptions).

PPRA adds to this the right for parents to receive notice and opt their children out of surveys or questionnaires administered by the schools that ask students for certain sensitive, private information about the students or their families.

In addition to notifying schools of their obligation to honor parental rights under FERPA and the PPRA, the letter also addresses “priority concerns” identified by the Department, including:

Ensuring parental rights to inspect and review education records; and
Ensuring parents receive annual notification of their rights.

As highlighted in the letter, schools that fail to comply with these obligations in FERPA and PPRA could, “consistent with applicable law, face investigation and loss of federal funding,” according to the website.

The letter itself opens with these words: “By natural right and moral authority, parents are the primary protectors of their children.”

Two paragraphs later, we read, “The Department stands with parents in exercising their rights to the full extent of the law.”

This is not rocket science. But given past initiatives to drive a wedge between parents and children, this DCL is a welcome shift in the application of the law, which should have been applied to protect families all along.

Education Secretary McMahon gets it. She writes, “As any mother would be, I have been appalled to learn how schools are routinely hiding information about the mental and physical health of their students from parents.”

And this is exactly the concern of the Parental Rights Foundation. What you as a parent decide for your child is up to you. But we stand 100% behind your right to have the information you need to make that best decision.

No government agent, including the local school, should be keeping secrets from you about your child that will hinder your fundamental right to direct their upbringing, education, and care.

Perhaps with this letter we will begin to see more schools understand it that way, as well.

Thank you for standing with us as we promote parental rights in federal and state policy and law around the country.

Parental Rights and Blindness, with Mark Riccobono

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 16:35:00 GMT

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast! Our latest episode features Mark Riccobono, the President of the National Federation of the Blind. Mark has been a lifelong advocate for those with blindness and low-vision, and today he discusses how important parental rights are for families affected by blindness, sharing stories of how unjustly the child welfare system treats parents who are blind.

For more information about the National Federation of the Blind, check out their website here: http://nfb.org/ . You can also explore nfb.org/convention , which has information on their National Convention, which is the largest gathering of blind people in the world.

Wisconsin Supreme Court Election Today

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 20:36:00 GMT

Today, there is a vitally important election for judges on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Because the Parental Rights Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization recognized by the IRS, we cannot tell you who to vote for. But we sincerely encourage you to educate yourself on which of the candidates will best recognize and protect your parental rights.

Then, go to the polls and cast a vote for your family today!

Immediate Action Needed in Alabama

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 20:21:00 GMT

Alabama House Bill 340 (HB340), the DHR Transparency and Due Process Rights Notification Act , is scheduled for a vote in the House Children and Senior Advocacy Committee on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at 10:30 AM in Room 601 . This bill will ensure that parents and legal custodians are notified of their Due Process rights during DHR investigations, protecting families from unfair practices and ensuring transparency in the system.

A couple of friendly amendments will clarify language related to allegations involving criminal acts. These amendments specify that the department may withhold documents from a parent or legal custodian if law enforcement has opened a criminal investigation, and that the parent or legal custodian’s right to legal counsel does not require the department to adjust its investigation timeline or schedule.

This bill is one of the Alabama Republican Party's 2025 Legislative Priorities, and both the Alabama State Executive Committee and the Alabama Federation of Republican Women (AFRW) recently passed resolutions in support of its passage. Nevertheless, the House Children and Senior Advocacy Committee is facing pressure from the Department of Human Resources (DHR), district attorneys, and sheriff’s offices to vote against it.

We need your support to ensure this important bill passes. Here's how you can help:

Call or email each member of the House Children and Senior Advocacy Committee and urge them to vote YES on HB340.
Show up at the committee meeting! Your presence will send a powerful message of support. Be sure to arrive early, as parking around the statehouse in Montgomery can be tricky on Wednesdays.
Share the above call to action with your family, friends, and other pro-family groups/organizations.
Use these hashtags in social media posts supporting the bill: #HB340 #SupportOurKids #AdvocacyInAction

Let’s make our voices heard and advocate for children and families!

In the News

The following news articles cover the HB340 Public Hearing held on March 19, 2025 . Significantly, the only speakers who testified against informing parents of their Due Process rights during a DHR investigation were State Government Agencies:

Together, we can protect children by empowering parents through passage of this good bill in Alabama .

Thank you for taking the time to weigh in today!

Victories! Yet Danger Looms

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 17:10:00 GMT

This week has seen parental rights victories in three states. But we’re also watching closely as a battle in Illinois threatens parental rights across the country.

First, the good news.

On Monday, Indiana’s Senate Bill 143 ( SB143 ) passed the House Committee on Judiciary by a vote of 9 to 3. The measure, which will recognize parental rights as fundamental and demand strict scrutiny review of any infringement, has already passed the Senate and now moves on to the floor of the House for a final vote. If that vote succeeds, the bill will move to the governor’s desk for signature, and could make Indiana the twenty-first state to protect fundamental parental rights in legislation.

Also on Monday, Florida’s Senate Bill 1286 ( SB1286 ) passed the Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice by a vote of 9 to 0. This measure, championed by Senator Erin Grall, is one of two “Reasonable Childhood Independence” bills we’re watching this week that is based on the model we drafted with LetGrow . It would clarify that “neglect” as used in Florida law does not refer to choices by a parent to let a child walk, play, or ride a bike to a local park, store, or other nearby public place.

SB1286 has just cleared its second of three Senate committees and has not yet reached the House side, so it is early in its journey. So far, though, it is making good progress.

Then on Tuesday, Florida Senate Bill 1288 ( SB1288 ) , also championed by Sen. Erin Grall, passed the Senate Education Pre-K – 12 Committee on a narrow 5 to 4 vote. This legislation, which would allow parents to preview school surveys that are to be given to their children, and which grants parents access to their minor children’s medical records, needs to pass the Judiciary committee by next week to stay alive this session—and it is looking like an uphill climb.

Also on Tuesday, Georgia Senate Bill 110 ( SB110 ) passed the Georgia House on a vote of 110 to 62. This is the second “Reasonable Childhood Independence” bill we’re watching, and it now on its way to Governor Kemp’s desk. With his signature, Georgia will become the ninth state in the country to expressly protect in law the right of parents to give their children more freedom and independence as they mature and grow. And it will make clear that parents like Brittany Patterson, who let her son walk to the nearby store alone, are not “neglecting” their children.

This is a tremendous win for parental rights in Georgia!

But then there’s the bad news.

In Illinois, House Bill 2827 ( HB2827 ) threatens the freedoms of homeschooling and even private schooling families across the country. That’s because, while this bill would not govern parents in other states, it threatens to set a precedent that other states could follow. Championed by Rep. Terra Costa Howard, HB2827 would place Illinois’ public-school systems in charge of overseeing homeschooling in the state. It would require parents who homeschool to register their children with the local school district, and it would require nonpublic schools to register with the State Board of Education. It would also make failing to submit the proper paperwork on time a crime subject to a fine and jail time. It gives the public education system the authority to review a homeschool family’s educational portfolio and homeschool program at any time. And it requires that any “homeschool administrator” (that is, a homeschooling parent) must have a high school degree.

This bill would be the first major step backward in decades for Americans’ freedom to homeschool. And the irony is that it would place homeschooling, which has proven to be incredibly successful and effective across all outcomes, under the authority of the Illinois public education system, which has had dismal outcomes. (Recent NAEP scores tragically showed that only 1/3 of Illinois public education 8th graders are proficient in math and reading.) This irony seems to be lost on the bill’s author and supporters.

It’s like placing the chefs of a fine dining restaurant under the direction of a fast food fry cook. Only it’s not your dinner – your children are the ones who will pay the price.

Parents have a fundamental right to direct the education of their children, and Illinois officials have no business usurping that right just because they don’t like it. Ostensibly, their motive is to protect children from abuse (though the abuse rate in their public schools is much higher than the abuse rate in home schools). But “the statist notion that governmental power should supersede parental authority in all cases because some parents abuse and neglect children is repugnant to American tradition.” Parham v. J.R., 442 US 584 (1979) at 603.

Sadly, even in the face of more than 50,000 witness slips opposed to the measure, HB2827 passed the Illinois House Education Policy Committee on March 19 by a vote of 8 to 4 (1 voting present).

If you live in Illinois, please contact your state representative and senator and urge them to protect parental rights by rejecting HB2827 whenever it comes before them.

On the whole, we are gaining ground for parental rights all across the country. But we cannot afford to lose our prior right to direct the education of our children, or the loss of all parental rights will be just one generation away.

Thank you for standing with us for parents—and for the children we protect together.

Arrested for Valuing Her Son’s Independence, with Brittany Patterson and David DeLugas

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 19:29:00 GMT

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! Our latest episode features Brittany Patterson, a Georgia mother who made headlines when she was arrested after her 10-year-old walked to the store solo; and David DeLugas, executive director of ParentsUSA and Brittany’s attorney. Brittany tells her story and gives us a closer look at what happened on the day she was arrested. She and David both discuss the injustice of the event, and what it signifies for parental rights and childhood independence for any family.

You’re Invited: Rally in Tallahassee March 26

Fri, 21 Mar 2025 14:49:00 GMT

The United States Council on Domestic Relations, Children’s Health Defense, and other organizations are hosting a legislative rally day at the Florida Capitol on Wednesday, March 26, and you are invited to join them!

(Note: If you are not able to attend the rally, you can still take action on an important parental rights related bill detailed below. Please keep reading from the next section.)

The event is scheduled from noon to 5:00 at the State Capitol, and there are even busses carrying people to Tallahassee from various parts of the state at a reasonable rate.

This is a terrific opportunity to rally together and visit your Florida lawmakers alongside a strong group of allies. You can find out more and register for the event by visiting USCDR’s site here .

It is also an opportunity to connect with our state coordinator, Patti Sullivan, who will be attending the event. So please look for her when you’re there!

Parental Rights Bills

While the rally highlights several bills centered around health freedom, two of the bills particularly touch on parental rights.

Senate Bill 1288 ( SB 1288 ) , sponsored by parental rights champion Senator Erin Grall, would amend Florida’s Parents’ Bill of Rights to provide that parents have a right to review surveys given to their children in public schools and a right to consent before any biofeedback device is used on their child. It puts parents in the driver’s seat to protect their children from data mining in the schools. The rally aims to support this bill that will strengthen parental rights.

Senate Bill 370 ( SB 370 ) , on the other hand, would harm your parental rights, so we and the hosts of the rally oppose it. SB 370 seeks to authorize health screenings and medical services for children in public schools after written parental notification. Significantly, this would replace the current requirement of “first obtaining written parental consent.”

Parental consent is a much stronger protection than parental notification because the parent must respond before any action can be taken with their child. Under SB 370, once a notice is sent home, the school or clinic may proceed unless they hear from the parent—even if the notification never actually reaches the parent!

Parents, not public school clinics, should be guiding their children through their needs for medical care.

If You Can’t Attend

Fortunately, we have reliable information that SB 340 will not be moving forward this session. But you can still weigh in on SB1288 with your Florida senators, even if you are unable to attend the rally.

In fact, SB 1288 is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Pre-K – 12 Committee on Tuesday at 11 a.m. So please reach out to your Florida state senator before then and encourage them to support SB 1288 to protect parental rights and to protect children from government overreach into their health and personal data.

You can find your state senator here .

Simply call or email, identify yourself as a constituent, and ask them to protect your rights to protect your children by supporting SB 1288 with their vote.

Thank you for taking a moment today to voice your support for SB 1288. And if you are able, I hope you will join the rally in Tallahassee on Wednesday to support parental rights in Florida law and to meet our state coordinator, Patti Sullivan.

Victories and Delays in Georgia

Wed, 19 Mar 2025 17:46:00 GMT

As I mentioned in last week’s email about arrested Georgia mom Brittany Patterson, we have been championing two pieces of parental rights legislation in Georgia this year, with mixed results.

Senate Bill 110 ( SB 110 ), introduced by Senator Anavitarte, is Georgia’s version of the Reasonable Independence model we put together with LetGrow several years ago, which is already law in eight states. This bill tightens the definition of “neglect” to exclude instances of a parent giving their growing child increased independence through things like walking to school, riding their bike to the park, or being left home alone for a reasonable, age-appropriate amount of time.

Parents, not the government, should be able to decide when their child is ready to take these steps.

So far, SB 110 is shaping up to be our Georgia success story this year. It passed the Senate on March 4 by a vote of 52-1. Then, it was assigned to the House Judiciary Juvenile Committee, where it was “favorably reported” (that is, passed) on March 13. We are awaiting its final vote on the House floor, with no reason to think it will fare any worse there than it did in the Senate.

In short, SB 110 is one House vote away from making it to the Governor’s desk for signature into law.

House Bill 552 (SB 552), the Brittany Patterson Act, did not fare as well. It failed to make it out of the House Judiciary Juvenile Committee before the state’s cross-over date earlier this month. (Some states require that all bills pass out of their house of origin by a set “crossover date,” or else they cannot be considered by the other house. Bills that fail to make the crossover deadline are dead for that session.)

This is not surprising for a bill making its way through the legislature for the first time. Unlike SB 110, HB 552 did not have the benefit of being law in eight states already. So, HB 522’s introduction in the House this year was the beginning of the conversation on what the bill seeks to do —protect innocent children and parents like Brittany Patterson by limiting police interference.

HB 552 is directed at law enforcement. It would prohibit officers from interfering in the decisions of a parent regarding their minor child traveling independently or engaging independently in outdoor play. It outlines three questions to gauge abuse or neglect:

· Is the child injured?

· Is the child in distress?

· Is the child at imminent risk of significant injury or other harm from an identifiable source?

David DeLugas, Brittany’s lawyer and the primary author of the bill, notes that if law enforcement had applied these questions to Brittany’s son on October 30th, she would never have been arrested; her son would never have been carried home in the back of a squad car. He was not injured, in distress, or at imminent risk from an identifiable source. This latter prong is so worded because “something bad could happen” is just not a strong enough reason for police to intrude in the life of a growing and exploring child. If he is not breaking the law, but simply exercising freedom of movement that his parent has granted, then leave him alone!

I spoke with Brittany and David for an upcoming episode of our EPPiC Broadcast podcast, to air March 25th, and David indicated that he intends to bring this bill back to the legislature next year.

On the whole, our progress in Georgia this year gives us a lot to be excited about. SB 110 is one vote away from the governor’s desk and will ensure that allowing your child some reasonable independence does not constitute neglect. And HB 552, which failed to get a hearing, has nevertheless started the discussion among lawmakers about when it should or should not be lawful for law enforcement to intrude in the life of a child out walking alone. While the bill cannot pass this year, that discussion is far from over.

Thank you for standing with us as we work to promote common sense policies like these in Georgia and around the country. Together, we are protecting children by empowering parents.

Let me encourage you in parting to listen to next week’s episode of the EPPiC Broadcast with Brittany Patterson and Devid DeLugas. And one last request: why not share this email with a friend or family member who also cares about their children and their parental rights?

Recent and Future CPS Reforms in Texas, with Andrew Brown

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 20:59:00 GMT

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast! Our latest episode features Andrew Brown, Vice President of Policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and an attorney who has represented many families harmed by the child welfare system. Today, he talks about recent and future changes in the Texas welfare laws, with a special focus on a bill requiring CPS workers to inform parents of their rights in an investigation. He also discusses the “civil death penalty” - termination of parental rights, and the reforms it needs.

Relatedly, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas recently praised the TX Legislature for its recent CPS reforms, and urged it to consider changes to the procedures for parental rights terminations. You can find the video of his remarks here:

https://x.com/TPPF/status/1895528525651984683

Another Mom Arrested? Not If We Can Help It!

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 08:00:00 GMT

You probably remember seeing it on the news: Georgia mom Brittany Patterson was arrested on October 30th after her almost 11-year-old son walked unattended to the local store, less than a mile from his home.

Now, your Parental Rights Foundation is working to make sure this doesn’t happen to another Georgia parent ever again. And we need your help!

Georgia Mom Arrested

According to multiple news sources, Brittany was charged with misdemeanor reckless conduct because she left her house without first knowing where her son was. She had seen him in his room a few minutes before, so she thought nothing of it when she called for him and received no answer as she was leaving to take her older son to a chiropractor appointment.

According to CNN, “‘There’s no freeloaders in my house,’ [Brittany] said. ‘The children cut the grass. They keep the wood stove burning. They take turns doing the laundry. And they roam around the woods.”

And that’s what Brittany thought had happened on October 30th too: her younger son had gone off into the woods, to a place where he likes to be alone when he’s upset. He’d done it before, and he’d always come back home. Nothing to worry about.

Only, on this day, he’d decided to walk “into town” to the local store. I put “into town” in quotes because we’re talking rural Appalachia. The whole town’s population is 370. “It isn’t even a town, really,” Brittany says.

The boy was never in any danger. But that’s not how one stranger framed it when she called it in to the local sheriff. The caller said she’d seen a boy “about six or eight years old.” Brittany’s son was days away from being eleven. And due to his rural surroundings and his parents’ choice to raise him with a sense of independence and personal responsibility, he was used to having the kind of freedom that would let him wander.

Just not to the local store, apparently.

Sadly, the danger here was never that he would be hit by a car or abducted by a stranger. Yes, those things can and do happen. So do car accidents, but that doesn’t keep us from putting our kids in the car and leaving the driveway.

The danger was that a stranger might not like that the boy was alone, might misjudge his age or level of self-sufficiency, and might call a law enforcement agency too eager to “help” by intruding on a family’s rights.

Which is exactly what happened here.

Brittany’s lawyer, David DeLugas, is executive director of ParentsUSA. He points out the irony of the date of Brittany’s arrest.

“The very next night, October 31, a lot of parents let their kids wander the streets, many of them with no more supervision than Brittany’s son had. But only Brittany got arrested for it,” David told me in a phone conversation (paraphrased).

“Selective Enforcement”

What’s more, the law used to arrest Brittany has only been used against another parent once, more than twenty years ago. That’s because the Georgia Supreme Court in that case found it faulty.

In the 1997 case of Rosalind Hall, the court ruled in a 4-3 decision that the statute as applied to parents (as in Brittany’s case) “lacks definite and explicit standards to guide its enforcement, thereby making it susceptible to arbitrary and selective enforcement by police, prosecutors, and juries.”

It is this “arbitrary and selective enforcement” that parental rights are all about preventing. If states and localities must respect a parent’s fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their own children, there is no more room for “arbitrary enforcement.”

And that’s why we’re taking action in Georgia.

How You Can Help

First, we’re working with Brittany’s lawyer to change the Georgia law that was used (or abused) to arrest her. DeLugas has crafted a bill that he’s bringing to the Georgia legislature to make sure parental rights are respected and such arbitrary enforcement disappears.

But we’re also working with our long-term friends at LetGrow to bring to Georgia the common-sense Reasonable Childhood Independence law that we helped draft several years ago.

Together, these two measures will protect families from being split up, as Brittany’s was when she was hauled off to jail unnecessarily, and as many other families are when children are removed without cause by the Department of Children and Families.

They will clarify the law, allowing parents to make the best decisions for their own children. And they will put teeth into parental rights, so agencies that encroach on families without cause will have to answer for it in court.

As a 501(c)(3), our lobbying activity must necessarily be limited to a small proportion of our overall work. And it is. Because we’re not just talking about promoting these bills in the Georgia legislature.

We’re also talking about the hours spent drafting, reviewing, and editing model legislation like LetGrow’s Reasonable Childhood Independence model. And I’m honored to have had the chance to review David DeLugas’s bill, as well.

And we’re talking about the time invested in educating lawmakers, lawyers, judges, and the general public on the fundamental liberty of parents and how the protection and exercise of those rights in turn keeps children safe.

By working with allies like LetGrow and ParentsUSA, and by drafting or reviewing policy models to make sure states bring to bear the 100-plus years of Supreme Court recognition of fundamental parental rights, we are empowering legislatures to make positive changes to keep parents like Brittany Patterson out of jail, and to keep their families at home together, where they belong.

But these efforts are not cheap. To be prepared to seize opportunities like this one in any state where they might appear, we need to be properly funded and resourced.

So far, thanks to you, we have always been ready to respond when states ring that bell.

Can I count on you to continue your support now with a one-time gift of $25, $55, or even $105 to fuel our work in Georgia…and in the home state of the next Brittany Patterson?

In a world where a mom can be arrested because her son walked a mile to the store, we need champions like you to step up and push back the reach of the nanny state. We must not leave these moms (or dads!) to stand and fight alone.

With your partnership, we can make Georgia a better place for parents, and the world a better place for families!

Minimizing the Government’s Role in Families’ Lives, with Grover Norquist

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 17:53:00 GMT

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast! Our latest episode features Grover Norquist, the founder and president of Americans for Tax Reform, a political advocacy group fighting for lower taxes. Today, he talks about limiting the government’s role in telling citizens how to live their lives - which naturally impacts its power over parents and families.

The African American Family Preservation Act Victory, with Kelis Houston

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 16:04:00 GMT

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast! Our latest episode features Kelis Houston, the founder of Village Arms, a community organization dedicated to reducing the number of African American children removed from their families by Minnesota's Child Protection System. Today, she gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the background of the African American Family Preservation Act - which became law after an astounding seven years of advocacy by Kelis and Village Arms.

Email Today to Support “The Brittany Patterson Act” in Georgia

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 23:04:00 GMT

House Bill 552 ( HB 552 ), “The Brittany Patterson Act,” has been introduced in the Georgia legislature and assigned to the House Committee on Judiciary Justice. Today, I am asking for your help to move this bill forward in committee.

On October 30, 2024, Brittany Patterson was arrested when her almost-eleven-year-old-son was found walking home from a store less than a mile from her home. Patterson was charged with Misdemeanor Reckless Conduct because she left home not knowing exactly where her son was.

It is significant to note that the Pattersons live in a rural area (the town’s total population is 340) and wandering the woods around their home is a normal part of life for her children beyond a certain age, including this son. No evidence was ever presented or alleged that the boy was in danger at any time during his walk to the store .

Not surprisingly, the charges against Brittany were ultimately dropped, but not before the Department of Family & Children Services intruded on this family’s privacy.

What the Bill Does

To prevent other families from suffering all that the Pattersons have, HB 552 would tighten up Georgia law by excluding from the state’s definition of neglect any “actions or decisions by a parent or guardian, acting in good faith, that allow a child to engage in independent activities consistent with the child’s intellectual, emotional, and physical maturity.”

The language is based on a model prepared by the Parental Rights Foundation and our friends at LetGrow, and edited for Georgia by Patterson’s attorney, David DeLugas, Executive Director and General Counsel of National Association of Parents. It was introduced in the House by Representatives Kahaian, Byrd, and Tran.

The bill further provides that “no parent or guardian shall be detained, arrested, or charged criminally…if [they are] incompliance with [this Act] or if a minor child appears to be alone or unsupervised by an adult unless that child also appears to be injured, in distress, or in imminent risk of significant injury or other harm from an identifiable source.” The mere idea that, vaguely, “anything could happen” will no longer be a crime!

Take Action Now

To promote the bill, please take a moment today to reach out to the members of the House Committee on Juvenile Justice and ask them to grant the bill a hearing and then vote it out of committee. Time is short, so they need to hear from you today!

You can find the committee members here: https://www.legis.ga.gov/committees/house/203?session=1033

If one of these is your lawmaker , please email them, identify yourself as a constituent (or one who lives in their district, if you prefer), and ask them to support House Bill 552, the Brittany Patterson Act. For best effect, also cc the other members of the committee.

If none of these is your lawmaker , please email the entire committee (or as many of them as you can) in a single email, asking them for the good of all Georgia families to support House Bill 552, the Brittany Patterson Act.

Then, if time permits, take a moment to email your own state Representative as well, and ask them to vote to protect children by empowering parents by voting in favor of HB 552 when it comes out of committee to the floor of the House.

Conclusion

Parents should never face arrest or child welfare investigations simply for giving their children increased, reasonable independence as they mature. Thank you for taking a moment today to make your voice heard.

Together, we can make Brittany Patterson the last parent in Georgia to ever have to face this legal nightmare.

Parents’ Educational Choices Past and Present, with Kerry McDonald

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 16:00:00 GMT

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast! We’re kicking off season 10 with returning guest Kerry McDonald. Kerry is an educational scholar and author, and a senior fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education. Today she discusses the history of educational choice – including as recently impacted by COVID – and the variety of options parents can select from today.

Podcast on Parental Rights Returns Feb. 25

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 18:40:00 GMT

The EPPiC Broadcast, the official podcast of the Parental Rights Foundation, will return for its tenth season on February 25.

Featuring legal scholars, social workers, doctors, and parents with lived experience in the system, the EPPiC Broadcast began in 2020 with the aim of creating the world’s foremost audio library on parental rights experience and scholarship. And with such voices (who span the political spectrum!) as Martin Guggenheim, Michael Farris, Jerry Milner, and Joyce McMillan, we already have a lot to be proud of.

This season promises to be no different.

Coming in Season 10

Our first episode will feature Kerry McDonald , a senior education fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education, as we discuss how educational choice and competition are good for children, good for families, and good for America. We’ll also talk about some new educational options that parents may not be aware of that have been developed in just the last few years.

For all that it cost us as a society, the COVID pandemic has been a boon in terms of getting parents involved in their children’s lives again and in producing new options and opportunities for families.

The second episode features a new voice to the EPPiC library: Kelis Houston . Several years ago, Kelis launched Village Arms to be a voice for minority families in the Minnesota legislature. Last year, her tireless efforts led to passage of the African American Family Preservation Act in that state. I had the privilege of talking to her about how that victory was won and what it means to minority and poor families in Minnesota moving forward.

And episode three features Parental Rights Foundation board member and founding president of Americans for Tax Reform, Grover Norquist . Why should a center-right economist care about parental rights, and how did Grover come to be on our governing board? Tune in in week three to find out!

Later in the season, we’ll talk about new legislative efforts to reform child welfare in Texas . We’ll get the inside scoop on the case of Brittany Patterson , the Georgia mom who was arrested because her almost 11-year-old son walked to the store less than a mile from home. We’ll look at the new leaders and culture in D.C. and how they are likely to affect the child welfare system.

And as we near the end of the season—and, simultaneously, the 100th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Pierce v. Society of Sisters case —we are planning a pair of panel discussions, one from each side of the political aisle, to examine the significance and legacy of that landmark parental rights decision.

30-Minute Format

Each episode of the EPPiC Broadcast is hosted by yours truly and generally lasts about 30 minutes. (Some of our earlier episodes ran close to an hour.) So, you can listen on your morning commute, or as you work around the house, or any time your ears have a half-hour to spare. The conversations are thoughtful, educational, and generally uplifting as we encourage and empower parents in your parenting role.

So, plan now to listen in on Tuesday and throughout the tenth season (which runs through May). Once it’s live (2 pm Eastern time on Tuesdays), you can find each new episode on iTunes, Spotify, Google, or at ParentalRightsFoundation.org/podcast .

Good day to you… and thank you for listening!

Call to Support SB110 in the Georgia Senate

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 21:22:00 GMT

Senate Bill 110 (SB 110) , a bill to revise the definition of “neglect” to provide “reasonable childhood independence” for minors and protect the rights of their parents to give them this independence, is slated for a hearing in the Senate Children and Families Committee either this Tuesday (2/11) or next (2/18).

Introduced by Senator Jason Anavitarte, the measure would make clear that certain actions, like walking to school or riding a bike to a local park, playing in one’s yard, staying home alone (within reason), or waiting in a car on a comfortable day, do not constitute neglect. Parents will no longer be afraid to make these choices as their children grow older and begin to gain responsibility and independence.

This bill and another soon to be introduced in the House (no bill number yet) will combine to protect mothers like Brittany Patterson, who famously was arrested on October 30 when her almost eleven-year-old son walked to a store less than a mile from the family’s home. A passerby saw the boy alone, grossly underestimated his age, and called the authorities.

SB 110 would clarify that laws against neglect do not include reasonable choices many parents would make (if only they felt legally safe to do so) to let their growing children gain a sense of personal responsibility. This will save the State resources, as many fruitless investigations will no longer need to be opened.

And it will protect families by eliminating intrusions into the home that can lead to the separation of parent and child for frivolous reasons.

As it stands, SB 110 is in a favorable position, as some on the committee, including the chairman, are already cosponsors of the bill. So, while we invite you to contact the senators on the committee (especially if one is your senator), we encourage you to be positive and friendly. In the case of those marked as cosponsors below, you might even include a “Thank you for sponsoring this bill.”

So, please take just a moment now to reach out to the senators below and ask them in your own words to protect families by passing SB 110 to provide commonsense clarity to the definition of “neglect.”

Here’s the Step-by-Step:

Click the link to the appropriate Senator(s) listed below.
Input your contact information in the required fields.
Under the "Your Message" section, select the issue your email relates to as option #5, Legislative Advocacy.
Subject Line: Support SB 110
Message – Provide a short (1-3 sentences) message supporting the bill and the concept of childhood independence. Nothing too complicated or detailed is required; a simple indication of support is sufficient.

Sen. Kay Kirkpatrick, MD (Chair) - co-sponsor

Sen. Bo Hatchett

Sen. Matt Brass

Sen. Max Burns

Sen. Jason Esteves - co-sponsor

Sen. Nabilah Islam Parkes

Sen. Kim Jackson

Sen. Derek Mallow

Sen. Chuck Payne

Sen. Brian Strickland

Thank you for taking a moment today to support this important bill to protect children by empowering parents to make the best child-rearing decisions as their minor children grow older and more prepared to take on additional responsibilities.

Legislative Update: Three Letters

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 20:19:00 GMT

Sometimes, the Parental Rights Foundation lets you know about legislation in the works in your state and urges you to contact your lawmakers to support (or, when necessary, to oppose) the bill in question. Other times, the proper approach is to send a letter of support (or opposition) to the appropriate lawmaker or committee.

Already this legislative session, we have sent three such letters, referencing bills in Wyoming, New York, and Virginia, respectively.

In Wyoming, Rep. Tomi Strock introduced House Bill 46 (HB46) , the Homeschool Freedom Act. This bill would remove some of the bureaucratic red tape for parents who choose to exercise their right to direct the education of their children outside the public school norms.

When the bill passed the House last week with a solid majority (54-6, 2 not voting), it appeared calls and emails would not be necessary to move it forward in the Senate. What might be helpful, however, would be a letter of support. So, I wrote one up and sent it to members of the Senate Education Committee, urging them to take up the bill.

In the letter, I pointed out that the liberty of parents to direct the education of their children has long been recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court, and that requiring parents to file an annual letter of intent and curriculum with the local school district creates a burden on this right and unneeded bureaucracy for both the parents and the school district.

While we have not yet seen the committee move the bill forward, we have made sure they know where we stand. If they still fail to act, an email alert may be coming in the days ahead so that they can hear from Wyoming’s parental rights supporters directly.

In New York, Senator Anthony Palumbo has introduced Senate Bill 513 (S513) amending the state’s grandparent visitation statute to include a presumption that a parent’s decision is in the child’s best interest. And he has in his arsenal a letter of support from the Parental Rights Foundation.

“The ‘strong presumption that the parent’s decision is in the child’s best interest’ called for in the bill reflects the presumption called for by the U.S. Supreme Court in Parham v. J.R.,” I explain in that letter. “Yet, curiously, this presumption has been and remains missing from New York law.”

This bill, like HB46 in Wyoming, remains in committee in the Senate—in this case, New York’s Senate Children and Families Committee. Again, we support this bill and stand ready to send an alert if it should prove necessary to move the bill forward in the New York legislature. Fit parents should make their own decisions, without the help of a judge, about who their children should spend time with.

And in Virginia, Senate Bill 1031 (SB1031) threatened a 40-year-old law that preserves the freedom of parents to homeschool their children under a religious exemption. We joined several allies in talking with lawmakers to try to defeat the bill.

But we also took a different approach: I reached out to the Governor’s office in hopes of securing a backstop. Virginia’s Governor Glenn Youngkin, who ran on a platform of parental rights, would very likely not let the bill safely cross his desk. So, I wrote and asked him.

And though I didn’t get a direct response to my query, I received a clear answer through another channel, as the governor appeared in a friend’s video saying that he opposed the bill. We had our backstop.

All of this became moot when the bill’s patron, feeling the overwhelming pressure that we and our Virginia allies brought to bear, amended the bill to create a non-binding study committee, which then failed to pass the Appropriations Committee. The bill died long before it would ever have reached the governor.

But it was comforting to know, even before that, that there was simply no path for the power grab measure to actually become law.

By Any Means

Now, by far the most exciting of our political action is when you get involved and we make our voices heard as one. But every year, there are also letters and phone calls going on behind the scenes, like these three recent letters. By whatever means, we are making your voice heard for laws and policies that empower parents to protect and provide for their children without unwanted government intrusion.

Thank you for standing with us, and for making these letters—and the laws they support—possible.

P.S.—As the Parental Rights Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization, we do not spend a substantive part of our time or expense on lobbying. This email focuses on that small part of our mission, but the much larger part is educating judges, lawmakers, and the public on the fundamental liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children.

Early Victories This Legislative Session

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 16:13:00 GMT

The 2025 legislative session is barely underway, and already we’re seeing victories for parental rights.

First, in Virginia , a bill aimed at removing the state’s religious exemption for homeschoolers was defanged in the Senate Committee on Education and Health.

Senate Bill 1031 (SB1031) , sponsored by Sen. Stella Pekarsky (D-36), underwent numerous edits and rewrites during its brief life, frustrating those who wanted to speak against it; it was hard to express their concerns when they couldn’t tell what they were speaking against! But rather than be silenced, the opposition only grew, highlighting “lack of transparency” as just another reason to kill the bill.

Finally, the sponsor in committee offered an amendment to turn the bill into a “study committee,” which is essentially a way to save face while withdrawing the bill. Instead of removing the right of parents, based on their religious convictions, to opt out of mandatory public-school attendance, the measure now would create a committee, made up of specific stake holders such as religiously exempt parents, school administrators, and a representative from the Home Educators Association of Virginia (HEAV), to study the situation and make recommendations to a future legislature. The committee’s views will not be binding, and that’s if the committee ever convenes. It is likely this new measure will die in the Appropriations Committee.

In short, parents in Virginia can breathe a sigh of relief that SB 1031 is no longer a threat. We salute our allies at HEAV and Home School Legal Defense Association for taking the lead on defeating that measure.

Second, Senate Bill 143 (SB143) in Indiana, called the Parents’ Bill of Rights, passed the Senate on Monday by a bipartisan vote of 44-5. The bill includes a clear statement that parental rights are fundamental, and that the state can only limit these rights by the least restrictive means necessary to advance a compelling governmental interest (the “strict scrutiny” standard).

In an IPB News article , Sen. Liz Brown (R-Fort Wayne), the bill’s sponsor, said that under this bill, unless the state has a compelling interest (such as protection from abuse), “they’re going to stay out of the relationship between a parent and child.”

This is the third time we have worked to bring parental rights to Indiana law, and the first time we have made it through the Senate. Given the level of support there, we are hopeful the bill will do well in the House as well, which is its next hurdle. It was referred to the House for consideration on January 28.

As in Virginia, we are not alone in this campaign, and we salute our friends at Alliance Defending Freedom and the Indiana Family Institute for their hard work on this bill.

Third, in Montana , Senate Bill 50 (SB 50) was heard in the Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Safety Committee on January 16. And while no vote has yet been taken, senators at the hearing pushed back against those who opposed the bill during testimony. The bill, sponsored by Senator Emrich, would simply require the Department of Child and Family Services or law enforcement personnel to get a warrant before they remove a child from his home , unless there is good reason to believe the child would suffer physical or sexual abuse in the time it would take to get the warrant. This is a common-sense due process protection that is already the law in many states, and we are hopeful we will see Montana catch up this year.

If you live in Montana , please take a moment to call or email your state senator and let them know you appreciate their support of SB 50 to prevent unwarranted family separations. You can find your lawmaker by entering your address on the map search bar here .

Together, we are seeing great success around the country early in this legislative season.

But there is more to come.

We are already working with key allies to bring parental rights protections (or, in some instances, additional parental rights protections) in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Wyoming, and New York —and the legislative session in most of these states hasn’t even started yet.

And that’s not to mention our key work in the U.S. Congress, where we are currently securing lead sponsors for the Parental Rights Amendment, and promoting other bills to address child welfare reform in the areas of Adoption and Safe Families Act timelines and the problem of “Hidden Foster Care.”

So, please stay tuned for further news and, when necessary, timely alerts to support the good bills, defeat the bad ones, and secure parental rights in your state and in Congress.

Together, we can protect children by empowering parents through quality legislation where you live!

Champions of Parental Rights Take on the Child Welfare Narrative in D.C.

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 18:40:00 GMT

On Monday, January 13, The American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., held a panel discussion called What Are Parental Rights and How Far Do They Go? The focus of the discussion was on how much government intervention is needed to protect children from abuse, and how to balance intervention against family rights.

The panel featured Tom Rawlings, CEO and President of Child Welfare & Justice Transformation; and Ronald Richter, CEO of JCCA (formerly Jewish Child Care Association) in New York City. As former family court judges, these men are both known for their support of the child welfare establishment as it is today, viewing it as perhaps a “necessary evil” to protect children from bad parents.

Also on the panel, however, were two friends to the Parental Rights Foundation: Christine Gottleib , Director of the New York University Family Law Clinic, has been a guest on our EPPiC Broadcast more than once and is an active coalition partner in much of our bipartisan reform work; and Will Estrada , former president of the Parental Rights Foundation and now Senior Counsel for the Home School Legal Defense Association, also serves as a member of our Board of Advisors. Together, Chris and Will represent the view that parents can be trusted, and that their rights (and the integrity of their families) cannot be sacrificed in the effort (as important as it is!) to save children who are abused.

A balance must be reached that protects children from abuse and protects innocent families from the trauma of unnecessary government intrusion.

As Will put it during the panel discussion, quoting directly from the Supreme Court’s Parham v. J.R. decision, “The statist notion that governmental power should supersede parental authority in all cases because some parents abuse and neglect children is repugnant to American tradition.” 442 U.S. 584 at 603 (1979)

One thing I found especially exciting as I listened to Will and Chris on this panel: although they were clearly “on the same page” regarding child welfare reform, they come from opposite sides of the political aisle. Chris represents New York University, and Will is a Republican, even serving on the Trump Transition team in 2016. They almost couldn’t be any further apart politically—and yet they soundly agree on parental rights and preserving families.

“The way to help kids is to protect the rights of their parents,” Chris said at one point, echoing in different words our motto of “protecting children by empowering parents.”

Both Chris and Will called for reining in anonymous reporting and abolishing mandated reporting. Will also called for elimination of the Child Abuse Pediatrician specialty, and joined Chris in calling for an end to the use of involuntary Termination of Parental Rights to permanently destroy family ties.

Will brought Supreme Court precedent, especially quotes from the above-mentioned Parham v. J.R. He testified that parental rights are constitutionally protected and are a part of the legal make-up of American jurisprudence , not just a cause célèbre since the 2020 pandemic.

Chris brought the numbers, highlighting the 4.4 million reports of child abuse made last year. That includes knowingly false accusations made anonymously by jilted partners. It includes calls from mandated reporters in incidents where they do not suspect any abuse or neglect, but they feel they must report to protect their licensure and their livelihood.

That’s millions of families getting that knock at the door and having their sense of safety and well-being turned upside down.

In contrast, only about 300,000 cases lead to intervention or supports. That means more than 4 million reports are coming into the system that do not lead to any finding of abuse, neglect, or need.

Together, Will and Chris presented such a solid argument for reform that it defined the overall feel of the panel. Rawlings and Richter offered warnings from the bad cases of abuse that have come before them through the years, but any idea that those few cases should therefore lead to a broad surrendering of innocent parents’ rights simply couldn’t take root.

If you are interested, I would encourage you to watch the panel on YouTube here . (This links to the start of the panel discussed here, but the e arlier panels are also worth watching, though many of the experts do not advance a pro-family position.)

There is so much work yet to be done in this space, and it will take well-spoken champions on both sides of the political aisle to bring success. Chris and Will demonstrate what that looks like on this panel.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through parental rights laws and through meaningful child welfare reform.

The Start of an Exciting Legislative Ride

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 18:16:00 GMT

Many legislatures across the country are just getting started this week. (If you’re curious, you can see which ones here .) That means lawmakers are getting committee assignments, maybe new offices, and they’re just starting to introduce their 2025 legislation.

So, while they’re just gearing up, I had planned to tell you about a couple of things that are coming in the weeks ahead.

But then there’s Indiana.

Like others, their legislature just started this week. Unlike others, though, they’ve already introduced a major parental rights bill. And sent it to committee. And held a hearing on it.

Indiana Senate Bill 143 was heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday afternoon, January 8. The Judiciary Chairman, Sen. Liz Brown (R-15) is also the sponsor of the bill—and, obviously, she is ready to run with it!

Alerted Tuesday night by our volunteer contact in Indiana and our friends at the Indiana Family Institute, we were able to send an alert on Wednesday morning asking our Indiana supporters to write in and support this bill. And that’s just what they did.

The hearing went well, with two hours of testimony on the bill, and most of it in favor. Our friends at Alliance Defending Freedom were able to speak strongly for it, while other allies missed their chance. There were just too many friends there ready to speak on behalf of the bill!

Nevertheless, the committee’s vote wasn’t scheduled for this week. So, if you live in Indiana, you still have time to voice your support of this bill before the committee takes it up for a vote next week!

Now, here’s why this bill is so important: In Indiana, parental rights are not yet secured in state law. Parents have actually lost custody of their children over deeply held, mainstream religious beliefs. We’re talking simple, traditional values.

Senate Bill 143 will establish parental rights as fundamental and prohibit the State or its subdivisions from “substantively burdening” these rights unless it is to further a compelling governmental interest by the least restrictive means. That’s the “strict scrutiny” legal standard that we always look for!

What’s more, this bill has teeth: It grants parents the right to cite the statute as a defense any time the State is in violation of their rights; and it permits them to seek declaratory or injunctive relief, damages, and lawyers’ fees in the event the State violates parental rights in bad faith.

It’s a powerful bill, designed to protect the liberty of all loving parents to raise their children as they see fit, not as government bureaucrats would dictate.

The bill will not impair the State’s ability to protect children from abuse or neglect. No one has a “right” to abuse or neglect a child, and this bill reflects that clearly.

But it will protect fit parents from government intrusion over a parent’s beliefs or a family’s practice that may not fit the reigning government narrative. And that is exactly what parental rights is all about.

In just a few short months—this June, to be precise—we will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Pierce v. Society of Sisters, the landmark decision in which the Supreme Court declared, “The child is not the mere creature of the State.” SB 143 in Indiana would honor that heritage by placing this Supreme Court precedent soundly into Indiana law, and I am excited that we and our Indiana supporters get to be a part of that!

Alabama and New York

So, what about those other “couple of things coming up” I mentioned at the start of this email?

Without trying to go into details we just don’t have yet, we are watching a child welfare reform bill coming to Alabama (their session starts February 4) and a bill to reform New York’s grandparent visitation law. (Their session started yesterday, January 8.) If you are in either of these states, please keep your eyes open for timely alerts coming your way —just like the one we sent out to Indiana yesterday—to support these bills when they’re ready to move.

The bill in New York will insert into state law the strong presumption that parents’ decisions are already in the best interest of their child, even in the area of grandparent visitation, and that the grandparents must overcome this presumption with solid evidence before the court can grant them visitation. It will also allow the courts to require court costs from any grandparent bringing a suit in bad faith. These improvements will help to protect innocent parents (including those who are too poor to fight wealthier grandparents in court) and allow them to keep their families together.

Again, I will have more on both of these bills as things develop, so be ready to urge your lawmakers to get on board.

An Exciting Ride

This week is only the start. We have the whole 2025 legislative session before us. But from what I see today, it’s going to be an exciting ride as we work together to protect children by empowering parents all over the country.

Thank you for coming along with us!

URGENT: Contact Your Indiana Senator Today for Parental Rights Bill

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 15:04:00 GMT

Your parental rights—the liberty to direct the upbringing, education, and care of your minor children according to your own conscience—are not protected under Indiana law. But that can change, starting today.

Indiana Senate Bill 143 is being heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee this afternoon.

SB143 would establish in Indiana law that parental rights are fundamental and cannot be substantially burdened except to further a compelling governmental interest by the least restrictive means (called the “strict scrutiny” standard). Further, it provides recourse for parents whose rights are violated, to use this statute as a defense, or even to seek declaratory or injunctive relief or compensatory damages from the state agency who violates parental rights. This bill has teeth!

Please take a moment right now to email the Senate Judiciary Committee and urge them to support SB 143. They are meeting this afternoon (right after the 1:30 session adjourns), so they need to hear from you right away!

(If you get this email later, go ahead and contact them anyway. If the bill is tabled for a later vote or if it passes to the floor, your message will encourage them to still vote “Yes!”)

Your message should be in your own words and can be something simple like this:

Honorable Senator _____,

I am deeply concerned by government overreach into private homes and families. Parents, not bureaucrats, know what is best for their minor children, and it is time we protect that parental role in Indiana law. I urge you to support SB 143 on Parental Rights as it comes to the Judiciary Committee this afternoon.

Thank you for your careful attention to this bill.

Sincerely,

This is paragraph text. Click it or hit the Manage Text button to change the font, color, size, format, and more. To set up site-wide paragraph and title styles, go to Site Theme.

Then, please forward this email to other concerned Hoosier parents and urge them to contact their Senator, as well.

Senate Judiciary Committee

Here is a list of Senate Judiciary members and contact pages. Please contact your Senator and urge support. If your Senator is not on the list, please contact one or two of these, and then contact your Senator separately and ask them to support the bill when it comes out of committee.

Sen. Liz Brown (R-15)

Sen. Aaron Freeman (R-32)

Sen. Eric Koch (R-44)

Sen. Susan Glick (R-13)

Sen. Scott Alexander (R-26)

Sen. Rodney Pol (D-4)

Sen. James Buck (R-21)

Sen. Lonnie Randolph (D-2)

Sen. Cyndi Carrasco (R-36)

Sen. Greg Taylor (D-33)

Sen. Brett Clark (R-24)

This is exciting! The session just started on Monday, and today is the very first day committees are hearing bills. The author of this bill, Sen. Liz Brown, is also chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and she is moving the bill very quickly. But your help can ensure the bill keeps moving all the way to successful passage!

Please take just a moment right now to complete the contact form for your Senator and urge them to support this important bill. Together, we can protect children by empowering parents through Indiana law!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 20:34:00 GMT

Your Parental Rights Foundation team wishes you a beautiful holiday season full of warmth, joy, love, and cheer.

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

PRF President Speaks at National Events

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 18:25:00 GMT

The first week of December was a very busy one for me as president of the Parental Rights Foundation.

First, on Tuesday (December 3rd) I was a guest panelist at The American Family in the Crosshairs: How Do Parents Fight Back?, an event at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. I was honored to join Notre Dame professor Melissa Moschella and Moms for Liberty cofounder Tiffany Justice, with our host, Sarah Perry of Heritage (above photo, right to left), to discuss ways parents can stand up to protect their children by knowing and defending their parental rights, especially in the public school context.

This was followed by a policy session involving various right-of-center groups to discuss strategies for the coming 2025 legislative session. While I can’t comment on who was there or what we decided on, I can report that it was good to have a seat at that table, and that it was an honor to be your voice in that discussion. Perhaps even more importantly, I was able to make connections that we can foster for the good of the parental rights cause going forward.

Then, on Wednesday I was a guest presenter to the Health and Human Services Task Force at the States and Nation Policy Summit of the American Legislative Exchange Counsel (ALEC) , also in Washington, D.C.

While I have had opportunity in the past to present model bills to this task force, this was the first time I was invited to present on a topic of concern to some of the lawmakers present, namely the need for Child Abuse Central Registry reform.

As I told our friends at ALEC, which includes many right-of-center state lawmakers from all over the country, we need to adopt laws and policies that provide a parent with due process in the courts before their name is added to a child abuse registry. As too many already know, in most states it is far too easy for a name to be added to the list even when the parent is innocent. In fact, two different courts of appeals have both found that there is a problem because three-fourths of those who appeal have their names removed from the registry.

That means three-fourths of those names should never have been listed in the first place!

We provided a model at ALEC back in 2020, which you can find at our website here, and I was happy for the opportunity to bring it back to the attention of ALEC members last week, especially as many are setting their legislative priorities for 2025.

Later in the week I was privileged to take part in another off-the-record policy session. Once again, for reasons of privacy and strategy I can’t tell you what was discussed. But I will tell you this much: parental rights was a recurrent theme throughout our discussions, even as we went from one topic to another.

It is conceivable that every major political gain to be had in 2025 will come back to the pressing question of parental rights. And, as much as parents have made their voices heard these last four or five years, that is as it should be.

If lawmakers haven’t figured out by now that parents of every stripe love our children and want what is best for them, that parents trust ourselves to make those decisions far more than we trust government bureaucrats, then they shouldn’t even be in office.

The good news is that I think they’re finally figuring that out. And I am hopeful we will see significant gains for parental rights in the year ahead.

Then, as we reached close-of-business on Friday, I was in another strategy session with our friends at the United Family Advocates coalition, working on the very same question: How do we promote parental rights in the upcoming Congress, and with the incoming Administration? Here, too, we see ourselves on the cusp of opportunities to preserve America’s families through policy and legislation.

In summary, in the year-and-a-half since I was named president of the Parental Rights Foundation, last week was the most president-y week I’ve had , representing your concerns and values to policy experts and lawmakers from around the country in five different policy events. It was an honor and a privilege to speak on your behalf—and on behalf of our children. And it was exciting to hear so many acknowledging the importance of parental rights at this moment in our nation’s history.

Standing together, I believe we will see great gains in the coming months, and I thank you for your support, which makes all of this possible.

You Can Fuel Exciting Opportunities in 2025!

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 20:11:00 GMT

We are seeing tremendous changes in Washington, D.C. as a result of the recent elections. And while your Parental Rights Foundation is a non-partisan organization with friends on both sides of the aisle, I believe we are uniquely positioned to take full advantage of these changes to bring about real change for America’s families.

Generous private donor partnership has empowered us to be in this specific place, poised to work with old friends and new leadership to promote the causes that matter most to our families: child welfare reform, family preservation, and the protection of parental rights in our schools, in our hospitals and clinics—and even in the very text of our Constitution.

With your continued support, I see an opportunity to make a real push for parental rights in 2025.

First, let me recount just a few of the victories you have fueled in 2024.

During the legislative season, which in most of the country spans January through June, we worked with allies in several states to bring to twenty the number of states now protecting parental rights as fundamental under state law. The biggest addition this year was Tennessee, where SB 2749, The Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act, was signed by the governor on May 28 and took effect on July 1.

This bill protects the natural role of parents in making education, healthcare, and other decisions for their minor children without undue governmental interference.

In July, I had the honor of meeting the sponsor of the House version of that bill, Rep. Faison, at the annual meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) in Denver, Colorado, and I personally thanked him for his leadership on this important effort.

Meeting him is not why I was in Denver, however. It was but one highlight in a very important week.

What took me to Denver in the first place was the opportunity to present to ALEC another vital bill to protect parental rights, this one on Family Rights in Medical Investigations .

Over the last several years, we have secured ALEC’s endorsement on several bipartisan model bills , including Central Child Abuse Registry reform, Confidential (rather than anonymous) Reporting, and CPS Investigation Reforms. ALEC’s endorsement helps encourage conservative lawmakers to take up these models, edit them for their own states, and work to get them passed into law.

Texas lawmakers passed two of these measures during their last legislative session in 2023 and are poised to take up additional measures in 2025. And that’s just one state.

PRF President Michael Ramey and WV Senator Patricia Rucker at the 2024 ALEC conference in Denver

But back to Denver: this year’s model takes on Child Abuse Pediatricians (CAPs), doctors who lurk among your child’s emergency room medical team. Only they’re not there to help diagnose your child’s injury or malady; they are there to gather forensic evidence against you and accuse you of abuse or neglect.

Our model requires that CAPs identify themselves and their role in the investigation, and that they respect your right to not incriminate yourself, but to have a lawyer present during questioning. It’s a law that can save countless families across the country from being separated unnecessarily because a parent was desperately grasping at straws to try to help sort out what is wrong with their child.

These issues are so large that they were not merely contained to the weeklong ALEC conference in Denver, either.

Throughout the fall I have worked with a left-leaning partner organization in Illinois to bring about these very CAP reforms , which are desperately needed in that state. (It was in Illinois that a family was told by the judge one day, “I do not see abuse here. You are getting your children back today,” and then had a CPS investigator put their name on the abuse registry the very next day!)

Though our bill hasn’t passed yet, Illinois’s lengthy session continued into 2025, and we intend to still be there working until we win!

And as recently as this month, I was privileged to bring attention to these matters right here in Washington, D.C., as well.

On Tuesday, December 3, I was part of a parental rights panel at the Heritage Institute’s American Families in the Crosshairs symposium, alongside Tiffany Justice of Moms for Liberty and Professor Melissa Moschella of Notre Dame University. We tackled issues of parental rights in day-to-day life, especially in medical and educational settings.

Then, the very next day, I was an invited presenter at ALEC’s States and Nation conference, addressing the need for Central Registry Reform. (It is a tragedy that in most states a parent can be placed on the child abuse registry without ever being convicted of a crime, or even getting their day in court! )

But the biggest accomplishments of 2024 were not in front of an audience like these presentations. Behind the scenes, we have positioned ourselves for the new 2025 Congress.

With the Republican trifecta coming to Washington, our coalition partners who hail from the left side of the aisle are looking to us for the conservative connections our founders and board have fostered through the years. This grants us more opportunities but also places on us more responsibility within the coalition.

And that’s just regarding the reforms we have been working on to end Hidden Foster Care and the arbitrary family separation timelines in the Adoption and Safe Families Act.

Perhaps most exciting, though, is the very real opportunity we have to move the Parental Rights Amendment in 2025.

I can’t promise its passage next year. That will still require Democrats and Republicans to agree to work together, since we need a two-thirds vote in each house of Congress. Further, Congress has put the Amendment on the back burner for a while now and I can’t know for certain how it will be received in 2025.

But I am confident that this trifecta will give us an opportunity to garner enough cosponsors to generate subcommittee hearings that will further the discussion and bring us closer to eventual passage.

Already, we have a new House sponsor eager to identify a Senate co-lead and introduce the Amendment early in 2025.

And in the Senate, the problem is not too few options for the lead, but too many—a “problem” I am happy to be working through at the time of this writing.

Once we have those pieces in place, we will turn our attention again to the difficult task of reaching across the aisle. Because while that is a challenge, we have momentum with the American people.

See, the American public is not ambiguous on parental rights. Parents on both sides of the political aisle, from every religion, education level, ethnicity, or any other demographic you want to name have become very vocal over the last few years in their agreement : we know what is best for our children .

We love them more than the government ever can.

And now is the time to preserve our rights to protect them.

So, as we celebrate the gains of 2024 and look to do even more in 2025, can I count on you to help drive our success once again?

Your investment of $25, $100, or even $500 will fund a powerful push to protect children—to protect entire families—by empowering parents through meaningful reform in the states and in Congress, and through promotion and eventual passage of the Parental Rights Amendment.

This is a powerful moment in American political history. Together, we have the chance to shape that moment, to empower parents, and to redefine the limited role of government in our families’ lives.

Can I count on you to fuel this effort with your most generous gift today?

Thank you for all you do, for all of America’s families.

Thank You for Making a Difference!

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 16:31:00 GMT

Giving Tuesday is concluded, and we are so grateful!

All told, we’ve raised more than $13,900 for the cause of parental rights. We brought in this much in a single day, thanks to you!

But we’re not taking a break: Michael is spending the day today at the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), to make connections and meet allies for the upcoming 2025 legislative session.

He wanted to share his thoughts about our Giving Tuesday results: “Though we fell short of our goal, I remain excited about all we are poised to do to promote parental rights in the coming year, and I am extremely grateful for everyone who gave and for every penny given.”

With your support, we believe we’re in a position to take advantage of the recent changes in Congress to make substantial pushes for parental rights in America. While the Parental Rights Foundation is a non-partisan organization with friends on both sides of the aisle, the current political landscape is ripe for big changes, and we hope to make that happen in the area of parental rights.

Thank you immensely for all of your support yesterday, and going into the new year.

Your Giving Tuesday Reminder

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 20:38:00 GMT

This is just a quick reminder that today, December 3, is Giving Tuesday. There are still just a few hours left to invest in the Parental Rights Foundation’s efforts to Give Them Peace this holiday season and into 2025.

Our one-day goal today—this Giving Tuesday—is $30,000.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents on this Giving Tuesday and every day!

Give Them Peace This Giving Tuesday!

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 14:30:00 GMT

Today, December 3, is Giving Tuesday, the day set aside to support the nonprofits who are doing the work that matters to you. I hope you will count the Parental Rights Foundation among those worthy of your support!

This year, we aim to Give Them Peace: We are giving peace to children by keeping them with their parents, who will shield them from the challenges of the world that they’re not ready to face yet.

We are giving peace to parents by empowering them through strong parental rights legislation in the states and at the federal level.

We are giving peace to entire households by changing the way the system works so that families are kept together and not separated unnecessarily over things like poverty.

And today only, a generous matching grant means that for every dollar you give, the Parental Rights Foundation will receive two—up to $20,000.

Our one-day goal today—this Giving Tuesday—is $30,000.

Can we count on you to help us reach that goal to Give Them Peace this holiday season and into 2025?

Tomorrow Is Giving Tuesday!

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 19:40:00 GMT

Tomorrow, December 3, is Giving Tuesday, a day set aside for supporting nonprofits like the Parental Rights Foundation who are working to make the world a better place.

In our case, we’re working to make the world more secure for your children by protecting your parental rights.

Our theme this year is Give Them Peace, and our aim is to give children, parents, and whole family units the peace that comes from preserving parental rights and keeping our households together.

This year, we’re setting a one-day fundraising goal of $30,000. A generous matching grant of $10,000 will help us meet that goal, because each dollar of the first $10,000 given will count double toward our goal—up to $20,000! That alone could get us two-thirds of the way there!

Giving Tuesday was designed to follow Black Friday and Cyber Monday as a reminder to give back to those who give to the community.

Please plan now to celebrate Giving Tuesday with your most generous investment in the Parental Rights Foundation. Please wait until Tuesday and then make your donation at ParentalRightsFoundation.org/Giving-Tuesday-2024/.

We’ll even send another email in the morning to remind you of that link!

Thank you in advance for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents as we strive to Give Them Peace!

How the Child Welfare System Affects Parents, with Shanta Trivedi

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 20:56:00 GMT

For our final episode of Season 9, we welcome Shanta Trivedi, who is both an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Baltimore School of Law, and the Faculty Director of the University’s Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for Families, Children and the Courts.

We have regularly covered the harmful effects which the child welfare system has on children, but this week, we welcome Shanta to discuss the effects on parents. The broken system tends to penalize disadvantaged parents for behaviors that every parent has had. This can largely be attributed to poverty being conflated with neglect, and can often carry undertones of classism and racism. Shanta explains why many current policies don’t work, and her ideal solutions to solve these issues.

I Am So Grateful!

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 21:02:00 GMT

As we enter the holiday season this year, and as we stop to reflect on the many blessings and victories of 2024, I am so grateful for you!

You supported the Parental Rights Foundation as we added Tennessee to the list of states protecting parental rights as fundamental and as we tightened down parental rights laws in other states.

You believed in us as we took another model to the American Legislative Exchange Council’s annual meeting, this time to rein in abusive Child Abuse Pediatricians in medical child abuse investigations.

And you remain an encouragement to us even now, as we look to the 2025 Congress and secure leads and support for the Parental Rights Amendment and important bipartisan child welfare reforms.

These are but a few of the blessings we have seen this year as an organization, and just a few of the many reasons we are thankful for you!

Together, we are growing our reach and our voice, especially on Capitol Hill, and this coming year is looking incredibly bright.

Thank you for standing with us in this vital work!

May you and yours have a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving this year!

P.S. -- Just a reminder: Giving Tuesday is coming December 3, one week from today!

Give Them Peace

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 15:28:00 GMT

There is nothing more disturbing for a parent than finding out the government has come to push you aside in the life of your child. Whether it’s that knock on the door by a child welfare investigator or the realization that your child’s doctor or school administrator has gone behind your back and ignored your wishes, it is unsettling to think your best efforts for your child’s future are being undermined.

And what can you even do about it?

Too many families in America every day experience just this kind of anxiety. And that’s why our theme for Giving Tuesday this year is Give Them Peace.

And it’s more than a theme. It’s our desire for 2025.

By preserving the fundamental rights of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their own children without undue government interference, we are giving peace to the parents whose decisions may not match those of their neighbors. I’m not talking about abuse or neglect (no one has a right to abuse a child!), but about the countless ways each of us might be a little bit different, from selecting our own vaccine schedule, to choosing how to educate our children, to who we allow them to spend time with.

We are also giving peace to children , who are entitled to the perception that their parents are Superman and Superwoman and can provide for their needs and protect them from every outside threat. I tell you, nothing robs a child of that needed security like seeing their parents suddenly helpless before an over-reaching government agent.

And we can give peace to entire family units by changing state and federal laws to reduce the number of instances where children are separated from their parents for such “heinous crimes” as being poor. Even where intervention is needed, we can give peace by finding ways to keep families together even while they receive the services they need.

Every law we pass or judge we persuade to keep families together and to reduce the trauma of state overreach, we are giving these families peace.

And that is where your Giving Tuesday gift to the Parental Rights Foundation this year will go: to promoting laws and court decisions to preserve families by protecting parental rights.

So please remember the Parental Rights Foundation this Giving Tuesday, December 3 . Plan now to make your best gift on that date on our website at ParentalRightsFoundation.org/Giving-Tuesday-2024.

Together, we will work for every family we possibly can, to Give Them Peace.

Thank you for standing with us.

Oh, and is there someone you could share this with so they can join the effort to Give Them Peace, as well?

Family Rights in Medical Investigations

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 20:00:00 GMT

View the model as adopted by the American Legislative Exchange Council.

When a parent takes a child to the Emergency Room, they should not have to worry that a forensic investigator is hidden among their child’s care team.

When they’re brainstorming what might have happened to their child, they shouldn’t have to worry that every word they say can and will be used against them in a court of law.

But that is exactly the role the Child Abuse Pediatrician plays, often without ever telling the parent who they are or why they are there.

This violates a family’s Fifth Amendment freedom from self-incrimination. Worse, it leads to many false charges of abuse and a lot of poor outcomes for children and families.

This bill reins in CAPs by requiring that they identify themselves and their role in an investigation. It also requires courts to consider equal evidence from other specialists who may testify to other causes of a child’s condition besides abuse.

This model, drafted by a bipartisan coalition of lawyers and family defenders and adopted by ALEC in 2024, is ready to be modified to address these issues in your state.

Read related stories on these pages:

Listen to two EPPiC Broadcast episodes about this here:

The Common Ground of Parental Rights, with Vivek Sankaran and Michael Farris

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 19:03:00 GMT

This week, we welcome Vivek Sankaran and Michael Farris to the podcast. Vivek is a professor of law at the Michigan University School of Law and Director of their Child Advocacy Law Clinic. Michael is a constitutional law scholar, founding president of the Parental Rights Foundation, and the former CEO and president of Alliance Defending Freedom.

Although they come from different sides of the political spectrum, Vivek and Michael both stood against termination of parental rights in a recent case that went before the Michigan Supreme Court. Today, these two experts explain why they both weighed in on this case in favor of family preservation.

EPPiC Roundtable: When CPS Is at the Door

Thu, 14 Nov 2024 18:56:00 GMT

They’re some of the scariest questions anyone can face as a parent: What do I do when Child Protective Services (CPS) is at the door? What are they going to do? And what might happen next?

This week, the Parental Rights Foundation’s EPPiC Broadcast podcast features a roundtable of family defense attorneys from across the political spectrum to tackle these very questions.

The all-star panel of attorneys includes Parental Rights Foundation Board Chairman Jim Mason and two members of the Foundation’s Board of Advisors Committee on Child Welfare, Kathleen Creamer and Martin Guggenheim .

Jim Mason, president of the Home School Legal Defense Association, famously (in legal circles, anyway) argued a Pennsylvania case a few years ago that established beyond question that the Fourth Amendment freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures requires some show of probable cause even in child welfare cases, something we discuss in this episode.

Kathleen Creamer, managing attorney at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia’s Family Advocacy Unit and an active leader in the United Family Advocates coalition that we are a part of, works with underprivileged families every day as they deal with CPS.

And Dr. Martin Guggenheim, the founder and co-director (retired) of the New York University School of Law’s Family Defense Clinic, is a legend in family defense circles with more than 30 years of experience in the field.

Together they discuss the questions parents face when someone has called in a report of child abuse or neglect. Do you have to let them in? Can you get an attorney? What happens if you don’t accept their “safety plan?”

While the podcast is not a vehicle for giving legal advice (and state laws vary too widely for any meaningful attempt, anyway), the team helps listeners understand what might be happening and what your rights are. (Those looking for legal advice in a particular case should check the list of resources at parentalrightsfoundation.org/legal .)

If you’ve never listened to the EPPiC Broadcast before, or you haven’t listened in lately, let me encourage you to give this week’s program a listen. Let me also encourage you to share it with your family and friends , in person or online. Help spread the word and educate parents by giving it a share on your social media!

If this topic doesn’t apply to you today—and I hope it never does!—it can still help you to better understand what families face When CPS Is at the Door.

Be sure to also tune in next week (Tuesday, November 19), when Vivek Sankharan and Michael Farris team up to discuss the termination of parental rights and why it should be used only as an instrument of last resort, if ever. These respected scholars cover parental rights from both sides of the political spectrum.

Thank you for supporting the Parental Rights Foundation and the EPPiC Broadcast!

When CPS Is at the Door, with Jim Mason, Kathleen Creamer, and Martin Guggenheim

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 19:33:00 GMT

This week, we have the privilege of hosting not one, not two, but three guests! We speak with Jim Mason, the president of the Home School Legal Defense Association, Kathleen Creamer, the managing attorney at Community Legal Services’ Family Advocacy Unit, and Martin Guggenheim, the founder and retired co-director of New York University School of Law’s Family Defense Clinic.

These longtime experts in their fields spend some time with us today discussing best practices for parents and important things to know if CPS shows up at your family’s door.

The EPPiC Broadcast is hosted by Michael Ramey, president of the Parental Rights Foundation. You can sign up for email alerts to keep yourself informed on parental rights news at https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/get-involved/ .

Election Report: Parental Rights Edition

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 19:25:00 GMT

Yesterday, America went to the polls to decide who will be President and Vice President, who will serve in the 435 seats of the U.S. House of Representatives, and who will fill roughly one-third of the U.S. Senate (called “Class I”).

While many weigh winning or losing by how well one major party did versus the other, the realm of parental rights and family defense creates some unexpected alliances, leading us to count our victories across party lines .

Here, then, is a bipartisan run-down of how our champions and contacts in the House and Senate fared in this year’s elections.

The Parental Rights Amendment

The Parental Rights Amendment, House Joint Resolution 38, was led in the House this session by Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) and had eight cosponsors. Here is how each one fared this election cycle:

Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) : Did not run; will not be returning.

Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN) : A former lead sponsor of the Parental Rights Amendment, Banks handily won a seat in the U.S. Senate, by a currently estimated 58% to 39%. While we gain a friend in the Senate, he will not be returning to the U.S. House.

Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA) : Rep. Cline won reelection by an estimated 64% to 35% margin.

Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) : Did not run; will not be returning.

Rep. Doug Lambourn (R-CO) : Did not run; will not be returning.

Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) : Rep. Miller ran unopposed. She will be returning in January.

Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL) : Did not run; will not be returning. But see Haridoplos, below.

Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) : Rep. Steube handily won reelection by a currently estimated 63% to 36%.

Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) : Rep. Van Duyne won reelection by a currently estimated 60.5% to 39.5%.

Mike Haridopolos (R-FL) : Haridopolos, from Rep. Bill Posey’s district, was newly elected to the House by a margin of 62% to 38%. He has pledged to continue his predecessor’s support for the Parental Rights Amendment.

Summary: While only four of the nine cosponsors of H.J.Res. 38 are returning to the House, another one’s successor has committed to continue his predecessor’s support. Another of the nine is joining the U.S. Senate.

Other House Bills

Two other members of the U.S. House have worked with our coalition toward important child welfare reform. Here’s how they fared:

Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) : Rep. Moore introduced the Twenty-first Century Act, which would have reformed federal child welfare law to keep more families together and respect parental rights. She won reelection by an estimated 75% to 23% margin.

Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) : Rep. Scanlon is leading a forthcoming bill to reform the Adoption and Safe Families Act to help keep families together. Rep. Scanlon won reelection by an estimated 65% to 35%.

The Senate

Senate Bill 5214 calls on the states to collect and report data on what our coalition calls “Hidden Foster Care,” a practice that separates children from their families without any due process or court oversight. The leaders on this data bill, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) , are both in “Class II,” meaning they are not up for reelection until 2026. Both will be returning to the Senate this January.

In Conclusion

Yesterday’s elections will have far-reaching effects in every area of our lives. Changes in leadership, not just in the Administration, but also in Congress, can greatly affect how (or how much!) work gets done. The lawmakers listed in this email don’t work in a vacuum; they will be affected by who runs the House, who runs the Senate, and, to some degree, who is in the White House.

But the fact that many of these lawmakers will still be in their seats come January means we can continue the important work of child welfare reform and parental rights protection that we have invested so much in already.

Working together in Washington—even across the aisle —we can keep more children with their loving parents where they belong.

Rewind: Before You Call CPS, with Vivek Sankaren

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 20:59:00 GMT

This week, we’re rewinding to a conversation with Vivek Sankaran from June 2021.

When faced with a struggling family, bystanders can be quick to call CPS, not realizing that child protective agencies often aren’t equipped to help families and rush to punish them instead.

Vivek Sankaren is working to reform this broken system and provide families with helpful, high-quality legal care in the midst of CPS cases. Vivek is a clinical professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School, where he heads a program to educate future lawyers.

In this week’s episode, Jim and Vivek talk about the work Vivek is doing to help create a more supportive and humane child welfare system – a system that actually helps families instead of harming them.

100 Years of Pierce v. Society of Sisters, with Melissa Moschella

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 18:23:00 GMT

This week, our guest is Melissa Moschella, professor of practice and philosophy at Notre Dame University’s McGrath Center for Church Life. Her areas of expertise include natural law, biomedical ethics, and the family, especially parental rights. She’s also the author of To Whom Do Children Belong: Parental Rights, Civic Education, and Children’s Autonomy .

This week, Melissa tells us about a pivotal Supreme Court case about parental rights and education that’s turning 100 next year: Pierce v. Society of Sisters . Melissa argues that, while the Supreme Court has generally held to a narrow interpretation of this case in the subsequent years, a broader interpretation would better safeguard parental rights in public and private educational settings.

Foundation Releases New Report on Disproportionality

Wed, 23 Oct 2024 15:06:00 GMT

I am honored and excited to announce today the release of the Parental Rights Foundation’s brand-new Disproportionality Report , now available on our website !

Featuring official federal government data from the Children’s Bureau of the Department of Health and Human Services and from the Census Bureau, our report puts that data into a graphic format that clearly and visually brings the dry numbers to life.

At a glance one can see how families of different races are being affected by child welfare agencies, and particularly by the foster care system, at rates that are disproportionate to their level of the overall child population.

In some states, it is Native American children who are hit the hardest. In other states, it is African American or perhaps Hispanic children.

Today, you can see for yourself at just a simple glance, thanks to our latest report.

And the layout lends itself well to being shared with lawmakers and policymakers in your particular state. That’s because the report is laid out as a series of easy-to-print one-pagers, with each state’s situation presented on a single front-and-back sheet.

So, whether you’re a researcher or child welfare professional wanting to see the condition of your state, or a concerned voter wanting to bring awareness of the problem to your congressman, it’s easy to find just where your state’s child welfare department stands.

This project, highlighting the 2022 data (the newest available), has been months in the making, and we are hopeful it will be as helpful and powerful as our first such report was back in 2018.

As the second in a series, this report moves us from a single snapshot to a picture showing movement: where we are, compared to where we were before. It shows the direction we are heading.

With this report, we can see where change has taken place through 2022 and where it hasn’t—and whether that change is for the better, or for the worse.

Here’s our underlying concern: While some statistical disproportionality may be expected in any system, the breadth of nation-wide disproportionality displayed in this report suggests that racial bias plays a significant role in separating families.

When fundamental parental rights for all are respected and protected, there will be no room for personal bias to decide whose family is destroyed and whose is not.

This report shows that, as a nation, we still have a lot of work to do. We must make sure families are secure, regardless of race, as the fundamental rights of all parents are preserved and respected. Only then will we see bias reduced and all types of children protected in their rightful homes.

Thank you for engaging with this report and sharing it with your friends, family members, and lawmakers. Together, we can highlight the problem of racial disproportionality and then offer a powerful solution: fundamental parental rights for all families.

Sincerely,

Michael T. Ramey
President

P.S.—If you are able to support our ongoing efforts to protect parental rights for all, please do so here.

Parents Defending Education, with Nicki Neily

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 18:09:00 GMT

This week, our guest is Nicki Neily, the founder and president of Parents Defending Education. Parents Defending Education is a national grassroots organization working to preserve parents’ voices in their children’s public school education. Today, Nicki tells us how she came to found this organization and about the important work it is doing.

Star Wars and CPS, with Josh Gupta-Kagan

Tue, 15 Oct 2024 18:34:00 GMT

What does the recent Star Wars show The Acolyte have to do with the flaws in our real-world child welfare system? As it turns out, more than you might think!

This week, our guest is Josh Gupta-Kagan, a clinical professor of law and director of the Family Defense Clinic at Columbia University’s School of Law. Today, Josh discusses his recent article for The Imprint , in which he draws connections between the actions of Jedi knights in a galaxy far, far away and the actions of child welfare officials much closer to home.

Foundation VP William Wagner Speaks at Michigan Capitol

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 20:15:00 GMT

Though mine is the voice you get to read most of the time, I am honored and grateful to work with the support of a terrific board of directors, including our vice president, constitutional law professor emeritus William Wagner. This past week, Will had the opportunity to speak at the Michigan Capitol, to educate citizens and lawmakers on the history and importance of constitutional parental rights.

The following is his press release from that event:

END PRESS RELEASE

Thank you for standing with me, William Wagner, and the whole team as we work to raise awareness among lawmakers and the general public that parental rights should be respected and preserved.

Sincerely,

Michael T. Ramey
President

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

William Wagner, Vice President of Parental Rights Foundation Speaks at Michigan Capitol on the Freedom to Educate

LANSING, MI, October 2, 2024 — William Wagner, holder of the WFFC Distinguished Chair for Faith & Freedom at Spring Arbor University and Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Constitutional Law, recently spoke at the Michigan Capitol, addressing lawmakers, educators, and concerned citizens on the vital issue of parental rights in education. His address, titled The Freedom to Educate, will focus on the constitutional and moral imperative for parents to maintain control over their children’s upbringing and education.

As VP of Parental Rights Foundation and a leading voice in the intersection of faith, freedom, and education, Professor Wagner underscored the foundational principles that protect parental authority, particularly in light of recent national debates over curriculum content, school policies, and government mandates.

Professor Wagner stated:

“The right of parents to direct and control the upbringing of their children, especially in matters of education, is fundamental to a free society. It is not the role of the government to replace or undermine parental authority, but rather to support and empower parents in this sacred responsibility.”

Professor Wagner’s speech comes at a critical time when many families are voicing concerns about the direction of public education and the influence of government policies on their children’s moral and intellectual development.

Professor Wagner’s extensive background in constitutional law, combined with his passion for protecting individual liberties, has made him a trusted voice on matters of parental rights. His advocacy work spans decades, and he continues to be a strong advocate for safeguarding freedoms in the educational sphere.

Professor Wagner’s remarks inspired continued dialogue and action on the issue of educational freedom.

About The Parental Rights Foundation:

The Parental Rights Foundation’s mission is to defend, support, and advance the right of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their minor children through research, education, advocacy, and legal representation. The PRF is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit that works to educate policymakers and the general public in order to raise awareness of parental rights. We vigorously promote parental rights through nationwide research, educational, advocacy, and legal efforts.

Press Contact: Media@parentalrights.org

Narrowing the Front Door, with Angela Burton

Tue, 08 Oct 2024 18:32:00 GMT

Our guest this week is Angela Burton, founder and co-chair of the New York City Narrowing the Front Door workgroup. Angela is also the founder of the Repeal CAPTA workgroup. Previously, Angela has worked within the New York State child welfare system and she currently works closely with families navigating the system.

Today, Angela tells us about the goals and work of the Narrowing the Front Door and the Repeal CAPTA workgroups, plus her insights for her years of experience in working to help parents and families in the child welfare system.

2022 Disproportionality Report

Fri, 04 Oct 2024 21:07:00 GMT

Our 2022 Disproportionality Report is Now Available

The Parental Rights Foundation has released a new report on the disproportionality of minority children in child welfare investigations.

You can view the report as a PDF or download it at the link above .

You can also view and download our previous 2018 Disproportionality Report below.

Parental Rights & Appreciation Month, with Jackie Rosario and Patti Sullivan

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 19:47:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Jackie Rosario, board member at the Indian River Public School Board in Florida, and Patti Sullivan, Parental Rights Foundation State Coordinator in Florida. The Indian River Public School Board recently passed a proclamation declaring October “Parental Rights and Appreciation Month.” Jackie and Patti tell us about how they passed the proclamation, why it’s important, and other work they’re doing for parental rights in Florida.

Foundation Seeks to Intervene for Father on Death Row

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 14:45:00 GMT

On July 1, a Texas court set October 17 as the date for the execution of Robert Roberson, a father convicted in 2003 of killing his two-year-old daughter, according to the Texas Tribune .

Last week, the Parental Rights Foundation sent a letter, cosigned by the Family Justice Resource Center , urging Texas Governor Greg Abbott to issue a reprieve and call for a new trial.

According to the prosecution and the court’s findings, Nikki Roberson was a victim of Shaken Baby Syndrome, a now debunked medical diagnosis which claimed erroneously that a certain triad of symptoms could only be caused by severe abuse.

Unfortunately for Roberson, his conviction came before that theory was debunked, and the courts have refused to consider contrary medical evidence since . His fate was sealed on the testimony of a single physician, trained only to spot abuse and not to consider other potential underlying medical conditions.

According to Roberson’s defense and this article at Innocence Project , Nikki had been suffering undiagnosed pneumonia in the week leading to her death. They cite medical records from multiple ER trips and a pediatrician visit when the girl exhibited coughing, wheezing, and a temperature of 104.5 degrees. Instead of being treated for pneumonia, the girl was given codeine and Phenergan, drugs no longer given to children her age especially because they can suppress respiration .

In short, it was the medical community, not her father, who failed Nikki in 2003.

But Robert has spent more than twenty years on death row, always maintaining his innocence and mourning his child.

Our letter explains,

What’s more, the fact that only one doctor testified and that Roberson was not allowed to introduce a second medical opinion is not only an injustice, but one which the Texas legislature addressed in Texas Senate Bill 1578 in 2021—a bill which Governor Greg Abbott himself signed into law.

That new law requires courts that received testimony from a child abuse pediatrician to also permit conflicting testimony from another medical expert so that both views can be weighed in the record.

Had that been Texas law in 2005, the court decision may have been very different. Since it was not passed until 2021, Robert Roberson does not receive any benefit from it.

Our letter argues that he should, that justice demands that he be given a new trial that applies the standard that the 2021 legislature felt was necessary to ensure that justice is done and that innocent parents are protected.

The model bill I took to ALEC in July to rein in child abuse pediatricians contains the protections for innocent parents that Texas SB 1578 introduced in 2021. We borrowed heavily from the Texas law when we drafted that section of our model, which we would like to see passed all over the country.

No parent should be facing execution, as Robert Roberson is, on the testimony of a single physician, especially when other physicians stand ready to provide an alternate diagnosis that validly explains all the same symptoms.

Many other groups have signed similar letters urging Gov. Abbott to pardon Roberson, but it is too early yet to know what effect, if any, our letters will have in this case.

If you believe in prayer, I encourage you to pray for Mr. Roberson, for Governor Abbott, and that justice will be done.

And if you are able, I invite you to invest in the Parental Rights Foundation as we seek to promote our model bill in the coming legislative session to protect other innocent parents from facing false charges springing from baseless medical theories.

Together we can restore sanity to the courtroom and balance to the medical field’s recognition of abuse versus natural causes. And in so doing, we can protect innocent parents from the nightmare facing Robert Roberson today.

“Mr. Roberson’s conviction in the death of his daughter, Nikki, came at a time when a medical theory called ‘Shaken Baby Syndrome’ fueled prosecutions all over the nation. In many instances, like in Roberson’s, a single doctor testified to a triad of symptoms as indicative of willful abuse. And many parents were sentenced to life in prison, or given the death penalty, on the basis of this theory and this singular testimony alone.

Since that time, thousands of these cases have been overturned, and not one of those executions has taken place. The ‘Shaken Baby Syndrome’ theory has been utterly debunked as the same triad of symptoms has been documented arising from naturally occurring causes time and time again. Thousands of innocent parents have been set free as further scientific evidence has rendered SBS theory bankrupt.”

Huntington Beach Joins the Fight for California Children

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 17:30:00 GMT

Some thought it was all over when California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 1955 on July 15. That’s the new law that prohibits local school boards from implementing policies to notify parents before socially transitioning their children.

In fact, it was only the beginning.

As we reported earlier , within a week of the governor’s signature the Chino Valley Unified School District filed a countersuit against the state claiming that the new law violates the constitutionally protected fundamental right of parents to direct the education and care of their children.

Now, the city of Huntington Beach has joined the fray as well . On September 3, the city passed a new ordinance that directly opposes the controversial law.

The city ordinance prohibits educators at any city facility, including schools, libraries, or recreational facilities, from withholding information from parents relative to their child’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

The ordinance also authorizes City Attorney Michael Gates to challenge AB 1955 in court on behalf of the city and its citizens.

Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark, who proposed the ordinance, is quoted at GVWire saying, “The issue of a child’s gender is personal, private, and should be discussed between the parent and the child only—not dictated by the State.”

To our knowledge, Huntington Beach is the first locality to pass an ordinance they knew in advance would be against the law in California. Their willingness to do so suggests rough times ahead for the constitutionally defective law.

Historically, the Supreme Court has recognized in the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause a fundamental liberty interest of parents in directing the upbringing, education, and care of their minor children. AB 1955 would rob parents of this right by keeping them in the dark about crucial mental health care decisions being made by and for their children.

The Court held in Troxel v. Granville that “The liberty interest at issue in this case—the interest of parents in the care, custody, and control of their children—is perhaps the oldest of the fundamental liberty interests recognized by this Court.” 530 U.S. 57 (2000) at 65.

And in Parham v. J.R , they declared, “The law’s concept of the family rests on a presumption that parents possess what a child lacks in maturity, experience, and capacity for judgment required for making life’s difficult decisions. More importantly, it has recognized that natural bonds of affection lead parents to act in the best interest of their children.” 442 U.S. 584 (1979) at 602.

The Chino Valley Unified School District, the City of Huntington Beach, and other localities in California recognize these truths and are working to reestablish them in law, even as the State of California is bent on taking them away.

Parents, not government actors, are the best suited to make these major, life-shaping decisions with and for their children , including the proper treatment needed for mental or physical health. And parents cannot play this vital, protective role, if government agents are keeping those parents in the dark on something as major as the child’s very identity.

The Parental Rights Foundation is not a party to any of these lawsuits at this time. But we are watching the situation closely and preparing to jump in at any time to make sure the courts are clearly versed on the extensive Supreme Court precedent only briefly touched on above.

If you pray, pray for California. And thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents in California and wherever the parent-child relationship is under attack.

Working Toward Systemic Child Welfare Reform, with Chris Gottlieb

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 19:18:00 GMT

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! We’re kicking off season 9 with returning guest Christine Gottlieb. Chris has been newly appointed the Director of the New York University School of Law’s Family Defense Clinic. Today she tells us about the work the Clinic does to defend individual families in child welfare cases and to advocate for broader systemic change for family preservation in the child welfare system. Plus, Chris shares what you can do to advocate for child welfare reform today.

Podcast Provides Virtual Library of Parental Rights Expertise

Wed, 28 Aug 2024 15:11:00 GMT

I hear it all the time: “I found your website and I just want to know what my parental rights are.”

As it happens, our EPPiC Broadcast podcast is an excellent resource for answering that question. “EPPiC” stands for “Empowering Parents, Protecting Children.” And at the EPPiC Broadcast , we are partnering with experts in many different fields—from family defense lawyers and constitutional law attorneys to pediatricians and school board members—to build a virtual library of parental rights information.

Our ninth season launches on Tuesday, September 3 at 2pm EDT with special guest Christine Gottlieb , who was recently appointed Director of New York University’s Family Law Clinic and assistant professor of clinical law at NYU. In this episode, we’re talking about her decades-long journey in the area of family defense in New York, including what brought her to the clinic all those years ago and what stirs her passion most as she takes the law clinic’s reins.

Episode two features Kevin Boden of the Home School Legal Defense Association, an attorney who champions parental rights in a whole different arena. Kevin and I talk about a tragedy that occurred in West Virginia, and how it is leading lawmakers to consider adding new hoops for homeschooling parents in the state to jump through. That episode on September 10th includes Kevin’s take on the wisdom of that response and what concerned parents should be doing about it.

On September 17th, I’ll be talking with Vivek Sankaran, a law professor and family defense clinic director from the University of Michigan School of Law. Vivek and I discuss a recent Michigan Supreme Court decision related to two “Termination of Parental Rights” cases for which he was legal counsel . Our conversation also briefly touches on two amicus briefs submitted in the consolidated cases, including one by founding Parental Rights Foundation president Michael Farris and another by former EPPiC Broadcast guests Josh Gupta-Kagan and Martin Guggenheim.

Episode four features American College of Pediatricians Vice President Jane Anderson, who will unpack with me her 2022 white paper, “The Teenage Brain: Under Construction.”

And in Episode five I host Indian River Public School Board member Jackie Rosario to discuss her Florida district’s upcoming “Parental Rights and Appreciation Month” coming in October.

Perhaps the EPPiC Broadcast characteristic I am most proud of is that the list of scholars we feature covers a wide swath of the political spectrum . I am excited by how often I have experts on the program in back-to-back weeks who have probably never voted the same as one another in a presidential election.

In fact, later this season I want to bring on two such guests at the same time—one staunch Republican and one avowed Democrat—to talk about the biggest passion they have in common: Empowering parents to protect their children.

If you’ll pardon the pun, I think it’s going to be EPPiC!

These scholars understand that when it comes to protecting our children from government overreach, we are all in this together, regardless of zip code or party affiliation .

So, enjoy your Labor Day weekend, then tune in on Tuesday via Spotify, iTunes, or your media of choice to hear the EPPiC Broadcast to learn more about your parental rights and those who are working every day to defend them.

And pass it on to your family and friends, as well . Together, we can make this the biggest and best season of the EPPiC Broadcast yet!

Our ALEC Model Reins in Child Abuse Pediatricians

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 15:34:00 GMT

It is perhaps the most vulnerable time in the life of any family: when a parent has to take their minor child to the Emergency Department for medical care. A child is in pain, and their loving parent will do nearly anything to make that pain go away and stay away.

Yet, hidden among the doctors who are gathered to diagnose the child’s condition and bring immediate pain relief and hopefully a long-term treatment solution is a child abuse pediatrician, whose primary purpose is to gather forensic evidence to prosecute parents for child abuse or neglect . A parent will hypothesize and even brainstorm what might have happened to their child, anything to help the doctors find a solution, completely unaware that they are in a forensic interrogation and that anything they say can—and will—be used against them in a court of law.

It’s a blatant violation of their Fifth Amendment right to not incriminate themselves. It’s also wholly unreliable, as this kind of speculation may have a parent suggest a possible cause for their child’s injury that by no means reflects reality, nor indicates that the parent has committed any crime. On the other hand, if a parent can’t offer any explanation for how their child’s injury occurred, that itself is taken as a confession of guilt and negligence.

It’s a scenario in which innocent parents simply cannot win.

Which is why I took to the American Legislative Exchange Council’s (ALEC) Conference in Denver two weeks ago a model bill that will rein in these doctors and limit the harm they can cause.

But we need your partnership to continue this important work. More on that in a minute.

The 2023 Netflix documentary, Take Care of Maya , shows the real-life story of the Kowalskis in St. Petersburg, Florida, and just how bad these investigations can sometimes get.

Ten-year-old Maya had been diagnosed with a rare but documented condition known as complex regional pain disorder. The only treatment, according to her specialist doctors, is a drug called ketamine, and that in heavy doses. When Maya ended up in the Emergency Department of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital with an especially bad episode, her parents told the doctors there about her diagnosis and the proper treatment.

Instead, ignorant of the protocol and alarmed by the high dosage called for, a child abuse pediatrician called in the local child welfare agency and had Maya removed from her parents’ care and her parents removed from the hospital.

For weeks Maya’s ordeal dragged on, while those who knew and loved her, who knew how to stop her pain , were shoved aside on the word of a single doctor, trained only to spot abuse.

Finally, Maya’s mother Beata reached a profound conclusion: If Maya couldn’t come home because Beata was accused of abusing her, then Beata would remove herself from the equation. Thinking to save her little girl’s life, a desperate Beata took her own.

Maya was returned home, and ultimately the truth came out. Her parents were both exonerated, though for Beata that would be too late. The family sued the hospital and in January of this year a jury awarded them more than two-hundred million dollars in damages.

This is the kind of destruction that can be wrought by one physician. The problem with having a specialty in child abuse is that sometimes, to a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

Meanwhile, the courts treat these doctors not only as specialists, but often as the only specialists the court will hear.

In documented cases, family courts have sided with a single child abuse pediatrician testifying that a brain bleed can only be caused by abuse, even as multiple hematologists and neurologists testify that they see them all the time as a result of certain congenital conditions and blood disorders. Likewise, it is insisted certain fractures “must be caused by abuse” when it turns out a child has a brittle bone disease.

And the courts side with the child abuse pediatrician over the osteopath or orthopedist ready to tell the court, “We found the medical cause, and it is not the parents .”

Our model ALEC bill seeks to bring the child abuse pediatrics specialty into a proper balance within our family court system.

A single doctor should not have the authority to violate longstanding constitutional rights, nor to destroy a family over an unchecked opinion.

So, our model bill does three things to restore balance:

First, it requires child abuse pediatricians—or any medical professional, for that matter—to respect the parent’s Fifth Amendment and Miranda rights by identifying themselves and their role in the investigation and seeking the parent’s express permission for their conversation (or interrogation) to take place.

Second, it requires the courts to consider the potentially exculpatory testimony of doctors in related specialties other than child abuse pediatrics to provide balance in the medical evidence before the court.

And finally, it guarantees that a single child abuse pediatrician will not be the only voice available to the court, by requiring the investigating agency to enlist the services of a second medical expert if their primary medical expert is the one to make the hotline call that launches the investigation. It does not keep any doctor from making a call they believe is necessary, so it will not put any child in danger of their abuse being ignored. But it does require the agency to bring in another doctor to check their work.

These are commonsense safeguards in an area of family law tragically lacking common sense in its practice today. And through our model bill at ALEC, we can bring these safeguards to states around the country.

You see, many members of ALEC are state lawmakers who come to ALEC to find bills like ours that they can take back and introduce in their states.

What I shared at ALEC in July you may find in your state legislature come January.

Our website at ParentalRightsFoundation.org already features models from past years, including bills to protect fundamental parental rights, to safeguard due process before a name goes on a child abuse registry, or to replace anonymous child abuse hotline calls with confidential ones so that the System knows who called. And states have already taken some of these models and run with them.

We have you to thank for that.

Your investment in our organization pays for our presence at ALEC, the time and expertise to draft and edit these models, and our partnership with state lawmakers in championing these bills in their states.

And your investment today will enable us to add this new model to those on our site, and to those being enacted in states around the country.

Because no parent should ever be made to feel that the only way to end her child’s suffering is to take her own life.

Beata knew the treatment her daughter needed. She knew how to end her daughter’s pain. But on the word of a single child abuse pediatrician, the courts and the hospital simply refused to listen.

Our model will change that, by requiring the courts to hear and consider the “second opinion” secured by the parents. In the case of Maya Kowalski, that means her pain management specialist would have been able to testify that the treatment Beata asked for was actually called for and effective.

Maya would have been cared for, and Beata would still be alive today.

We can’t bring Beata Kowalski back. But we can keep other parents from ever feeling so desperate.

So, will you stand with us today? Will you invest your generous gift of $10, $25, or even $125 in the work of bringing this and other models to states around the country to defend innocent parents and the children they care for?

Together we can limit the damage currently caused by unchecked child abuse pediatricians and give innocent families the tools they need to be heard and have their rights preserved—and their children saved!

Thank you for standing with us today.

Sincerely,

Michael T. Ramey
President

P.S. — Taking a model bill to ALEC is expensive, especially in this economy. But it will be well worth it if just one state takes up our model, and if just one family is spared the pain that Maya and her family faced . And it won’t be just one state or just one family, but many. Will you give generously today to help defray the cost of my trip and empower our campaign to protect parental rights in state legislatures in the coming year?

ALEC 2024 Conference Report

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 14:44:00 GMT

Above: Parental Rights Foundation President Michael Ramey with Ohio State Representative Sarah Fowler Arthur.

I had a fun and productive week last week at the 51 ^st American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado.

During the week, I was honored to meet several of my heroes, including our bill sponsor, Rep. Beryl Amedee of Louisiana, and Senator Patricia Rucker of West Virginia. I was also excited to meet a freshman representative from Ohio who has talked with us over the last nine years as a (now former) member of the Ohio state school board, Rep. Sarah Fowler Arthur. And I met a Virginia delegate who is practically my neighbor!

I also got to meet Rep. Jeremy Faison, who championed the excellent Parents’ Bill of Rights signed into law in Tennessee on May 28.

A “Divine Appointment”

On the first day of the event, I had what some might call a “Divine Appointment.” I chose to attend a Round Table discussion on Mental Health, hoping that the speakers might cover a topic touching on parental rights. Questions like who gets to decide whether and how to medicate children with mental health issues, or how to meet their mental health needs through other means, create a critical intersection between mental health issues and parental rights.

Unfortunately, that discussion never came up; it appeared I had wasted my hour.

But there was an Illinois lawmaker sitting beside me, and I got the chance to speak to him after the meeting. I told him about the model bill I would be bringing on Friday, and how it’s based on Illinois Senate Bill 378 that could come up in Illinois’s post-veto session in September. I told him it had broad bipartisan support, but I don’t think he quite realized what I meant by that.

Yet, as I was speaking to him, he pulled up the bill info on his phone. That’s when he commented, “ I see names listed in support of this bill that I never thought I would ever see on the same list supporting anything . I’m definitely going to give this a closer look!”

That moment alone was worth the whole hour!

Presenting Our Model Bill

The primary reason I made the trip, though, was to present our model bill to the Health & Human Services Task Force, which met on Friday morning. The agenda included several presentations, followed by consideration of eight model bills—five for consideration to be adopted as models, and three for consideration to “sunset.”

So that you may know ALEC is not just a “rubber stamp” organization, I will tell you that one bill passed by a vote of 10-9 among the lawmakers present and then a vote of 4-3 among the private members (i.e. not legislators) present. Had just one vote shifted among either membership, it would not have passed.

Our bill, on the other hand, received unanimous support from both groups of voters .

So, what is our model bill?

I will give you a complete rundown of the bill and why we need it in next week’s email. But to sum up, it would provide balance to family courts in medical child abuse cases by requiring child abuse pediatricians to identify their forensic (evidence-gathering) role to parents suspected of abuse; by requiring family courts to accept and consider medical second opinions that may favor the parents; and by requiring child abuse agencies to have a second doctor “check their work” if the doctor they would usually go to also happens to be the one who called in the suspicion of abuse in the first place.

The first section of the bill is modeled, as I mentioned, on SB 378 in Illinois, while the second and third sections are modeled after a law that Texas passed in 2022.

So, what does this mean going forward?

With its adoption at ALEC, the Family Rights in Medical Investigations model bill will be added to the other models on our website and available for state lawmakers all over the country. Some on the left may want to take up the bill because of the Illinois effort and the fact that part of the bill was drafted by Chicago-area attorney Diane Redleaf, author of They Took the Kids Last Night . And those on the right will feel comfortable taking up the bill because of its adoption by ALEC.

I look forward to working with any lawmaker who, in the upcoming session, wants to introduce in their state legislature a bill based on our model. And if they need to enlist bipartisan support, I’ll be happy to connect them with our coalition partners across the aisle, as well.

Together, we just may be able to make hospital emergency departments a safe place for parents to take their children once again.

Thank you for supporting us and making my journey to the ALEC conference possible!

So Exciting: I’m Going to Denver!

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 21:34:00 GMT

Above: Parental Rights Foundation president Michael Ramey with TJ Schmidt of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association and Louisiana State Representative Beryl Amedee.

Tuesday, July 23:

As I write this, I am about to fly to Denver for the annual conference of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) . That’s the meet-up of conservative state lawmakers and non-profit organizations like ours to discuss policy and legislative goals, which state senators or representatives can then take back to their legislatures for introduction.

This year, I’m taking along a model to rein in the all-too-powerful child abuse pediatricians who have wreaked so much havoc on too many families across the nation. I’ll be presenting our model in a committee meeting on Friday morning, and I’ll have more to tell you about that next week.

At this moment, though, I am just feeling excited.

For starters, I’m not a frequent traveler. For me, just the idea of getting on a plane and ending up somewhere else is exciting (and maybe a little nerve-racking, if I’m honest). Though I’ve visited 24 U.S. states in my lifetime, I’ve never been as far west as Colorado, and I’ve never seen the Rockies, so I am very much looking forward to that.

Even more exciting, I hope to get the chance this week to meet some of my heroes —heroes I have worked with in the past, but never met in person before!

Heroes like Rep. Eddie Andrews, who led the charge in Iowa, not just for one session, but for two sessions to get our Parents’ Bill of Rights passed in his state.

And like Rep. Kenneth Paschal, the Alabama lawmaker I’ve known by phone and email for more than a decade, who championed the Fundamental Parental Rights act passed in his state in 2023.

And like Rep. Beryl Amedee of Arkansas, whom I’ve known by phone and email for as long as I’ve known Rep. Paschal. Rep. Amedee is our go-to resource to provide a legislative sponsor for our ALEC models every year.

For similar reasons, I look forward to meeting parental rights champions Rep. Kim Moser of Kentucky and Sen. Patricia Rucker of West Virginia, as well.

Above: Michael Ramey with Sen. Patricia Rucker

Not only have I worked with each of these lawmakers in the past, but we will have ample opportunity to work together in the future, as well. Even states like Iowa that already have a full parents’ bill of rights can still afford to improve parental rights through other, more targeted laws like this year’s model to preserve family rights in medical investigations, or like our earlier model to replace anonymous reports to the child abuse line with confidential reports.

Getting to meet these parental rights champions face-to-face will be an exciting step for me in developing these important relationships!

(If I get to make the connections I hope for, you’ll see a photo or two included in this email.)

I’m keeping this email short, as I still have some last-minute packing to do before I’m ready to catch my flight. But I look forward to having a lot to report on next week , as the ALEC conference gets underway tomorrow morning.

Thank you for supporting this effort and the many past efforts we have completed with these and other parental rights heroes across the country. Together, we will continue the important mission of protecting children by empowering parents in every state.

Sincerely,

Michael T. Ramey
President

P.S.—Would you consider a one-time gift to the Parental Rights Foundation to help defray the cost of this very important—but unusually expensive—week in the life of our parental rights cause?

New California Law Violates Constitution, Parental Rights

Thu, 18 Jul 2024 15:40:00 GMT

On Monday, July 15, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 1955, ironically titled the Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth (SAFETY) Act, to prohibit schools from informing parents when their minor children seek to change their pronouns and gender identities at school.

Apparently, constitutional law is not the governor’s forte.

“The liberty interest…of parents in the care, custody, and control of their children is perhaps the oldest of the fundamental liberty interests recognized by this Court,” Justice Sandra Day O’Connor wrote for the plurality in the Supreme Court’s Troxel v. Granville decision, 530 U.S. 57 (2000). Yet, Newsom seems not to have heard of it.

By keeping parents in the dark about a child’s mental and physical health and forcing schools to take on vital life-changing decisions for minors, this act clearly violates the 100 years of Supreme Court precedent to which the Troxel decision refers. As a result, California’s children are placed at risk, as those who know and love them best are prevented from defending, protecting, and supporting them in their time of greatest need.

Unlike Governor Newsom and the California legislature, the Supreme Court has historically recognized that parents provide what children lack in their ability to make sound judgments regarding their need for care.

“Most children, even in adolescence, simply are not able to make sound judgments concerning many decisions, including their need for medical care or treatment. Parents can and must make those judgments.” Parham v. J.R. , 442 U.S. 584 (1979) at 603.

This would include whether a child needs social transitioning or another form of treatment when they feel that their body does not match their perceived identity.

According to an article at NBC News, “Proponents of the ban say it will protect transgender and gender-nonconforming students who live in unwelcoming households.”

While this may be the strongest and most reasonable argument for the law, the Supreme Court has already answered this in Parham , too: “The Statist notion that governmental power should supersede parental authority in all cases because some parents abuse and neglect children is repugnant to American tradition.” ibid .

Fortunately for the children of California and for the rights of families nationwide, this fight is far from over.

The new law has reportedly already spurred billionaire Elon Musk to move his business ventures from the Golden State to Texas. But the fall-out won’t stop there and will be most clearly seen in the courts.

Months before the law was signed, the California Attorney General’s Office had already filed suit against the Chino Valley Unified School District over its new policy requiring that parents be informed before the school undertakes social transitioning as a form of mental health treatment.

But now, the passage of this law gives the Chino Valley Unified School District standing to counter-sue the state of California, which they did on Tuesday, claiming the law forces the school district to violate the Constitution and parents’ fundamental rights.

I anticipate additional lawsuits, as well, as other school districts join Chino Valley in pushing back and as parents demand that their rights be respected.

Given the Supreme Court’s extensive and consistent precedent, I am cautiously optimistic (and fervently praying) that the case will not result in any finding that allows government agents to keep parents in the dark while the State decides the right care and treatment for their minor child.

Still, it may take several appeals to reach that point.

That’s why the Parental Rights Foundation stands poised to weigh in with amicus briefs or other forms of support to make sure the courts trying these cases know the extensive Supreme Court precedent protecting families. And you can empower our vigilance with your gift today at ParentalRightsFoundation.org/donate.

Together, we will push back against the State’s efforts to cut parents out of their children’s most vital, life-changing healthcare decisions.

First-of-Its-Kind School Board Proclamation Passes in Florida

Thu, 27 Jun 2024 14:12:00 GMT

On June 10, 2024, the Indian River Public School board in Florida passed a first-of-its-kind proclamation designating this October as Parental Rights and Appreciation Month.

“This initiative, which highlights the vital role of parents and families, is a testament to the strength and unity of our community,” says a post on Parental Rights Florida’s Facebook page.

The page also congratulates school board member Jackie Rosario, who proposed the proclamation featuring wording and ideas from Florida’s Parents’ Bill of Rights (passed in 2021). You can witness the board taking turns reading the proclamation and then passing it unanimously in this six-minute YouTube video .

Our own state coordinator and board member Patti Sullivan, who lives in Indian River County, played a significant role in bringing this idea to Rosario and helping her to carry it out.

“Patti Sullivan was instrumental in this process,” Rosario is quoted as saying in an article of The Sunshine Journal. “Together we agreed this kind of proclamation was long overdue. I can’t thank her enough for persevering to protect parental rights at every turn.”

The appreciation was mutual. “I applaud Jackie Rosario for building on this as an elected local official,” the article quotes Sullivan as saying.

Patti has been at the forefront of parental rights efforts in Florida since 2012, and she and her husband, Jim, joined the Parental Rights Foundation’s board of directors in 2022.

Patti and Parental Rights Florida’s declared goal is to see a similar proclamation in all 67 Florida localities.

What’s more, Patti and I would like to invite you to join them!

Most of the content and the entire aim of the proclamation are easily transferable from one school district to another.

(The proclamation adopted in Indian River specifically refers to Florida’s “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” which will need to be edited out for use in another state. Parental Rights Foundation can provide assistance with this edit.)

I realize that, as this is the end of June, it is already too late for many districts to act by this October. I would encourage people in those districts to start working toward next year.

But for many of you, this year is still a possibility.

If you are on a school board, or friends with a school board member, and especially if you live in a family-friendly county, I urge you to download the Florida model as a starting point for crafting your own proclamation.

What’s more, similar proclamations can be adopted by city councils, county boards of supervisors , and so on. An entire municipality, not just a school board, can declare October “Parental Rights and Appreciation month.”

Such a declaration, Rosario told The Sunshine Sentinel , “celebrates and appreciates a parent’s [or] guardian’s fundamental rights to direct the education, well-being, and emotional and physical health of their children.”

And that is a vital role worth celebrating!

Thank you, Patti Sulivan, Jackie Rosario, and the entire Indian River County school board, for bringing this proclamation to fruition in Florida. And thank you, reader, for continuing to support our efforts in every state to bring attention to the vital parent-child role.

Letter: US Senate Urged to Track “Hidden Foster Care”

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 15:57:00 GMT

A coalition statement submitted to the United States Senate Finance Committee urges members of the committee and the Senate at large to call for data tracking regarding families divided by the practice of “hidden foster care.” The letter was submitted on June 4 by the Parental Rights Foundation and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), sending a clear signal that America’s families are a bipartisan concern .

The statement was filed as additional written testimony tied to a Senate Finance Committee Hearing held on May 22, 2024, to review the implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018 (FFPSA).

Since adoption of the FFPSA, many local child welfare agencies have sought to reduce the number of children going into foster care by sending children to live with relatives, instead. (FFPSA allows federal dollars that were once reserved only for formal foster care to also be spent on programs to prevent the need for foster care in the first place.)

While foster care with relatives is preferrable for most families to foster care with strangers, it is still a form of foster care, and families are still being separated, often without the same due process protections afforded to parents whose children are taken into formal foster care. In short, replacing formal foster care with “hidden” kinship foster care is not what Congress had in mind when they passed the FFPSA .

Our letter to the Senate Finance Committee highlights this discrepancy and Congress’s responsibility to examine what effects the law is actually having on families.

Perhaps the best way to examine those effects is to require states and localities to track the outcomes of families being separated in this way. How many families were thusly separated last year? How many of them were later reunited? How long were the children out of their parent’s care? Was the parent ever substantiated for abuse or neglect?

Was the separation ultimately found to have been necessary in the first place?

These and more are the questions we need to be asking in order to know how widespread this practice is and whether or not it is helping the families it is intended to serve.

The Parental Rights Foundation joined with the ACLU and 24 other allies to make clear that this request for data does not come from only one point on the political spectrum, or even from just one side of the political aisle.

Other signers include the Alliance for Children’s Rights, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia, and the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

Ultimately, the Parental Rights Foundation would like to see the entire system reworked to ensure that fewer children are separated from their parents, that those who are removed find homes with relatives whenever possible, and that children return home as soon as it is safe for them to do so. While, sadly, family separation is sometimes necessary, it should be an option of last resort, and thus rare.

But in the meantime, we believe getting quality data from the states will help Congress—and our organizations and allies, as well—to see the full scope of this practice. Solid data will expose the problems in the system and drive consensus that change is needed.

This letter alone will not bring about change. It is not a bill and won’t be voted on. Those steps will come later, perhaps in a funding reauthorization bill, or even in a stand-alone bill to require this data collection. We are continually working with our coalition partners on these very projects.

But this letter was an opportunity to weigh in, to further the discussion, and to put our concerns before U.S. Senators who perhaps had not heard our perspective on these concerns before.

They have certainly heard from us now.

Thank you for standing with us and making these efforts possible through your support of the Parental Rights Foundation!

Parental Rights Win in Tennessee!

Thu, 30 May 2024 15:52:00 GMT

On Tuesday, May 28, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed into law Senate Bill 2749 ( SB 2749 ), the Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act.

This law, which takes effect July 1, establishes that “ [t]he liberty of a parent to the care, custody, and control of the parent’s child, including the right to direct the upbringing, education, health care, and mental health of the child, is a fundamental right. ”

It also demands strict scrutiny protection of these rights, stating that “[a] government entity shall not substantially burden the fundamental rights of a parent as provided under this section unless the government entity demonstrates that the burden, as applied to the parent and the child, is required by a compelling governmental interest of the highest order and is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest.”

In addition, the law provides a private right of action, whereby parents whose rights are violated can sue the government agent or entity who has violated their rights to have their rights enforced.

With the passage of SB 2749, Tennessee becomes the 20 ^th state in the nation to protect fundamental parental rights under state law. Additional states recognize parental rights as fundamental by court precedent, but have not yet incorporated their protection in the legal code.

SB 2749 was filed by Sen. Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin) on January 31 and passed the Senate, with amendments, on a 24-5 vote on March 28. In the House, it was further amended and passed by a vote of 61-30 (4 present, not voting) on April 23. The Senate then concurred in the House amendments on April 24, sending the bill to the governor.

Representative Jeremy Faison introduced a companion bill, House Bill 2936, also on January 31. His bill move forward in the House until late April, when it was replaced with SB 2749.

SB 2749 contains sections dealing with parents’ rights in public schools and in medical contexts, including prohibiting a public employee from “encourage[ing] or coerc[ing] a child to withhold information from the child’s parent.” This addresses a deeply concerning practice in some schools where children take on entirely different identities at school than at home, without their parents knowing about it.

The Parental Rights Foundation worked with a strong coalition to see this bill become law to protect Tennessee families. We submitted a letter in committee in favor of the House measure back in March, and Board of Advisors member (and Parental Rights Foundation founder) Michael Farris was on hand to persuade Tennessee Senators to support the bill.

Properly applied, this law will protect Tennessee children by keeping their parents not only “in the loop,” but in the driver’s seat regarding the vital physical and mental health decisions and treatments that will shape their entire lives. That’s because parents, not government actors, know their children best and want the best for them.

Sadly, there are rare exceptions, but the general rule is that parents love their children and act in their best interests. This law will ensure that Tennessee parents have the legally recognized authority to do just that.

Thank you for empowering us to be a part of victories such as this one in Tennessee. Working together, we can see additional states move to protect children by empowering parents in the future, as well!

Parental Rights Progress Pauses in Two States

Wed, 22 May 2024 18:05:00 GMT

I am so grateful for the support of readers like you, and the tireless efforts of state lawmakers and volunteers who push to build solid parental rights law at the state level. This year has seen several such efforts across the country, including two that have come to a “pause”: Alabama and Illinois.

Alabama

In Alabama, state Representative Kenneth Paschal championed two measures for parental rights, including House Bill 98 (HB 98) proposing a Parental Rights Amendment (PRA) to the Alabama Constitution. That bill failed to pass both chambers this year, finishing the year “sine die,” or “indefinitely postponed,” as it’s listed on the Alabama legislature website. In layman’s terms, that means the bill did not reach the House for a floor vote and ultimately did not progress further.

But the reality is not nearly so dreary as all that.

Rep. Paschal has been a champion of parental rights for a long time and remains committed to bringing the PRA back in the next session . It will have a new number and a fresh list of cosponsors, but he is already set to pre-file this replacement before the next session in February of 2025.

In the meantime, he was also working on a second bill to reform the process of child welfare investigations to make sure the rights of innocent families are protected. That bill was not introduced this session, but that doesn’t mean Rep. Paschal didn’t put a lot of work into it.

In fact, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a lawmaker spend so much time and energy plowing the field and preparing the soil before planting a bill via introduction. He held multiple meetings and discussions with various parties with an interest in the bill (for or against), including one gathering I had the honor of sitting in on back in April.

I can tell you firsthand that we learned a lot from the discussion that will help Rep. Paschal introduce a tighter bill next year, one with a better chance of passage than if those discussions hadn’t taken place.

If you live in Alabama, talk to your friends and family in the coming weeks and months and encourage them to sign up for our updates at ParentalRightsFoundation.org . As we grow, we will have a stronger and louder voice with which to support Rep. Pachal’s efforts in 2025!

Illinois

And in Illinois, Senate Bill 378 (SB 378) is also paused, but perhaps not for so long.

SB 378, which would require Child Abuse Pediatricians to identify themselves and their forensic (evidence-gathering) role in child welfare investigations, enjoys a wide level of bipartisan support. It passed the Senate by a vote of 58-0 on April 18 before stalling in a House Committee.

It is significant to note that it did not stall in committee for want of support, but for want of the right support : the committee leadership, not a committee majority, halted the bill.

So, we are not done yet.

Several volunteers and coalition partners in Illinois are working tirelessly to answer questions and settle concerns, in hopes of bringing the bill back during the post-veto period later this summer.

It’s still an uphill climb, as just a few lawmakers hold the key to moving the bill forward. If those few are deeply entrenched in their decision, we will need a miracle to move them.

Worst case scenario, we will plan to bring the bill back next session, when leadership will likely be different, hopefully in our favor.

Conclusion

In conclusion, though I have no super exciting “good news!” to deliver today, yet I am both grateful for and proud of all the hard work that has gone into these efforts in Alabama and Illinois this year. I firmly believe these efforts will not be in vain!

As support for parental rights continues to grow, we will see victories in both of these states and many others, whether it’s this week, later this summer, or in 2025.

Thank you for standing with us and supporting our efforts through all of it. Together, we will protect children by empowering parents in Alabama, Illinois, and even right where you live!

Listening to Lived Experience with Sixto Cancel

Tue, 07 May 2024 19:24:00 GMT

This week, we’re joined by Sixto Cancel. Sixto is the founder and CEO of Think of Us , a non-profit advocacy organization that seeks to reform and transform the child welfare system, led and guided by people who have been directly impacted by this system. Sixto tells us about the work that Think of Us is doing, and shares how his own experience growing in the foster care system led him to work toward its transformation and reform.

Foundation Joins Briefs, Submits Briefs in Michigan TPR Cases

Fri, 03 May 2024 17:28:00 GMT

Is it constitutionally acceptable to terminate a parent’s rights if their child can be protected and provided for by a less restrictive means? This is the legal question behind the appeals in two cases currently before the Michigan Supreme Court, and the Parental Rights Foundation has weighed in with a resounding “No!”

In fact, we weighed in twice in each case.

First, through the United Family Advocates of which we are a part, we signed on as amicus curiae (friend of the court) on a brief prepared by Eliza McDuffie and David Shalleck-Klein of the Family Justice Law Center of the Urban Justice Center in New York, Christine Gottlieb and Marty Guggenheim of the NYU Family Defense Clinic, and Josh Gupta-Kagan of Columbia Law School.

(Guggenheim and Gupta-Kagan are both members of the Parental Rights Foundation’s Board of Advisors’ Committee on Child Welfare. They and Gottlieb have also been guests on our EPPiC Broadcast podcast.)

In addition, PRF Founder Michael Farris, who is on our Board of Advisors’ Committee on the Constitution, submitted an amicus brief on behalf of Citizens for Self-Governance and the Parental Rights Foundation. PRF Vice President William Wagner is listed as counsel of record on this second brief.

It’s not often we get to “double dip” (weigh in twice), but in these cases, it was worth it.

In the first case, In Re Bates Minors , a mother’s parental rights were terminated because of the length of her struggle with drug use. While there is no question the government has a compelling interest in keeping children safe, the children in this case were not in danger. Although the mother struggled with addiction, the father did not, and the children have been living with him. A simple order awarding the father full custody of his own children would have been sufficient to keep the children safe, and would be much less restrictive than terminating the mother’s rights.

Also worthy of consideration, all parties agreed that although her addiction meant the mother could not be responsible for her children, she still had a loving and close relationship with them, to the point that a visitation specialist testified that terminating the relationship would be “detrimental” to the children.

As the UFA brief concluded, “ Absent evidence of harm from the continuing relationship with the parent—and, indeed, in the face of evidence that terminating the relationship would cause harm—there is no compelling interest in the termination. ”

The second case , In Re D.N. Dailey Minor , is similar: A loving father who struggles with addiction, whose child has been staying safely with a grandparent. The father does not exercise responsibility for the child—his (the father’s) mother does that. But the father is able to remain in the child’s life with no danger to the child.

Once again, there is no danger that the child would languish in foster care if the parent’s rights aren’t terminated to make room for adoption. In neither case was the child even in foster care. Rather, a simple order of guardianship for the grandmother would see that the child is taken care of, while a loving parent can remain a part of the child’s life.

These are not perfect parents. Rather, they are the kind of parents the U.S. Supreme Court had in mind when writing its decision in Santosky v. Kramer , 455 US 745 (1982):

The significance of these cases, and of this argument, cannot be overstated.

The federal Adoption and Safe Families Act pushes states to move to terminate parental rights anytime a child is in state custody (foster care, institutional, or kinship placements) for fifteen of the last twenty-two months. This law does not mention any consideration of less restrictive means, such as in the cases above, where the parents are failing to meet their reunification milestones, but the needs of the children are still being safely met by family.

Should the Supreme Court of Michigan agree with our position, their ruling will create an opportunity to shift the entire discussion of parental rights terminations.

Termination of Parental Rights, or TPR, has been called the “death penalty” of family court. Yet, nationally, we see 50,000 TPRs every year .

Families like the Daileys and the Bateses prove that many of these are not necessary . And when they are not necessary, we know children fare better if their family connections are preserved.

We are proud to be part of this vital discussion, and we wait hopefully for a positive outcome in Michigan that might ultimately lead to significant change for vulnerable families across the country.

Thank you for standing with us so that we can weigh in on cases like these!

You can read the text of all four briefs at the following links:

“ The fundamental liberty interest of natural parents in the care, custody, and management of their child does not evaporate simply because they have not been model parents or have lost temporary custody of their child to the State. Even when blood relationships are strained, parents retain a vital interest in preventing the irretrievable destruction of their family life. If anything, persons faced with forced dissolution of their parental rights have a more critical need for procedural protections than do those resisting state intervention into ongoing family affairs.” (Emphasis added.)

Recapping the National Conference on Parent Representation with Kathleen Creamer

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 20:07:00 GMT

This week, Kathleen Creamer is returning to the EPPiC Broadcast. Kathleen is the managing attorney of the Family Advocacy Unit at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia. This week, Kathleen gives us an overview of many topics under discussions at the ABA Center on Children and the Law’s recent National Conference on Parent Representation, which featured panels from many of the top scholars, lawyers, and authors in the world of child welfare reform.

The post Recapping the National Conference on Parent Representation with Kathleen Creamer appeared first on Parental Rights Foundation .

Progress for Parental Rights in Texas with Andrew Brown

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 20:29:00 GMT

What effects would legislation proposed in various states have on families and the states’ child welfare systems? To answer that, we looked to Texas, where the same measures have already become law. This week, we talked with Andrew Brown, vice president of Policy with the Texas Public Policy Foundation, about some of the laws Texas passed in recent years, including a new law guarenteeing a right to a second opinion for parents who have been accused of abuse by a child abuse pediatrician, a law that requires parents to be told their legal rights during a child welfare investigation, and a law that differentiates between poverty and neglect.

The EPPiC Broadcast is hosted by Michael Ramey, president of the Parental Rights Foundation. You can sign up for email alerts to keep yourself informed on parental rights news at https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/get-involved/.

Our Mission to Capitol Hill April 2-3

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 18:55:00 GMT

Michael Ramey, Patti Sullivan, and Sophia Ramey at the US Capitol April 3, 2024 .

On April 2 and 3, I went to Capitol Hill with Parental Rights Foundation board member and Florida state coordinator Patti Sullivan to present the Parental Rights Amendment and the Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act to a focused group of congressional offices. These two bills offer Congress a chance to weigh in favorably on the vital issue of parental rights.

A Different Message out of Washington

Frankly, the message we continually hear out of Washington these days is one to push parents aside and empower schools and other government agencies to have their way in shaping the life of every child. Not only does such a one-size-fits-all approach fail every individual child , but it violates the longstanding tradition of parental rights and family integrity on which our whole legal system resides.

So, we went to targeted offices with a plan to bring a different message to the fore: the message that parents have a fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children , and that the government needs to respect these rights.

The Parental Rights Amendment, introduced by Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) as House Joint Resolution 38 , would enshrine these rights into the very text of the U.S. Constitution, preserving the parental role for countless generations to come.

And the Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act, House Resolution 6934 introduced by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), would enshrine these rights into federal law, to preserve families in any jurisdiction controlled by the federal government.

Cosponsoring either or both of these measures gives lawmakers an opportunity to show their support for the traditional role of parents and families in the life of a child . And adding cosponsors moves each resolution closer to the possibility of being scheduled for a committee hearing.

Now, Patti and I recognize that neither of these bills is likely to pass the current Congress. But if either is granted a hearing in its respective subcommittee, that will give pro-family lawmakers the chance to make their voices heard.

A new message will be sounded in Washington, one that respects your parental role.

An “Easy Lift”

The Parental Rights Foundation is a bipartisan organization with support from across the political spectrum. That’s because, at heart, we all recognize our children’s need for us to protect them. Whether we vote Democrat, Republican, or Other, we dare not leave the care of our child(ren) to the government .

As one representing a bipartisan organization, I often have to be careful with my words, to keep the message centered where we all can agree. At times, it’s like walking a tightrope.

But last week, Patti and I were targeting only members of the majority party in the House, and only members from Patti’s state of Florida. That’s as close as I plan to get to naming names, but I will say we were able to tailor our message expressly to them.

As a result, Patti and I felt that our request that these lawmakers sign on to cosponsor this legislation was, as one staffer put it, “an easy lift. ” We also expressed that it could aid them in the coming election, since the parental rights platform has been wildly popular for their current governor, and therefore a very safe principle for Florida political figures to get behind. And several of the staffers we met with agreed with these assertions.

Yes, we met with staffers. Members of Congress were away from DC last week for a work period in their district, an apparent “setback” that we found highly advantageous.

Congress’s absence meant that every office we entered was more relaxed than usual, and the staffers had more time to talk with us . We were also able to meet with offices who might otherwise have been too busy to meet at all. And the people we spoke to, though not the congressmen or women themselves, are the day-to-day gatekeepers who decide what is worthy of the lawmaker’s attention and what is not.

All in all, Patti and I both felt that our time was well spent, and we are hopeful to see additional cosponsors on both measures in the weeks to come.

(For more of Patti’s take on these visits, check out our episode of the EPPiC Broadcastjust released on April 9.)

For all of this, I want to thank you. It is your support that empowers us to take the message of parental rights to Congress . And your financial investment enables us to make these trips into DC to tell congressional offices how very much you love your children and should be the ones to speak up for and decide for them.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents as we take your message to Capitol Hill!

New Parental Rights Legislation, with Patti Sullivan

Tue, 09 Apr 2024 18:50:00 GMT

This week, we’re talking with Patti Sullivan, the Parental Rights Foundation’s Florida State Coordinator. Patti and Michael were in DC to bring attention to two national bills aimed at protecting parental rights: the Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act and the Parental Rights Amendment. They discuss those bills and their efforts in this episode.

The Child Welfare System and Homeschooling with James Mason

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 18:35:00 GMT

This week, we’re talking with James Mason, president and senior counsel at the Homeschool Legal Defense Association. Previously, James has served as the president of the Parental Rights Foundation and the host of the EPPiC Broadcast . This week, James tells us about a case in Texas that HSLDA has recently litigated on behalf of a homeschooling family caught up in a CPS investigation.

Addressing Child Welfare Disproportionality in Minnesota, with Joanna Woolman

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 19:03:00 GMT

This week, Joanna Woolman returns to the podcast! Joanna is an associate professor of law at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law and the executive director of the Institute to Transform Child Protection . Today, Joanna tells us about a civil rights complaint brought forward to address the disproportionality of African American children in Minnesota’s child welfare system, as well as the African American Family Preservation Act, a bill introduced to address the racial disproportionality and provide better oversight and stricter removal standards for Minnesota’s child welfare system overall.

Tennessee Parental Rights Bill Advances

Thu, 21 Mar 2024 14:54:00 GMT

The Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville

This week, a bill in Tennessee to protect parental rights faced a highly contested subcommittee vote…and passed!

House Bill 2936 , the Family Rights and Responsibilities Act, was scheduled for a vote in the Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee of the Tennessee House on Tuesday , March 19. Opposing the bill were the usual suspects—teachers unions and the like. But it also faced opposition from an influential conservative who misunderstood the effects of the bill.

HB 2936 provides that parental rights are fundamental , and that they can only be infringed to further a compelling governmental interest by the least restrictive means. (That is, it requires strict judicial scrutiny.) It also outlines certain specific rights, including the right to information from a child’s school or medical provider. Finally, it provides a “private right of action,” whereby a parent whose rights are violated can sue the government agent or agency who caused the violation .

If passed, it will be one of the best parental rights laws in the nation.

But things looked a little shaky going into Tuesday’s meeting.

So, first we sent a letter to all the members of the subcommittee explaining to them why the Parental Rights Foundation supports this bill.

Then, we alerted our supporters in Tennessee and asked them to contact the members, as well.

And when Tuesday’s meeting rolled around, the bill passed on a voice vote, with only two members requested to be recorded as voting “No.” Perhaps others also voted “No” but didn’t see a need to be recorded as such. It is also possible that as many as seven members on the nine-member committee voted “Yes.”

Either way, the bill is now scheduled for consideration in the House Civil Justice Committee. A meeting time for that consideration has not yet been set.

A companion bill, SB 2749, passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on February 27 by a vote of 6 to 2 and is now waiting on the Senate Calendar Committee.

Rep. Jeremy Faison is the sponsor of HB 2936 and Sen. Ferrell Haile is the sponsor of the Senate companion bill.

While the bills still have a way to go before the legislature adjourns on April 25, this week’s vote in the House subcommittee was a major step toward seeing the Family Rights and Responsibilities Act become Tennessee law.

Thank you to all of you in Tennessee who called or emailed this week to push for this positive outcome.

And I thank all of you for your ongoing support of our parental rights efforts across the nation. We simply would not be seeing victories like this one without you.

Do Parental Rights Come from the Government? with Will Estrada

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 18:44:00 GMT

This week we talk with Will Estrada, senior counsel at the Homeschool Legal Defense Association and former president of the Parental Rights Foundation, as well as the former host of the EPPiC Broadcast. Will has also served as attorney with the Federal Department of Health and Human Services.

In this episode, Will tells us about his upcoming law review article, in which he argues that parental rights are a pre-political right, and that the family is a basic building block of society.

The EPPiC Broadcast is hosted by Michael Ramey, president of the Parental Rights Foundation. You can sign up for email alerts to keep yourself informed on parental rights news at https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/get-involved/ .

Lawsuit Against Parental Rights in Education Act Settled

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 15:05:00 GMT

According to a press release from the office of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday, March 11, a major lawsuit against the state’s Parental Rights in Education Act will be dismissed.

The law, which DeSantis signed in 2022, prohibits classroom instruction about sexual orientation or gender identity in K-3 classrooms. It was supported at the time by Parental Rights Florida, led by our state coordinator, Patti Sullivan.

Immediately upon passage of the bill, a lawsuit was filed by LGBTQ+ advocacy groups who alleged the measure was “an unlawful attempt to stigmatize, silence, and erase LGBTQ people in Florida’s public schools.” That lawsuit has come to its conclusion as both sides have reached an agreement on the meaning of the law.

The state has agreed to issue a notice to the school districts in the state clarifying that the law applies to classroom instruction but does not prohibit other mentions or discussions related to gender identity. In exchange, the litigants have agreed to drop their appeal, which has been before the US Court of Appeals for the 11 ^th Circuit for more than a year. They also acknowledged in the settlement that the law does not violate the Constitution and that First Amendment rights were never at risk.

The settlement agreement still has to be approved by the court, which both sides expect is a mere formality at this point.

Governor Ron DeSantis’s office is claiming victory, as the settlement leaves the law intact and unchanged :

“We fought hard to ensure this law couldn’t be maligned in court, as it was in the public arena by the media and large corporate actors,” said General Counsel Ryan Newman . “We are victorious, and Florida’s classrooms will remain a safe place under the Parental Rights in Education Act.”

It is our position that the bill was never “Don’t Say ‘Gay’.”

Understandably, that unfair interpretation resulted in a lot of unnecessary fear among Florida’s sexual and gender minority community. This week’s settlement puts those fears to rest , assuring Florida teachers and students that their First Amendment rights are still protected.

Parents, meanwhile, can have the peace of knowing that they will be the ones to decide how and when to bring up these sensitive topics with their K-3 children.

The Parental Rights Foundation remains grateful to Patti for her tireless efforts in making this bill a reality, and to Governor DeSantis who signed it into law. We are also grateful for this settlement, which resolves so many fears while leaving the law in place to protect children in Florida’s primary schools.

And we are grateful to you for standing with us to make possible, around the country, laws that protect a parent’s vital role in the upbringing, education, and care of their minor children.

Diagnosing a Verdict with Michelle Weidner

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 18:24:00 GMT

This week, we’re talking with Michelle Weidner, executive director of the Family Justice Resource Center in Illinois, which represents families in CPS cases across the country. Michelle is also a parent with lived experience dealing with the child protective system. In this episode, she tells about her experience being falsely accused by a child abuse pediatrician over a blur on her infant son’s medical scan.

Michelle also tells about how the Family Justice Resource Center works to reunite parents and children who have been separated by the system, and legislation that the Center is championing in Illinois to protect families from false allegations of abuse.

Legislative Highlights: Alabama and Illinois

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 17:11:00 GMT

Over the last few weeks, the Parental Rights Foundation has been hard at work in a handful of states that are tackling parental rights bills in their legislatures. Two of those efforts I’d like to highlight this week are in Alabama and Illinois.

Alabama: On to the Constitution

In Alabama, state Representative Kenneth Paschal introduced HB 98, proposing a Parental Rights Amendment to the Alabama Constitution , on day one of their legislative session.

Rep. Paschal is a true champion of parental rights, and one I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with for more than a decade. Just last year, he championed the passage of Alabama’s Parents’ Bill of Rights.

That effort involved some language amendments necessary to pass the bill (without weakening it), a tightrope Paschal walked with great skill and care. This year, he showed the same kind of leadership as he worked with various coalitions to negotiate solid and effective language that can pass , giving Alabama a chance to become the first state in the nation to secure fundamental parental rights in their constitution.

We support HB 98 and encourage those of you who live in Alabama to ask your lawmakers in Montgomery to give it their support as well.

Illinois: Preserving Basic Rights

In Illinois, meanwhile, Senator Lightford introduced Senate Bill 3630 , the Protecting Innocent Families Act. This bill addresses the state’s use of “Child Abuse Pediatricians” (CAPs) with three basic provisions:

CAPs must identify themselves to the families they are investigating;
The Department of Children and Families must notify parents that they have a right to a second medical opinion; and
The Family Court must consider that second opinion when considering the case presented by the CAP.

These are basic safeguards, including rights already enshrined in the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Forensic investigators must identify themselves as such when they are interrogating or observing a suspect. Instead, CAPs routinely enter the room in a white coat, stethoscope around their neck, and identify themselves as part of the child’s medical treatment team.

Only, they’re not there to determine how to treat the child’s injury, but to gather evidence against the parent they suspect of abuse.

The bill’s common-sense safeguards are sought by parents, doctors, and child advocates on both sides of the aisle. But as more and more left-leaning organizations came out in support of the bill, Republican lawmakers began to get nervous.

That’s when we stepped in, not only supporting the bill, but contacting some of our conservative allies to do the same.

Today, when the list of SB 3630 supporters is provided to lawmakers, we are pleased to be joined on that list by many others, including the ACLU of Illinois and the Alliance Defending Freedom.

That’s the kind of bridge the Parental Rights Foundation is uniquely situated to build , and I am hopeful it will bear some terrific fruit as SB 3630 makes its way into Illinois law.

These are but two examples of how, with your partnership and support, the Parental Rights Foundation is working to improve conditions for innocent families around the country.

Thank you for standing with us in Alabama, Illinois, or the state where you live.

Rewind: A History of Child Welfare, with Martin Guggenheim

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 19:31:00 GMT

This week, we’re rewinding to a a conversation with Martin Guggenheim from February 2021.

In this episode, we talk with Martin Guggenheim, who has taught at the NYU School of Law for over 25 years, and is one of the foremost experts on family law and family rights today. Marty tells us about his lengthy career in the family law field, including how the current child welfare system came to be, and why it’s vitally important that parents receive legal representation in court.

Marty also explains how the Adoption and Safe Families Act, a cornerstone of the modern child welfare system, provides states with an incentive to permanently remove children from their birth families over the smallest parenting shortcomings, and what a better alternative would look like.

Motherhood and CPS Surveillance with Kelly Fong

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 19:35:00 GMT

This week, we’re talking with Kelly Fong, author of Investigating Families: Motherhood in the Shadow of Child Protective Services , published in 2023. Kelly is an assistant professor of sociology at the University of California Irvine.

In this episode, Kelly explains how child protective services exert an inescapable surveillance over many parents, especially low income and minority mothers. During her research, Kelly embedded herself in the child protective system to gain an inside perspective on how the system affects families.

Announcing PRF’s New Board of Advisors

Thu, 22 Feb 2024 16:56:00 GMT

I couldn’t be more excited to tell you about a new development in the structure of the Parental Rights Foundation: We’ve formed a brand-new Board of Advisors!

For 17 years, starting as ParentalRights.org in 2007 and then as the Parental Rights Foundation from 2014, our organization has gathered and shared some of the best scholarship in the country pertaining to the history and constitutional nature of parental rights.

When new parent groups arose out of the general dissatisfaction that followed the COVID pandemic in 2020, many of them looked to us as the “older sibling” organization who has been here all along, knows what’s going on, and has the information they need to make wise policy decisions and adopt meaningful goals and aims.

In state houses and even the halls of Congress, we have a reputation for being scholarly and serious. We are a well-respected voice for parents and families across the country.

And we have faithful supporters like you to thank for it.

But now, we’re taking it a step further. Now, the academic and policy giants who have provided that scholarship all along are gathered on one Board of Advisors where they can continue to weigh in, bringing their highly recognized names and credentials with them.

What’s more, we’ve managed to bring together scholars from across the political spectrum—experts who don’t necessarily agree on everything, but who share the same heartbeat for parental rights that you do.

To make it work, we chose to form our Board of Advisors into two committees, allowing us to bring together the top scholars in each of the two primary areas we work in: the Constitution, and Child Welfare.

The Committee on the Constitution

The Committee on the Constitution aims to provide policy and scholarship to support our efforts to amend the Constitution to include parental rights. This committee includes former Parental Rights Foundation president Will Estrada and former U.S. Representative Peter Hoekstra (R-MI), the congressman who first introduced the Parental Rights Amendment in Congress all the way back in 2008.

It also includes Melissa Moschella , a professor of philosophy at the Catholic University in Washington, D.C, author of To Whom Do Children Belong, and a repeat guest on our EPPiC Broadcast podcast. (That’s a hint to visit parentalrightsfoundation.org/podcast, search for “Moschella,” and listen to her episodes!)

And we just added Emilie Kao , formerly of Heritage Institute and now a VP at Alliance Defending Freedom, who brings years of experience to our advisory board. She has presented to the UN in New York and Geneva and was an adjunct professor of International Human Rights Law at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School.

And, of course, the Committee on the Constitution would not be complete without the primary author of the proposed Parental Rights Amendment, Michael Farris .

While I am honored to have Mike return to parental rights as the new chairman of ParentalRights.org, announced in November, I am far more excited to have him on this Board of Advisors. This is the place where his voice and his pen will be able to make a real difference .

The Committee on Child Welfare

Then there’s the Committee on Child Welfare, where we have gathered scholarly giants and front-line veterans of the family defense realm.

Josh Gupta-Kagan , a law professor at the Columbia University School of Law, in a 2020 law review article coined the term “Hidden Foster Care” to describe instances when child welfare agencies push parents to “voluntarily” place their children with relatives (“or else we’ll place them with strangers”). Such arrangements do avoid the foster care system, but they also avoid data tracking, court oversight, and any due process protections.

Kathleen Creamer is the managing attorney of the Family Law Unit at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia. She leads a team of attorneys on the front lines defending families from intrusive “child welfare” investigations. She is also on the steering committee of the American Bar Association’s National Alliance for Parent Representation, among other posts and honors related to family defense.

And Joyce MacMillan is a community activist and organizer from New York City who has spoken before Congress and multiple public rallies, as well as being often quoted in major media publications, to call attention to the plight of families caught up in “the System.” Herself an African American mother who has been through a CPS investigation, Joyce is a sympathetic voice for families whose parental rights are overrun. (And you can hear her on our podcast, as well!)

And just as the Committee on the Constitution would not be complete without Michael Farris, so the Committee on Child Welfare would not be complete without Dr. Martin Guggenheim of New York University School of Law’s Family Defense Clinic . Marty is recognized by many in the country, and by all the scholars listed above, as “one of the leading experts on children’s rights and family law,” per his NYU website bio. Marty has been working on the front lines to defend families for more than 40 years, including through the Family Defense Clinic, which he founded 25+ years ago. He is the author of numerous works, including What’s Wrong with Children’s Rights (where he faithfully takes issue with those who “treat children’s interests as antagonistic to those of their parents”).

The Impact

These are not the entirety of these committees; we are still working on adding to each group. But this sampling provides a picture of the stature and quality of scholars we are gathering to promote the cause of the Parental Rights Foundation.

With them on board—and on speed dial!—the impact we can have on legislatures, in Congress, and even in the public discourse is greatly increased.

Undoubtedly, these highly respected voices will create additional opportunities for our organization to influence the culture and the legal landscape of family defense and parental rights.

But that also means we need the resources to pursue those opportunities. And that’s where you come in.

Can I count on your support today to help us seize the opportunities created by this Board of Advisors going forward?

Your gift of $5, $10, or even $100 can empower us to publish research, articles, or reports by members of this illustrious board. You can also empower us to take these resources to local, state, and federal lawmakers who need to know the latest and most reliable facts about constitutional parental rights and the state of families in the “child welfare” system.

I am simply humbled by the opportunity to be associated with some of the finest minds in the fields of parental rights and family preservation. And I am likewise humbled by the generosity that private donors have shown our organization over the years.

Right now, your investment can empower us to continue to carry the message of parental rights to every corner that needs to hear it, even as these scholars and family defense veterans help us sharpen and amplify that message to its fullest effect.

Together, we truly can protect children by empowering parents with our new Board of Advisors as we continue to preach the truth about family preservation: that children thrive best when they can safely stay in their parents’ care.

Would you please help us respond to these new opportunities by sending in your best gift today?

The Families Rights and Responsibilities Act, with Matt Sharp

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 19:43:00 GMT

This week, we’re talking with Matt Sharp, senior legal counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom. Matt tells us about the Families Rights and Responsibilities Act, recently introduced into the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives that aims to safeguard parental rights and provide parents with strong legal protections at the national level. Matt explains what’s in the bill, why it was created, and what you can do to help support it.

Why Reasonable Childhood Independence Matters, with Diane Redleaf

Tue, 13 Feb 2024 19:13:00 GMT

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! We’re kicking off season 8 with a returning appearance of Diane Redleaf. Diane is the legal consultant at Let Grow , an organization that promotes reasonable childhood independence. She’s also the author of They Took the Kids Last Night .

This episode is dedicated to the memory of Diane Redleaf’s mother, Rhoda Redleaf, herself an iconic national leader in child advocacy for six decades who was instrumental as a strategic partner of our speaker in her own career as a child and family advocate. Rhoda passed away on Feb. 3, 2024.

Week in Richmond Brings Mixed Results

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 15:43:00 GMT

Photo: Parental Rights Foundation President Michael Ramey at the Virginia State Capitol on on January 30, 2024 .

Two weeks ago, I alerted you to a bill in Virginia that would rob parents of important due process protections and let the Department of Social Services (DSS) coerce innocent parents into signing their children into the care of relatives to avoid having those same children placed in foster care with strangers instead.

While the bill is still not nearly all we would want it to be, I am happy to report that it is much improved, in no small part thanks to those of you in Virginia sounding the alarm.

On the Ground in Richmond

Probably no one in our coalition community deserves more thanks than Fallon Speaker, an attorney with the Richmond branch of Legal Action Justice Center (LAJC) who first saw the bill and testified against it in committee in mid-January. Until she stood up, the bill was favored by both parties, in both houses of the legislature, and in the governor’s office. Her lone voice made lawmakers step back and take a closer look .

In the hours and days immediately following that hearing, she convened our coalition to look at and weigh in on the problems in the bill, which we did. Then I passed our concerns on to you, and those of you who live in Virginia weighed in with your lawmakers, as well.

The following weekend, coalition partners began editing the bill to make it more what it needs to be both to protect children and to provide due process to parents. We want to provide for kinship caregivers, and we agree with the bill’s authors that keeping children with family members is better than sending them to live with strangers.

But we also realize that, whenever possible, the very best place for children is at home with their parents. We only want to see them sent to live with kin when it is necessary that they leave their parent’s home.

Last week, I spent three days in Richmond, and the biggest part of my time there was spent strategizing with Fallon and other coalition partners, then meeting with representatives from the governor’s office, to make sure innocent parents get a seat at the table. It was exciting to be on the ground in the Virginia capitol, meeting with officials and coalition partners. (And let me insert here my personal gratitude to LAJC for their warm hospitality!)

Our meeting with the governor’s staff didn’t go as well as I might have liked. But it did give us a voice in the discussion both now and into the future. And the bill as it stands now, even without the edits I had hoped we could get them to include, is still much better than the original version that we saw three weeks ago.

It doesn’t include tracking, which is crucial. And it leaves too much time before providing judicial oversight to protect parents’ and children’s rights. These are things we will need to continue to work on, even if this bill passes.

Because what we don’t want is to see Virginia’s formalizing of “hidden foster care” become a model for other states to follow. Anytime children are removed from their parents by the state, families are entitled to due process and the outcomes should be tracked.

Refreshing Lemonade in 2025

But there was one very exciting development this past week that came about because of our preparations for that meeting: We now have friends on both sides of the political aisle ready to begin work on bringing a Parents’ Bill of Rights to the Virginia legislature!

The deadline to submit bills for 2024 has already passed, but that just means we have nine or ten months to prepare language that we can bring in 2025. And with support from both sides of the aisle, it could be just what Virginia’s Democrat-led legislature and Republican governor will need a year from now so they can work together to protect families.

Sometimes, life gives you lemons and you learn to make lemonade. Last week, we took the first steps toward bringing some very refreshing changes to the Old Dominion.

Thank you to those of you who have given to support our mission. You made my trip to Richmond possible. And thank you to those who might invest today to make our next trip possible , as well, wherever that takes us.

Together, we can protect children by empowering parents, immediately whenever possible, but further down the road when necessary. Either way, we won’t give up on the vital work of protecting families.

Parental Rights Legislation in Indiana, Virginia, and Elsewhere

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 16:33:00 GMT

The 2024 legislative session is in full swing in 40 states , so it’s not surprising that several of them have already introduced bills to address parental rights. In this email, I will focus on a few of these that already demand our attention.

Good Indiana Bill Faces Opposition

In Indiana, SB 46 would add a new section of law on Parental Rights and Responsibilities. This act would protect as fundamental the right of parents to direct the upbringing, religious instruction, education, and health care of the parent’s minor child, and prevent the government from substantially burdening this right without a compelling governmental interest met by the least restrictive means.

This is the very definition of “strict judicial scrutiny,” the highest, most protective level of scrutiny recognized and applied by our courts.

Unfortunately, opposition has arisen to the bill. An association of judges has claimed that the bill’s right of private action, by which a parent whose rights are violated can sue the governmental entity causing the violation, would threaten judges’ decisions. This seems disingenuous, however; surely the judges know that judicial immunity protects them, and that their decisions cannot be the basis of a lawsuit even if this bill were to pass.

The bill would allow parents to file suit against child abuse investigators, public schools, or law enforcement officers who violate parental rights, but would not apply to decisions made by judges in their appropriate legal capacity.

If you are in Indiana, please contact your senator today and urge their support for SB 46 to preserve parental rights. They should know that judicial immunity would not be affected, but that countless innocent families would be protected by this act.

Dangerous Virginia Bill Must Be Opposed

In Virginia, HB 27 and SB 39 would rob families of vital due process protections when a parent is accused of abuse or neglect. The bill purports to provide supports to relatives who take in family members to keep them out of official foster care. Instead, it would rob families of crucial due process protections by allowing the child abuse investigators to decide for themselves what child is “at imminent risk of being removed from his home,” without any judicial oversight or charges of abuse or neglect being filed.

All over the country, hundreds of thousands of children every year are taken into this “ hidden foster care ,” where parents are bullied into “voluntarily” sending their children to live with relatives to avoid child removal to foster care. Once the parent signs the agreement, the agency has tremendous power over them, always at threat of removing their child or even terminating their parental rights. The Virginia bill would do nothing to address these concerns, but rather would codify them as Virginia’s official position.

Such practices have already fallen under court scrutiny in Pennsylvania, which found them to be a violation of parents’ fundamental constitutional rights, and in North Carolina, where the use of such policies resulted in more than $50 million in settlements for violations of due process rights.

Virginia does not need the expense of bringing such legal challenges to their state due to bad legislation. Instead, this bill needs to be amended to preserve parents’ rights.

If you live in Virginia , please contact your state representative and urge their “no” vote on HB 27. Then contact your state senator (use same link as above ) and urge them to reject SB 39.

Help Us Monitor Additional Bills Elsewhere

These are the immediately pressing bills this week, but we are also following legislation in Alabama, Arizona, Florida, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and West Virginia (as well as legislation in Virginia not highlighted here). If you are aware of additional legislation in your state, please let us know at info@parentalrights.org . Use the subject line “ Legislation in [Name of your state]. ”

Thank you for standing with us as we work to protect children by empowering parents through solid parental rights legislation around the country. Together, we can preserve these rights and keep our families safe.

Take Action: New Parental Rights Bill in Congress

Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:50:00 GMT

This week, Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and James Lankford (R-OK) introduced S.3571 , The Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act (FRRA), in the US Senate. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) introduced the companion bill, H.6934 , in the U.S. House.

The aim of these bills from a legal standpoint is to protect the traditional, natural role of parents in the lives of their minor children when it comes to instances or events under federal government control. This would include many areas that are funded by the federal government.

From a strategic standpoint, the bill has a similar aim: to further the discussion of parental rights in the federal government space.

The current Administration and many lawmakers in D.C. seem bent on riding over top of traditional parental rights to replace them with a “government knows best” ideology. By taking up this bill in committee, members of Congress can speak into that mindset with testimony and discussion that recognizes the vital traditional role parents play in keeping their children safe and cared for.

We realize that FRRA is not likely to pass the currently divided Congress, especially in an election year. (Congress consistently shortens their session and limits their focus in an election year to spend more time on their campaigns.) But with enough sponsors, FRRA can secure a committee or subcommittee hearing that can further the discussion of parental rights and what our children truly need.

This is why we are supporting FRRA in addition to our main focus, the Parental Rights Amendment ( HJRes. 38 ): While passage and ratification of the Parental Rights Amendment into the U.S. Constitution is our ultimate goal, we are proud to support incremental legislation (like FRRA) to protect parental rights until that Amendment can be adopted.

The FRRA is fully endorsed and supported by the Promise to American’s Children coalition, of which your Parental Rights Foundation is proud to be a part. In this coalition, we stand alongside such policy powerhouses as Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), and Family Policy Council (FPC) to support the traditional role of parents in families for the good of their children.

The bill would establish as a matter of federal law that “ [t]he liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and health care of their children is a fundamental right,” protected by strict judicial scrutiny (requiring a “compelling governmental interest of the highest order as applied to the parent and the child [that] is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest.”

You can read the entire text of S.3571 here . (It’s not very long.)

Take Action

As I laid out above, the strategic aim of this bill is to garner enough cosponsor support to push for a committee or subcommittee hearing in the House or Senate. And you can help make that happen .

Please take a moment to call or email your U.S. representative and U.S. senators and urge them to sign on as a cosponsor of the appropriate bill—H.6934 in the House or S.3571 in the Senate.

Your message should be in your own words, but can be as simple as the following:

Or, for your senators:

While you’re at it, you can use the same message to urge your member of the US House to contact Rep. Debbie Lesko’s office and sign on as a cosponsor of HJRes. 38, the Parental Rights Amendment, at the same time.

You can contact your US lawmakers through their respective websites or by calling the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

Thank you for taking action today to further parental rights!

I am a constituent of Rep. _____, and I am concerned about government actors removing parents from their children’s lives. So, I would urge Rep. ____ to sign on as a cosponsor of H.6934, the Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act, so that we can secure a committee hearing and further the discussion on family and parental rights. Virginia Foxx is the lead sponsor. Please contact her office and sign on as a cosponsor of H.6934. Thank you.

I am a constituent of Sen. _____ and I am concerned about government actors removing parents from their children’s lives. So, I would urge Sen. _____ to sign on as a cosponsor of S.3571, the Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act, so that we can secure a committee hearing and further the discussion on family and parental rights. Sen. Tim Scott is the lead sponsor. Please contact his office and sign on as a cosponsor of S.3571. Thank you.

2024 Legislatures Launching Now!

Thu, 04 Jan 2024 11:19:00 GMT

It’s almost “Go Time,” as legislatures across the country prepare to launch their 2024 sessions . That means that in a matter of weeks, or even just days, legislation will be introduced that will either support or undermine your parental rights. And we are ready to monitor those bills and keep you informed.

Legislatures in 36 states and the District of Columbia have launched or will launch their sessions by January 11 (one week from today) . (This number includes a couple of states with largely year-round legislatures that are coming back from a winter recess.)

Just behind them, four more state legislatures will launch their sessions later this month: New Mexico and Utah on January 16, Alaska on January 17, and Hawaii on January 18.

Then, six more sessions launch in February: Oregon (Feb. 1), Alabama (Feb. 6), Nevada (Feb. 6), Oklahoma (Feb. 6), Connecticut (Feb. 12), and Wyoming (Feb. 12).

Two more states launch even later: Louisiana in March and Arkansas in April. And two states, California and Maine, have year-round legislatures carrying over their work from December.

In past years, state legislatures have undertaken bills to protect parental rights as fundamental or even to spell out an entire parents’ bill of rights . Other legislatures have taken up bills to make sure public school boards recognize a parent’s right to know what their child is learning in school and to be informed of changes to their child’s health and welfare.

At the same time, t here are legislative proposals every year that threaten your vital role as the primary defender and decision-maker for your young children.

This past summer, for instance, I had the honor to testify before an interim study committee on child welfare in Colorado. After weeks of discussion including several days of public testimony, the committee put together a collection of ten bills, some that would improve Colorado’s child welfare system by protecting innocent children and families, and some that would more deeply entrench the existing problems. Unfortunately, based on the committee’s vote on the proposals, we expect the latter group of bills to be brought to the legislature in the months ahead. (Colorado’s session begins January 8.)

We will send letters or provide testimony to battle these bills that threaten our children and families. And when it makes strategic sense to do so, we will email alerts to you so you can weigh in via emails or phone calls to your lawmakers. Working together, we can stop some very bad bills from being passed.

And, of course, I look forward to the flip side, too—when we get to send letters or provide testimony to support those bills that offer the kinds of protections our children and families need, protections rooted in your liberty as a parent to direct the care, custody, and control of your child.

We had a successful year in 2023, and I look forward to another victorious season with you in the months ahead.

Thank you for standing with us and for spreading the word so more concerned parents can make their voices heard when the time comes.

A Conversation with Will Estrada

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 19:49:00 GMT

Today, Will explains some of the parental rights-focused work that HSLDA is currently doing. Plus, hear about what he accomplished during his tenure as president of the Parental Rights Foundation and his perspective on where the parental rights movement is headed in the future.

This episode marks the end of Season 7. Thank you for listening, and we will see you again in February 2024 for Season 8!

International Homeschooling, with Kevin Boden

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 19:35:00 GMT

This week we talk with Kevin Boden, director of HSLDA International. Kevin tells us about the victories and challenges homeschooling is facing internationally. Kevin is the lead attorney for the Romeike family, who came to the US in 2006 after facing legal hardships in Germany for homeschooling their children.

Homeschooling and Parental Rights, with Jim Mason

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 18:18:00 GMT

This week we talk with Jim Mason, president of the Home School Legal Defense Association and former president of ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation.

In this episode, Jim explains how homeschooling has grown from its fringe roots in the 70’s into an enduring education option today, with abundant resources to help parents best educate their children. He also explains what he believes is next for the homeschooling movement.

California and Texas on the Same Path

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 14:56:00 GMT

It’s not often we see the California legislature following the same path as Texas. But that’s what happened this year when both states adopted laws to curtail or end anonymous reports to their child abuse hotlines , pushing for confidential reporting instead.

Texas passed House Bill 63 on June 9 and it went into effect on September 1. California’s Assembly Bill 391 was just signed by the governor on October 8 .

You can read more about our Confidential Reporting model bill here .

An anonymous hotline report is made when the caller chooses not to give their name or other identifying information, but still reports that child abuse is taking place. It’s a practice that is ripe for abuse , as all over the country warring exes or angry family members call child protective services (CPS) on one another just to get revenge—or a leg up in a custody dispute.

This year, both Texas and California passed laws to end those abuses by simply requiring the person taking the call to ask the caller to identify themselves.

Nationally, most substantiated hotline calls come from “mandated reporters”—people who, by virtue of their profession, are mandated by law to report any suspicion of abuse or neglect. (Mandatory reporting laws cause their own problems, dragging far too many innocent families into the CPS net, but that’s a topic for another day.)

Of the remaining substantiated calls (that is, calls that lead to an investigation that finds it likely that abuse or neglect has taken place), only a tiny fraction are anonymous. According to Dale Cecka’s 2014 law review article , Abolish Anonymous Reporting to Child Abuse Hotlines, only 1.5% of all hotline calls are both anonymous and substantiated.

Yet, anonymous calls make up 16% of all calls, according to that same report. That means the already over-stretched CPS system is chasing down ten or eleven innocent families to find one house where abuse has likely occurred.

That’s no longer to be the case in these two large states. Now, under either state’s law, the person at the hotline is required to ask the caller for their name and other identifying information —information that will still be kept confidential but will let the system know who called.

This will hopefully keep callers honest, as those making knowingly false reports can no longer do so under cover of anonymity . My expectation is that the first time many such callers have to leave their name will be the last time they make the call.

The Texas law goes a step further than California’s: hotline workers there are mandated to tell an anonymous caller that “the department is not authorized to accept an anonymous report of abuse or neglect,” and that they can call their local law enforcement instead.

California’s law does not specify what happens if the caller refuses to give their identifying information once it has been asked for. And it does not contain a prohibition from taking an anonymous report if the caller so declines.

Still, it is a hopeful sign. In a year when the California legislature has been especially aggressive in its war against parental rights, it is good to see them take steps to narrow the CPS net so that fewer innocent families are caught up in it.

This is why the model bills on our website are so important: because we never know who might take one up and run with it in their state.

Perhaps you could take one up and find a lawmaker it bring it to your state in 2024.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents in every state—even the surprising ones!

The Case for Abolishing Family Court, with Jane Spinak

Tue, 24 Oct 2023 18:22:00 GMT

This week we talk with Jane Spinak, author of The End of Family Court: How Abolishing the Court Brings Justice to Children and Families . Jane is a Clinical Professor of Law Emerita at Columbia Law School, where she directed clinical programs in family regulation for forty years. In this episode, Jane traces her journey from working to reform the family court system to advocating for its abolishment. She tells us about the history of the family court system, which was created to be benevolent toward families, but harshly punishes parents and children. Jane’s book lays out the case for abolishing family court completely, and replacing it with programs designed to truly support families rather than surveilling and policing them.

Catching Up with Michael Farris

Tue, 17 Oct 2023 19:35:00 GMT

This week we talk with Michael Farris, constitutional law scholar, founding president of ParentalRights.org, and the former CEO and president of Alliance Defending Freedom . In this episode, Michael responds to a recent Washington Post article about his role in the parental rights movement and gives us an update on the projects he’s been working on recently.

The Victories Start with You

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 15:27:00 GMT

We’ve been celebrating victories all summer, starting with the passage of a fundamental parental rights bill in North Dakota on May 6 and going through the passage of North Carolina’s Parents’ Bill of Rights by veto override on August 16, with wins in Iowa and Alabama along the way.

But these wins and others like them don’t usually start with the legislature. They don’t even usually start with the lawmaker who introduces the bill.

Usually, they start with volunteers just like you , who connect a state lawmaker with one or more of the models we’ve posted at ParentalRightsFoundation.org.

Sometimes, that volunteer is a seasoned veteran who knows the inner workings of the state house through years of experience talking with lawmakers and lobbying for bills.

But those instances are rare.

Much more likely, it’s someone who has never done this before, but who is willing to email or call their lawmaker to suggest a bill be taken up in their state.

And the time of year for them to do that is right here in the fall , so that the lawmaker has time to look over the model and prepare a state-specific bill for the session coming in January.

Maybe your state legal code needs a clear statement that parental rights are fundamental and that courts must protect those rights with strict judicial scrutiny. Only nineteen states have such a law today, leaving 31 states with work to do.

Or perhaps your state is one of those 19 with this general, foundation level protection of parental rights, but you could really use a parents’ bill of rights to spell out what parental rights mean in a practical sense in various contexts: public schools, healthcare decisions, and child welfare contexts, to name a few.

Or maybe your state needs to focus on key reforms in just one or two of these areas.

And I realize there’s a good chance you’re not sure just where your state stands on parental rights at all.

Even so, you can still launch the next parental rights victory from right there at your computer.

How?

First, check our map to see if your state already has a fundamental parental rights law. If you don’t, that’s an excellent place to start.

Second, reach out to your state-level lawmaker (member of your state Assembly, House, or state Senate) and ask them if they would be interested in championing a parental rights bill in the coming legislative session. Let them know this is a matter of concern to you, and you can connect them to model legislation fitting for your state.

Then, if they respond with interest, you can tell them the models we have available and ask them which they think would be appropriate for your state . Start with the fundamental parental rights law if you don’t already have one, but beyond that you can generally trust your lawmaker to know the current status of parental rights and determine which model is a good fit.

If they are not interested in championing parental rights legislation, though, ask them if they could recommend another lawmaker in the state who might be interested . Often, they will make this sort of recommendation, even if it is for a topic they don’t support. That’s because state lawmakers are often supportive of the system and value public input, regardless of which side it’s on. (Of course, they prefer it be on their own side, but they often value the exchange of ideas on its own merit.)

And if you can’t commit the time to reach out to your lawmakers and make this connection, you can still power our next success by investing with a financial gift at parentalrightsfoundation.org/donate . Every dollar helps make it possible for us to work with volunteers and state lawmakers to bring needed child welfare reforms or other parental rights legislation to the states—including yours!

Finally, email Michael@parentalrights.org and let me know about the connection you made and how it was received. We’re here to help your efforts succeed!

However you are able to stand with us today, I thank you for your continued interest and support to protect children by empowering parents where you live. Todays’ investments will lead to the next wave of victories in 2024!

New York’s ACS and Disproportionality with Joyce McMillan

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 18:11:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Joyce McMillian. Joyce is a thought leader, advocate, community organizer, educator, and the Founder and Executive Director of Just Making A Change for Families ( JMACforFamilies ).

Joyce walks us through her work advocating for families that find themselves caught up in New York’s child welfare system, the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS). Black, low income families are targeted by the ACS at a disproportionate rate. Joyce explains what factors play into this disproportionality and how New York could do better.

Giving the Choice to Parents, with Melissa Moschella

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 19:09:00 GMT

Melissa explains her argument that parental rights are pre-governmental and rely on the natural rights of parents, rather than being conferred by the government, and why the family is the most important, basic building block of society. She explains why schools keeping secrets from parents, even with the best interest of children in mind, ultimately harms both children and parents.

This episode contains discussion of controversial subject matter. The EPPiC Broadcast welcomes discussion on a variety of viewpoints regarding parental rights issues; however, the views and opinions expressed by guests are solely their own.

A Conference Week Surprise

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 15:02:00 GMT

On September 20-23, I had the privilege of representing the Parental Rights Foundation to the National Leaders Conference of the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), held in Asheville, North Carolina.

While I was there, we saw a surprising, even miraculous turnaround on a dreaded California bill.

The conference is important to our mission because it puts us in front of not just homeschool families but homeschool leaders — some of the most politically active and engaging parents in the country . When the homeschool movement gets fired up about something, they make their voices heard and make things happen.

(Many of you are among them and know what I’m talking about first-hand!)

I am encouraged by the people I meet at this conference each year, and this year was no exception.

Now, I don’t want to name names and risk scaring away new volunteers or network points. But I have cause to hope that we will see legislative action in two new states within the next couple of years and strengthen our efforts in a third. That could spell positive changes for literally millions of families in the months just ahead!

Trouble in California

While all of that was going on, we were closely watching California Assembly Bill 957 (AB 957), a measure that would put a very heavy thumb on the scales of any custody battle in favor of the parent who will affirm their child’s transgender ideation.

Parents should not be coerced, at the threat of losing their children, into adopting a state-sanctioned ideology on gender, sex, or any other issue.

Yet, over our written protests to legislative committees, this summer the bill passed both the Assembly and the Senate and went to the governor’s desk for his signature.

Last week, I signed a coalition letter with several other organizations urging the governor to veto the bill, as it infringes on the right of parents to make decisions regarding the treatment of their child’s mental and physical health.

As we signed our letter, we were resigned to the idea that Newsom, a proponent of the transgender movement, was not likely to listen to us.

We Saw a Miracle

Yet, in a surprising move, Governor Newsom vetoed the bill last Thursday, before our letter could even be sent.

Nathan Pierce of California’s Family Protection Ministries was at the HSLDA conference with me, so we were able to rejoice together in person over this miraculous turn of events.

AB 957, a terrible bill even by California standards, died on the doorstep, vetoed by a radical anti-family governor. Who would have imagined?

I believe we are on the right side of this issue. I believe it is morally imperative that we preserve the parent-child relationship for this and future generations. It is the natural and right thing to do.

And, while the Parental Rights Foundation is not a religious organization, I personally believe there is a God who superintends all of creation and who will bless our efforts in amazing ways if we are faithful to stand up for what is right.

I believe He swayed the heart of Gavin Newsom in ways even Newsom himself may not understand, and I believe He will bless our efforts in the states in the months ahead.

You do not have to share my beliefs about God to stand with us. But I am grateful for the beliefs we do share: that natural bonds of affection lead parents to act in the best interest of their child; that the vast majority of parents can be trusted to do the best for their children; and that parents have the fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their minor children.

At the risk of over-using the term, I believe we saw a miracle in California last week. I may have met a few miracles in Asheville, as well. And I am looking forward to seeing how many more miracles we will witness in the days ahead.

Thank you for being with us on this exciting journey!

Family Court and the Fourth Amendment, with Anna Arons

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 19:58:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Anna Arons. Anna is the Impact Project Director at the New York University Defense Clinic and formerly the acting assistant professor of lawyering at the New York University School of Law. She’s also an assistant professor of law at the Saint John’s University School of Law.

In this episode, Anna discusses her law review article, The Empty Promise of the Fourth Amendment in the Family Regulation System . In her article, she explains how the child welfare system unfairly targets and polices poor and minority families and denies them the constitutional protections they are promised under the Fourth Amendment.

Meet the Vice President, with William Wagner

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 19:23:00 GMT

This week, Michael talks with William Wagner, vice president of the Parental Rights Foundation. William is a distinguished Professor Emeritus of Law at the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, and founder of Salt and Light Global. William has served as a federal magistrate judge in the U.S. Courts, as Legal Counsel in the U.S Senate, and as Senior Assistant United States Attorney in the Department of Justice.

William tells us about his background in constitutional law and how he came to care passionately about parental rights, plus the work he’s been doing recently on parental rights cases.

The Parental Rights Foundation Goes to Court

Thu, 14 Sep 2023 15:01:00 GMT

On Wednesday, September 13, attorneys for the Massachusetts Family Institute and the Child and Parental Rights Campaign (CPRC) presented oral arguments to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in the case of Foote v. Ludlow School Committee . Your Parental Rights Foundation went with them by way of an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) brief we filed in the case.

At question in Foote v. Ludlow is whether a public school can withhold information from parents—or even actively deceive them —while secretly assisting their children in gender transitioning at school.

While others are more qualified than we to weigh in on the risks or benefits to a child’s physical or mental well-being if the schools should choose to enable gender transitioning, our brief highlights our area of expertise: the traditionally respected role of a parent in directing the upbringing, education, and care of their minor children.

Since public schools are run by the government, they are bound by the restrictions of the Constitution. Keeping secrets from parents about their child’s mental and social health undermines the constitutionally protected fundamental liberty interest, long recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court, that parents have in their children’s care.

Our brief, which you can read here , lays out the history of the Court’s recognition of these fundamental parental rights. Then we point out the obvious: parents cannot exercise these constitutionally protected rights if government agents (such as public-school teachers or administrators) are allowed to keep major secrets from parents about the children in their charge.

Mary McAllister is the CPRC lawyer who led the oral arguments for the parents. Asked for her thoughts on the day, she responded:

This is the first of two similar cases for which we filed amicus briefs, the other being January Littlejohn, et al, v. School Board of Leon County, Florida. In that brief , too, we focus on the unwavering tradition of parental rights in our country and apply it to the unconscionable practice of keeping secrets from parents about the health of their minor children.

Like attorney McAllister, I am looking forward to the First Circuit’s ruling. If they agree with our brief and apply traditional parental rights to this issue, it will mean a huge win for families in New England. And if they choose to disagree, their decision may open a pathway for us to take the matter before the U.S. Supreme Court. That is especially true if the Littlejohn case, which is in a different Circuit Court, results in a different outcome than Foote.

Yesterday’s oral arguments went well, but we won’t know the result for weeks as the court deliberates and writes its decision.

Another CPRC attorney, Joel Thornton, summed it up nicely: “We were very pleased. Now, we wait.”

Thank you for standing with us as we present parental rights to some of the highest courts in the land in an effort to keep parents in the driver’s seat for their children! Your investment makes our voice in these cases possible.

“We are very encouraged by the oral argument on September 13th at the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston. The panel was very engaged and well informed about the case. They understood our arguments and seemed to understand the importance of parents not being left in the dark about their children’s gender identity. As was true of the district court, the Court of Appeals was troubled by the school district’s strict non-disclosure policy for parents. We look forward to the court’s ruling.” (emphasis added)

Advocating for Parents’ Rights with Erin Phillips

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 18:54:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Erin Phillips, president of Power2Parent, an organization uniting parents who want to advocate for their children’s education. Power2Parent is based in Nevada, but maintains chapters in many states. Erin tells us about recent challenges to parents rights in Nevada that her organization has faced, plus victories in Nevada and across the country.

Preserving Family Connections, with Vivek Sankaren

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 19:43:00 GMT

Vivek Sankaren is a clinical professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School, and director of their Child Advocacy Law Clinic and the Child Welfare Appellate Clinic. He’s authored over three dozen journal and law review articles, including “ The Ties That Bind Us: an Empirical, Clinical, and Constitutional Argument Against Terminating Parental Rights ”. In this episode, Vivek discusses the arguments he makes in his law review article that children are best cared for and protected when they maintain an attachment and connection to their families of origin.

Littlejohn v. School Board of Leon County, Florida, et al

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 19:40:00 GMT

Parental rights are fundamental. And because of this, public schools cannot lie to parents and tell 13-year-old children to also lie to their parents.

That is what our friend of the court brief to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Littlejohn v. School Board of Leon County, Florida, is all about.

The background in this case is that the Littlejohns are suing the school board and teachers and administrators in Leon County after finding out that the public school was encouraging their then 13-year-old daughter to lie to them, deceive them about her gender identity, and change her name and gender only when in public school. Even after the parents found out and asked the school not to do this because the parents already had counselors and therapists supporting their daughter, the public-school officials thought they knew what was best for the adolescent and continued their deceptive course of action.

Our brief is in support of the parents and their lawsuit. We made it clear to the Eleventh Circuit that this is not really a case about the gender identity of a 13-year-old; this case is about whether a public school can tell impressionable minors to keep secrets from their parents about something as basic as their name or gender identity. This case is about whether parents have the most basic right imaginable: the right to know what is going on with their children when those children are in public school.

Our brief did two things: we went back to the beginning and explained to the court the history of parental rights, showing that this “inalienable right” predates our Constitution and even government itself. Then we went through almost 100 years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent, concluding that “parental rights are fundamental.”

Then we used existing precedent in parental rights cases to show how the parents should easily win this lawsuit.

We wrote this brief to help not just the Eleventh Circuit, but more importantly to help families and policymakers around the nation see that parental rights are truly the foundation of our communities, our public schools, and our nation.

States Sue School Boards Over Parental Rights

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 19:18:00 GMT

First it was New Jersey, and now California: State attorneys general have filed suit against duly elected school boards who have passed policies preventing public school officials (government employees) from keeping secrets from parents about the physical, mental, and social health of the parents’ minor children.

And sadly (especially for attorneys general), they seem to have no idea how out-of-step they are with American law.

Take California, for example.

This week, California Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against the Chino Valley Unified School District because that elected school board approved a policy in July that requires school officials to inform parents if their child wants to change their gender.

The Parental Rights Foundation holds no position on the issue of gender identity or its proper treatment or response. However, we believe this much is perfectly clear: no government actor should be keeping secrets from parents about the health and welfare of the parent’s minor child.

Unfortunately, Bonta doesn’t get it.

In a press release on Monday, August 28, Bonta is said, “We’re in court challenging Chino Valley Unified’s forced outing policy for wrongfully and unconstitutionally discriminating against and violating the privacy rights of LGBTQ+ students. The forced outing policy wrongfully endangers the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of non-conforming students who lack an accepting environment in the classroom and at home.”

There is so much wrong with his statement that it is hard to know where to begin, but since he mentions the Constitution, we will start there.

According to its Troxell v. Granville decision, “the liberty interest…of parents in the care, custody, and control of their children is perhaps the oldest of the fundamental liberty interests recognized by [the Supreme] Court.” Yet, Bonta clearly isn’t concerned with those rights at all.

Instead, he claims that telling parents what their young children are going through “wrongfully endangers” them. How so?

According to the Supreme Court in Parham v. J.R. , “The law’s concept of the family rests on a presumption that parents possess what a child lacks in maturity, experience, and capacity for judgment required for making life’s difficult decisions. More important, historically it has recognized that natural bonds of affection lead parents to act in the best interests of their children.”

Bonta would have us presume the opposite. His position seems to be that “governmental power should supersede parental authority in all cases because some parents abuse and neglect children.” But the Supreme Court (again in Parham ) called that very idea a “statist notion that…is repugnant to American tradition.”

And we agree.

What’s more, so does federal law.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which protects the privacy and confidentiality of a student’s educational records, places parents of minor children squarely inside the bubble of privacy with their child.

FERPA establishes that parents, with their children, are due certain privacy protections of their child’s records.

Instead, Bonta in California and Attorney General Paula Dow in New Jersey both seek to place school officials inside the bubble and kick the parents out.

Ironically, coming from one claiming unconstitutional discrimination against sexual and gender minority students, Bonta seems particularly focused on robbing only the LGBTQ+ students of the safeguards and wisdom their parents can provide in the face of overreaching government officials.

We believe all children, regardless of their sexual or gender identification, have the right to be protected and defended by their parents who love them.

In this vein, the Supreme Court recognizes that “[m]ost children, even in adolescence, simply are not able to make sound judgments concerning many decisions, including their need for medical care or treatment. Parents can and must make those judgments…. Neither state officials nor federal courts are equipped to review such parental decisions.”

Which is exactly why state or local officials have no business deciding what secrets to keep from a child’s parents, or what treatment a child needs who is struggling with their gender identity.

If Bonta were concerned about the safety of the child more than about the desires of the state, he, too, would want to keep parents involved.

But involved parents, who care more for their child’s health and well-being than about an imposed social narrative, are just getting in his way.

And we say, “Good for them. And good for their children!”

Please consider supporting our efforts to keep parents “inside the bubble” where they belong.

Read more of our reasoning on this matter in our amicus brief for Foote v. Ludlow .

Reforming the Child Welfare System from the Inside, with Jerry Milner

Tue, 29 Aug 2023 18:11:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Jerry Milner, former Associate Commissioner of the Children’s Bureau in the US Department of Health and Human Services. Far too often, the US child welfare system creates incentives to unnecessarily separate families, harming the children it tries to protect. During his tenure with the Children’s Bureau, Jerry worked to create reforms that prioritize family preservation and reunification instead. Now, Jerry serves as the Director of the Family Justice Group.

Parental Rights Veto Override in North Carolina

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 16:01:00 GMT

It took a special session and a veto override vote in both houses of the legislature, but on August 16 North Carolina passed Senate Bill 49 (SB 49), the Parents’ Bill of Rights .

The Senate voted 27-18 in favor of the override and the House voted 72-47 just 26 minutes later. In North Carolina, a 60% majority is required to override a veto.

Introduced on January 31 by Senators Amy Galey , Michael Lee , and Lisa Barnes , SB 49 outlines and preserves certain rights of parents , including the rights “to direct the education and care of his or her child” and “to direct the upbringing and moral or religious training of his or her child,” among others.

These are among “the fundamental liberty interests [of parents] recognized by [the US Supreme] Court,” according to its Troxel v. Granville ruling in 2000 (citing Pierce v. Society of Sisters [1925] and other cases).

The bill originally passed the Senate on February 7 and was sent to the House. The House passed an amended version on June 28, with the Senate adopting the amended version the following day.

Then the bill went to Governor Roy Cooper, who vetoed the legislation on July 5. The governor cited concerns over provisions that require public schools to notify parents of their children’s physical or mental health and that prevent “instruction on gender identity, sexual activity, or sexuality [from being] included in the curriculum provided in grades kindergarten through fourth grade.”

Regarding the latter, the Parental Rights Foundation does not hold a position on curriculum particulars.

On the former, however, we hold strongly to the view that no government agent, including public school personnel, should keep secrets from parents regarding the health or welfare of the parent’s minor child (except in rare cases where parents are reasonably suspected of abusing the child). In that respect, we are very excited to see SB 49 become law.

We are proud to have worked with like-minded organizations on the model language that was incorporated into this North Carolina bill to preserve the basic, fundamental rights of parents to direct the education and care of their children. And while this law is not a general “fundamental parental rights” bill, it will nevertheless preserve those fundamental rights addressed in this section of the law.

This win is added to the additional victories we experienced earlier this year in North Dakota, Iowa, Alabama , and Texas . It is similar in scope to Iowa’s Senate File 496 from this spring and Florida’s House Bill 1557 from last year.

Thank you for standing with us for the safety of our children as we preserve the traditional, rightful role of parents in their children’s young lives! We are excited for this win in North Carolina, and we know we could not be celebrating these victories without you!

The World of Hidden Foster Care, with Josh Gupta-Kagan

Tue, 22 Aug 2023 18:58:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Dr. Josh Gupta-Kagan, Professor at Columbia University School of Law and author of “The Hidden Foster Care System.” Josh explains how many parents in child welfare investigations find their children placed with relatives, completely off the official record. While placing children with relatives, sometimes called kinship care, is not an inherently bad thing and can result in good outcomes for families, the severe lack of oversight and documentation in these placements is a glaring problem. Josh tells us what happens during an off-the-record placement, why the child welfare system doesn’t keep track of these cases, and how he’s fighting for reform and better oversight.

What Medical Child Abuse Is – and Isn’t, with Maxine Eichner

Tue, 15 Aug 2023 18:58:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Maxine Eichner. Maxine is a Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina, and she writes on legal issues surrounding families and social welfare law and policy. In this episode, Eichner explains the history of a concept called “medical child abuse” and how innocent parents of medically complex children can easily find themselves caught up in allegations of child abuse – all because some doctors don’t understand the medical issues their children face.

Virginia: Call Now to Further Parental Rights Amendment

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 06:42:55 GMT

I need your help today to advance the Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in Congress. Could you take a moment to call or even line up a visit with your congressman to urge his or her support?

The Parental Rights Amendment is currently introduced in Congress by Debbie Lesko (AZ) as House Joint Resolution 38 ( H.J. Res. 38 ). Because of the stark partisan divisions in Congress, we don’t necessarily expect the Amendment to pass this session. But that doesn’t mean we can’t further the discussion and better pave the way for its future passage.

And to do that, we need your congressman’s support.

You see, Governor Glenn Younkin’s election in 2021 on the issue of parental rights has sent a strong political message: the issue of parental rights resonates with Virginia voters.

The Parental Rights Foundation is a non-partisan organization; we’re not endorsing one party over another. I’m simply acknowledging the political reality that parental rights has especially resonated with voters in Virginia—and it’s one your member of Congress will recognize, as well.

That’s why I’m asking you to reach out and ask your U.S. Representative to sign onto H.J.Res. 38 as a cosponsor.

The plan is simple: the more cosponsors the Amendment gets, the easier it is to gain more. And once we get enough, we can ask for a subcommittee hearing on the resolution, which will further the discussion on constitutional parental rights. And that will help pave the way for future passage.

The challenge is that, with only eight current cosponsors, it’s not so easy to gain more. That’s why the political reality I mentioned above is so important: of all the members of Congress who could sign on, your Virginia representative should be among those most ready to do so .

What’s more, Congress is on recess throughout the month of August to allow your congressman to be right there in your district.

Take Action Today!

So here’s the action item, and there are two options:

Option 1 : Please take a moment right now to call your congressman’s district office (see numbers below) and ask that your congressman sign on as a cosponsor of H.J.Res. 38, the Parental Rights Amendment. Explain that our goal is to get enough cosponsors for a subcommittee hearing so that we can further the discussion of parental rights, and remind them that if Glenn Younkin’s election tells us anything, it is that Virginia legislators can safely back parental rights.

Be polite and courteous when you call and ask if they could send you an email response to your request.

Option 2: Because your lawmaker is in the district office, you can stop in and see them! Call the district office first to make an appointment (numbers below).

Then, try to take a friend or two with you. A large group can seem overwhelming or even threatening, but a group of two or three is enough to communicate that you are not alone in your interest in this cause.

Dress professionally and be sure to arrive on time, or even a couple of minutes early.

When you are there, simply make the same ask outlined in Option 1 above: that you want them to cosponsor H.J.Res. 38, that our goal is to gain enough cosponsors for a hearing to further the discussion of parental rights, and that Glenn Younkin’s election makes it clear that this is a safe and even a strong issue for legislators in Virginia to support.

You can also print out a couple of copies of this one-page r (front and back) to take with you and leave with them.

Be polite and courteous and ask them if they could email you a response when they’ve made their decision.

Virginia Congressmen:

District 1: Rob Wittman Tappahannock (804) 443-0668

Glen Allen (804) 401-4120

Yorktown (757) 527-6270

District 2: Jen Kiggans Virginia Beach (757) 364-7650

Onley (757) 666-6020

Suffolk (757) 942-6050

District 5: Bob Good Lynchburg (434) 791-2596

District 9: Morgan Griffith Abingdon (276) 525-1405

Christiansburg (540) 381-5671

If you’re not sure which district you are in, click here and enter your zip code.

Thank you for taking the time to stand with us to promote parental rights in Congress!

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
President

EPPiC Broadcast Launches Seventh Season, Highlights Texas Parental Rights Law

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 16:04:00 GMT

Tuesday, August 8, the Parental Rights Foundation launched the seventh season of our EPPiC Broadcast with an episode featuring Andrew Brown of the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

And I couldn’t be more excited.

Texas, as you may have heard , passed some spectacular parental rights legislation this year. And I’m not just talking about one good bill, but multiple pieces of legislation to strengthen and preserve families. In our opening podcast episode, Andrew Brown, associate vice president of policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, leads me through a recap of these bills, how they passed, and what we can expect when they become law in a couple of months.

But that’s just the beginning!

EPPiC stands for “Empowering Parents, Protecting Children,” which is the very heartbeat of the Parental Rights Foundation. Through this podcast, we are seeking to build the world’s foremost audio library on parental rights and family preservation, including scholars from many professions and from all over the political spectrum.

In episode two, to debut on Tuesday, August 15, I interview Maxine Eichner, the Graham Kenan Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina School of Law. Max is more than a law professor—she is also a mother whose child has a hard-to-diagnose rare disease. This has made Max an in-the-trenches expert on the intersection of family law and the medical system. She shares a bit of that expertise with our listeners in that episode.

On August 22, we’ll air a new episode I got to record with Josh Gupta-Kagan of Columbia Law School just days after he and I (and many of our colleagues) visited Capitol Hill to educate Congress on the subject of “Hidden Foster Care.” Josh became the de facto expert in this area of family law with the publication of “America’s Hidden Foster Care System” in the Stanford Law Review in 2020, and we were both pretty pumped up on the subject and on our successful DC Day when this episode was recorded.

In episode four, coming August 29, we feature Jerry Milner, formerly head of the Children’s Bureau in the federal Department of Health and Human Services. For four years, Jerry set the pace for how the federal government applied the law and distributed the funds earmarked by Congress for “child welfare.” Now he gets to speak to the subject as a “free man” and not a public servant, and he’s not holding back.

And the season will continue through November with new expert guests like these coming to you each week.

Let me encourage you to take time to check out the EPPiC Broadcast and invite your friends and family to listen, too. New episodes are released on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. Eastern and are available whenever you have the time to listen, free of charge, at Apple Podcasts , Spotify , Google Podcasts , or BuzzSprout . And you can always find new episodes on our website as well, at ParentalRightsFoundation.org/podcast .

Thank you for tuning in, and for your ongoing support of parental rights.

Reforming the Texas Foster Care System, with Andrew Brown

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 19:12:00 GMT

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast! We’re kicking off season 7 with Andrew Brown, Associate Vice President of Policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. As an attorney, Andrew has represented children in the child welfare system, advocated for the rights of parents, and helped build families through domestic and international adoption.

Andrew breaks down some recent major wins for Texas families in the child welfare system. Texas recently passed into law five bills that help families, which will take effect very soon. These new laws guarantee that parents under investigation in child welfare cases have access to legal representation, replace anonymous child abuse reporting with confidential reporting, and more. Andrew explains these recent reforms in more detail, plus how they will affect families who find themselves involved in child welfare investigations.

Foundation President Testifies before Colorado Study Committee

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 19:55:00 GMT

On July 18, I was honored to testify before the Colorado legislature’s Child Welfare System Interim Study Committee . The committee, made up of 7 representatives and 4 senators, was formed to gather information on the problems in the state’s child protection scheme and on the potential for reforms to improve outcomes. July 18 was the second of five scheduled day-long hearings for the committee.

For my portion of the program, I addressed concerns that we see nationwide directly related to the child welfare system: racial disparity, anonymous reporting, due process for child abuse registries, Child Abuse Pediatricians who “diagnose a verdict,” and the conflation of poverty with neglect.

On the matter of racial disparity, I shared the Colorado page from our 2017 report which showed that while Black children made up only 4.3% of the child population in 2016, they made up 8.9% of the foster care population. Sadly, according to the newest available data (2020), the number in the main population has remained the same (4%), but the number in the foster care population has increased dramatically (11%).

These figures show that Black children are taken into foster care at a rate that far exceeds what we should expect. There could be many reasons for this, but it is virtually inescapable that racial discrimination by government workers plays a part.

So does the conflation of poverty with neglect, since federal studies show that minority families are more likely to live at or below the poverty line.

As I explained to the panel, if a parent is willing to provide for their child but unable to do so, that is poverty. If a parent is able to care for their child but unwilling to do so, that is neglect. In Colorado’s child welfare system, it appears these terms get confused far too often, and families lose their children to foster care simply for the “crime” of being poor.

Where I spent most of my time before the committee, however, was on the dangers of anonymous calls to the child abuse hotline and the benefits of replacing these anonymous calls with confidential ones. I focused on this because we have a simple solution available , and I hoped they would be open to adopting it.

National figures reveal that 83% of all child abuse investigations are ultimately “unfounded” or “unsubstantiated.” But among those stemming from an anonymous hotline call, that number is estimated to climb to 96%. And that means 24 innocent families suffer the trauma of an investigation to locate just one family where some degree (any degree!) of abuse or neglect is found.

By replacing “anonymous” with “confidential” reports, we can prevent many innocent families from coming into contact with the system unnecessarily, which means we spare them of unwarranted trauma. And we can still find that family in need. In fact, we can do so more readily with all the resources freed up from chasing innocent families due to anonymous (and often maliciously false) hotline calls.

I was gratified to hear one lawmaker on the panel express her understanding of the dangers of these anonymous reports. She further expressed interest in supporting our model bill to fix this simple problem within the system.

Then, as time ran out (and I would not be able to respond), one final senator got to speak. I was utterly disappointed to hear her take the tired old line that “if we can find that one family where abuse is going on, then it’s worth it.”

No, senator, it’s not.

It’s not worth it to traumatize 25 families if you can do the same job and only traumatize ten. It’s not worth it to cause irreparable harm to a child’s mental health, to undermine their ability to see their parents as superman and superwoman, so that you can locate one child who, ultimately, is far more likely to be in the system for “neglect” (by which you likely mean “poverty”) than for any form of physical or sexual abuse.

This is not the 1970s. We know from multiple studies the level of trauma children face from having their sense of security destroyed by an unwarranted child welfare investigation. We even presented that information ourselves to the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in their Doe v. Woodard case. It is absolutely unconscionable that a state lawmaker would blow off these children as so much “collateral damage” to rescue one child in need.

We can save the child in need without creating twenty-four more problems on the way.

I have to hope, as these hearings continue, that wiser voices will appeal to this senator and convince her of the real harm those sharing her attitude are having on innocent children in Colorado and around the country.

We will continue to testify wherever we are able so that lawmakers can be informed of the truth, including the harm their system is inflicting and the commonsense models our website offers to correct so many of these problems.

Thank you for making it possible for me to testify by standing with us to protect children by empowering their parents!

Parental Rights’ Terrific Day in Congress

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 17:58:00 GMT

What an exciting day!

You know those mornings when you just roll out of bed, the coffee is perfect, the weather is beautiful, the birds are singing, the traffic is light, you catch every light green…? Generally, me neither.

But for the cause of parental rights, July 19 in Washington, DC, was that kind of day.

That morning, I arrived at the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress for a congressional briefing on the issue of “Hidden Foster Care,” sponsored by Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI) and the members of the Congressional Caucus on Foster Youth. The program featured a panel of Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Andrew Brown, Maryland lawyer and kinship foster parent Aubrey Edwards-Luce, and Columbia University Law School professor Josh Gupta-Kagan, author of 2020’s “America’s Hidden Foster Care System” for the Stanford Law Review .

I was part of a coalition of about 30 parental rights and family defense lawyers, activists, and organizations there to educate Congress on this problem in America’s family courts —a coalition that includes the guests on the panel that morning. (Furthermore, your Parental Rights Foundation was one of three organizations to split the cost of sponsoring the breakfast and briefing.)

In attendance were several congressional staffers, but also at least half a dozen members of Congress from both sides of the aisle. And that was only the start of our day.

With the briefing completed, our coalition partners divided into teams of three or four, with each team going to visit congressional or Senate offices throughout the rest of the day. Each team was made up of politically diverse partners to show the bipartisan nature of our concern over Hidden Foster Care and our support for a legislative solution.

What Is “Hidden Foster Care?”

When a state or local Child Protective Services agency (“CPS”) initiates an investigation of abuse or neglect, they consider whether to take the child(ren) into foster care. This requires the investigator to get court approval to remove the children, and a judge exercises oversight of the child’s placement and the plans for family reunification. This is what “foster care” looks like.

Sometimes, though, CPS wants to avoid standard foster care, so they offer the parents an alternative: rather than send their children into foster care with a stranger, they will let the parents enter a “voluntary plan” to place their children with a close friend or relative.

On the surface, it looks like a good move. And in some cases, maybe it is. A child will generally be less traumatized living with relatives they know and love than with a stranger.

But there are a lot of problems with this Hidden Foster Care system, starting with the lack of judicial oversight. This is one of the reasons we call it “hidden”: because it doesn’t show up in the courts. No judge oversees the removal, the plan of reunification (if there is one), or the question of whether a parent’s rights have been observed.

There is also the very real problem that, while CPS calls it “voluntary,” there is nothing voluntary about it. Yes, parents have to sign off on it, but they are often told, very clearly, that if they don’t agree, their children will be taken away anyway.

We don’t actually know how big these problems are, though, because there is very little data on the practice. And that’s another reason we call it “hidden”: because without data, there is also no congressional or other legislative oversight.

The Need for Data

State foster care agencies are required once a year to report data to the federal government so that we know how many children are in foster care, how long they have been there, what causes sent them there, the demographics of the families involved, and so on.

But with the Hidden Foster Care alternative, states are not required to report anything at all. A few states report anyway, and from them we extrapolate that this hidden system may have just as many children in it as the standard foster care system.

Imagine: Foster care in America may involve twice as many children as are currently reported, and we don’t know anything about the other half!

We don’t know why they are separated from their parents, who they are living with now, or how long they will be in their out-of-home placement.

They could be separated from their parents for weeks, months, or even for the rest of their childhood. We simply do not know.

Bipartisan Agreement in DC!

This was the issue we took to Congress. And it was an exciting day, as we found lawmaker after lawmaker, from either side of the aisle and from either side of the Hill (i.e., Senate or House), eager to help with a solution. Specifically, we asked them to consider a bill Gwen Moore will bring that will call for states to keep and submit data on this Hidden Foster Care system.

That’s not a full solution, of course. But it is a necessary first step. We cannot properly fix the problem until we know what it looks like, how big it is, who it is affecting, and what its outcomes are. Gathering data will answer those questions.

Our aim, across the 28 visits our teams made on July 19, was to find bipartisan, bicameral support. It’s the kind of decision that can take a congressional office weeks to make, but we wanted to educate them and lay the groundwork while we were all in town.

So, you can imagine our excitement when, at the end of the day, we got an email from a Republican senator’s office expressing a tentative interest in being the lead Senate sponsor on Rep. Gwen Moore’s bill!

Next Steps

At this date, the bill has not been introduced. It came back from bill drafting on the day of our meetings, and Rep. Moore’s office forwarded it to our coalition to look over and edit. We have spent the last week doing just that.

Once the language is finalized, though, the bill will be introduced and receive a bill number, with both Republicans and Democrats signing on as sponsors.

Once that ball gets rolling, there may come a time when we need to ask you to contact your senator or congressman and ask for their support on the bill . So please stay with us, and we’ll keep you posted on that need or other developments on this effort.

(If you’d like to give a one-time gift to defray the cost of the congressional briefing and breakfast, please do so here .)

Thank you for standing with us to protect children, including those lost to outside eyes in the Hidden Foster Care system, by empowering parents!

North Carolina Parents’ Bill of Rights Vetoed

Wed, 12 Jul 2023 14:56:00 GMT

On Wednesday, July 5, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper vetoed the “Parents’ Bill of Rights” for North Carolina schools and families. That’s the bad news.

The good news is that, in order for him to veto it, the legislature had to pass it, which they did on June 29. (Sadly, both the vote and the veto were along party lines, making a veto override unlikely.)

Senate Bill 49 , which closely resembles bills passed in other states this year ( Iowa Senate File 496 ) and last ( Florida House Bill 1557 ), would provide that “ A parent has the right to…direct the education and care of his or her child,” to “direct the upbringing and moral or religious training of his or her child,” and “to make health care decisions for his or her child, ” among other basic family rights.

Unfortunately, it drew opposition from lawmakers (including Governor Cooper) who opposed its provisions to prohibit public schools from teaching sex ed related courses in kindergarten through third grade and to notify parents whenever there is a change in their child’s mental or physical health or a change in the child’s name at school.

Upon signing his veto, Cooper said the bill would “hamper . . . the important and sometimes lifesaving role of educators as trusted advisers when students have nowhere else to turn,” implying that parents cannot be trusted with their child’s physical or mental health.

The US Supreme Court has established the legal presumption “that natural bonds of affection lead parents to act in the best interests of their children” ( Parham v. J.R. , 442 U.S. 584 [1979] at 602). But Cooper apparently believes public school officials have all the skill and knowledge they need to override this legal presumption on their own authority .

This is in direct conflict with the constitutional standard of parental rights.

There are currently many different opinions on the questions of gender and sexuality. But on this much we are clear: government agents, including in our public schools, should not be keeping secrets from parents about their minor children.

To quote from the Parham case again, “The law’s concept of family rests on the presumption that parents possess what a child lacks in maturity, experience, and capacity for judgment required for making life’s difficult decisions” ( ibid ).

Apparently, it is exactly this parental capacity for judgment that Governor Cooper wants to keep out of North Carolina’s classrooms. And that is simply wrong.

While this defeat is disappointing, it was not unexpected. Nor is it the end.

Every year, we work with faithful volunteer leaders and allied organizations in the states to promote new policies and legislative models to protect children by empowering their parents, as S.B. 49 would have done. Sometimes, the work is easy, and the bill passes in a single legislative session. But that is the exception.

More often, a bill takes several years and must be brought back through three to five legislative sessions (sometimes more!) before it passes. Florida’s Parents’ Bill of Rights, which passed in 2020, was first introduced three sessions prior. Iowa’s Senate File 496, which just passed this spring, was on its second session, our fundamental parental rights language having first been introduced in 2021.

So, we are not giving up on North Carolina or any of the other states where parental rights failed to pass this year.

I enjoy it much more when I get to tell you about the wins, like this year’s victories in Iowa, Alabama, and North Dakota . But it is the temporary setbacks that tell us we still have so much work left to do.

Children and families are at stake, so we cannot stop now.

Would you join us to bring this issue back next year in the states that came up short in 2023? Could you pass along this or any of our recent emails to your friends and family and ask them to sign up at ParentalRightsFoundation.org to follow our alerts for their own state?

And could you partner with us today with your best gift to keep us moving forward to fresh victories in the year ahead?

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents—those who know, love, and defend them best!

Texas-Sized Wins for Families

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 15:09:00 GMT

This legislative season, while we were supporting and encouraging fundamental parental rights legislation in more than a dozen states, including the ones passed in North Dakota, Iowa, and Alabama , allies were at work promoting some of our other models in the big state of Texas. And they came away with some real Texas-sized wins for innocent families.

Texas House Bill 730 is an omnibus child-welfare reform bill, meaning it amended several sections of Texas law regarding child abuse investigations. Most n\otably, amendments to Section 261.307 of the Texas code include a substantial amount of the language offered in our model Child Protect Investigations Reform Act .

With these changes to Texas law, any parent who is the subject of a child abuse investigation will be entitled to know their rights from the outset of the investigation. They will receive a written summary of their rights, as well as a list of “the known allegations the department is investigating.” They also have rights to “not speak with any agent of the department without legal counsel present,” to “withhold consent to any medical or psychological examination of the child,” and to “consult with legal counsel prior to agreeing to any proposed voluntary safety plan.”

And these are only a few of the rights enumerated in our model and adopted into this new Texas law.

H.B. 730 passed the House on May 1 and the Senate on May 15, was signed by Governor Greg Abbott on June 9, and goes into effect on September 1.

Equally exciting is Texas House Bill 63 , a bill relating to reports of child abuse and neglect. Specifically, this bill added to Section 261.104 of the Texas Family Code that a report of abuse or neglect must include “the facts that caused the individual to believe the child has been abused or neglected and the source of the information” including “the individual’s name and telephone number” and a home or business address.

We refer to this as “Confidential Reporting,” as opposed to the practice of “Anonymous Reporting” that it replaces.

Like H.B. 730, this bill also draws on language from the Parental Rights Foundation website, namely our Confidential Reporting model.

Too often, bad actors (such as jilted exes or nosey neighbors) use anonymous reporting to hide the fact that they are making false claims of abuse in an effort to weaponize the system. By requiring callers to leave their name and other identifying information, Texas hopes to cut way down on these malicious false reports, freeing up resources to locate and help those children who are actually suffering abuse. And that is our expectation, too.

H.B. 63 passed the Texas House on April 26 and the Senate on May 18. This bill was also signed by Governor Abbott on June 9 and goes into effect on September 1.

While we were not actively part of passing either of these Texas bills, focusing our resources instead in areas where we were most needed, we are proud to have been a key part of the process. By drafting our models and escorting them through the adoption procedure at the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), we can serve up good language that other organizations and lawmakers can use to improve their state’s laws for families.

Anyone in any state can do with our models what the lawmakers and organizations in Texas have done with these.

I am grateful for the individuals and organizations who helped draft and edit these models so that they can pass the conservative-leaning ALEC process but still be free of red flags for the Left, as well. With such bipartisan collaboration, we have been able to present models that can work in any state.

In this case, special recognition is due to Andrew Brown and his team at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. Andrew was part of the drafting of these models, and his organization helped steer these bills through the Texas legislature and on to victory this year.

Watch for Andrew to appear as my guest on the EPPiC Broadcast when we return for season seven this August, as well! We have already scheduled a date to talk over these and other Texas bills and what they will mean for families in the Lone Star State.

In short, while we continue to work with volunteers and lawmakers in some states, like Iowa and Alabama, we also provide models that others can run with to bring victories in their states without requiring our direct involvement. This allows our small organization to have a tremendous reach, and the outcome for Texas this year has been game changing.

Thank you for standing with us, for supporting us , and for empowering us to protect children by empowering parents. You make all these victories possible!

Parental Rights Fundamental in 18 States

Thu, 22 Jun 2023 15:48:00 GMT

On June 16, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed into law House Bill 6 , a bill championed by State Representative Kenneth Paschal to codify parental rights as fundamental in the state’s code. The bill was based closely on the model bill that we drafted and recently presented to the American Legislative Exchange Council, so we were heavily involved in its path through the legislature. From drafting to prefiling to responding to attacks or proposed amendments, we worked closely with Rep. Paschal to keep the effort on course.

Now, its passage makes Alabama the 18th state in the nation to formalize this protection, following North Dakota’s and Iowa’s additions to the list on May 6 and May 26, respectively.

While the number varies by interpretation, roughly twice as many states ( approximately 32 ) recognize fundamental parental rights and call for strict scrutiny as a matter of judicial precedent . Yet only 18 states have included them as part of the state’s written laws so far.

Alabama’s addition to the list came down to the proverbial wire.

Although the bill passed the House on a bipartisan 87–8 vote and passed the Senate unanimously, both votes came in the final weeks of the session (May 24 and May 31, respectively). This left the bill, although strongly popular with the legislature, subject to the governor’s “pocket veto.” That is, any bill passed late in the session must be signed by June 16, or else it stands as vetoed, even without a specific veto action.

This made the week of June 12 a nailbiter for our team and for our many supporters in Alabama. Only, we did more than just bite our nails.

We sent email alerts to hundreds of Alabamans, who in turn called the governor’s office to urge her to sign the bill. Sometimes we send these emails and then wonder if you’re reading them and if you’re taking the time to call. So I was gratified the day after our email went out to hear from a third party that the governor’s office was getting our calls!

Still, Wednesday passed, and though a few bills were signed, H.B. 6 was not among them. And then Thursday passed, as well.

Finally, we got word from Rep. Paschal on Friday that the governor had signed the bill early that morning. Parental rights are now protected as fundamental in Alabama law!

This new law provides , in part, that

“The government may not burden the fundamental rights of parents to direct the education, upbringing, care, and control of their child unless the government demonstrates that the application of the burden is narrowly tailored to a compelling state interest and the government uses the least restrictive means possible to further that interest.”

In so stating, the bill references the Supreme Court of the United States and the Supreme Court of Alabama, both of which have recognized such a fundamental right.

I am grateful to Kenneth Paschal, whom I have known to be a friend of parental rights for more than a decade—since before he was ever elected to the legislature! And I am grateful beyond words to all of you in Alabama who received our email and responded to the call. Thanks to your timely efforts, roughly 1.9 million families in Alabama (Source: United States Census Bureau 2020 census) are safer tonight —or will be, when this new law goes into effect in three months.

Now the question arises: which state will be next? Might it be yours?

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents in North Dakota, Iowa, Alabama, and all across the country!

The post Parental Rights Fundamental in 18 States appeared first on Parental Rights Foundation .

Parental Rights Foundation Names New President, VP

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 16:15:00 GMT

The Board of ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation announced today that Michael Ramey has been appointed the next president of both national parental rights organizations.

Ramey, who has been with the organizations in various capacities for the last 15 years, will succeed outgoing president Will Estrada on June 26. Estrada is returning to his passion for homeschooling by taking a position as senior counsel with the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA).

Michael Ramey began with ParentalRights.org as Director of Communications and Research in August, 2008. He quickly grasped the importance of the parental rights cause and studied to become knowledgeable in the particular subject matter. He also led an efficient and effective communications team, leading to his being named Deputy Director (alongside his continuing communications role) in 2015. When the organization restructured in 2017, Michael was named executive director, a position he has held since.

As a result, Ramey has played a role in nearly every effort of ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation since the organizations’ inception.

“I am thrilled that the board has selected Michael Ramey to serve as the next president of PRO/PRF and only the second full-time president in PRO/PRF’s 16-year history,” said out-going president Will Estrada. “This unanimous decision by the board reflects what I saw first-hand: Michael’s dedication, vision, and passion for parental rights is second to none. The successes we have had over the past decade would not have happened without Michael’s leadership and steady hand, and I know he will bring the cause of parental rights to an even higher level.”

At the same time, the board announced the election of constitutional law professor and former U.S. magistrate judge William Wagner as the organizations’ new vice-president.

Wagner, an internationally recognized expert in constitutional law, has served as a federal judge in the Unites States Courts, legal counsel in the U.S. Senate, and Chief Counsel of the Michigan Senate Judiciary Committee. He also served as Senior Assistant United States Attorney in the Department of Justice and as an American diplomat and Senior Advisor for Global Criminal Justice at the U.S. Department of State.

Wagner also served as vice-president of ParentalRights.org previously, from 2008 to 2014.

“I am excited to see what the future holds under this passionate new leadership,” said board chairman Jim Mason, himself a former president of the organization.

ParentalRights.org was founded in 2007 and the Parental Rights Foundation in 2014, to protect children by empowering parents through education, policy, legislation, and political advocacy. The ultimate goal of ParentalRights.org is to secure the fundamental rights of parents in the text of the U.S. Constitution.

The Parental Rights Foundation and ParentalRights.org wish Will Estrada all the best in his new role with HSLDA.

Urgent: Time Running Out on Alabama Parental Rights Bill

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 07:41:48 GMT

Alabama’s fundamental parental rights bill, House Bill 6 , is running out of time and we need your help immediately.

H.B. 6, championed by Rep. Kenneth Paschal , received bipartisan support in the House, where it passed by a vote of 87-8 (plus 7 not voting and 3 abstained) on May 24, and again in the Senate, where it passed unanimously on May 31. Now it needs only the signature of Governor Kay Ivey to become law.

After months of debates and amendments in the legislature, this should be the easy part. Instead, we are hours away from the governor’s “pocket veto,” which will go into effect if the bill is not signed this week. (The “pocket veto” means that any bill not signed by this Friday is essentially vetoed, even without a specific veto action.)

This excellent bill, which establishes that parental rights are fundamental and that they may not be burdened by the state except under strict judicial scrutiny, deserves a better destiny than the pocket veto. It deserves to be signed into Alabama law!

And that’s where you come in.

Please take a moment right now, before you close this email, to call the governor’s office and urge her to sign H.B. 6 relating to fundamental parental rights.

You will need to call her office at (334) 242-7100 and leave a message asking her to stand with Alabama’s families by signing H.B. 6 into law immediately.

Your message should be in your own words, clearly mention H.B. 6, and express appreciation for her commitment to doing what is right for Alabama’s families. You might say something like the following:

Thank you for working to do what is right for Alabama’s families. Right now, would you please stand with us by signing H.B. 6 into law immediately? This bill will preserve and protect the proper level of respect for parental rights in our state. Thank you.

Once you have called, please forward this email to any friends and family you have in Alabama and encourage them to make a call, as well.

Together we can protect children by empowering parents through this excellent addition to Alabama’s laws.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey

Executive Director

Foundation Files Brief with Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Critical Parental Rights Case

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 14:58:00 GMT

On Tuesday, we submitted an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) brief in a critical parental rights case pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta, Georgia. This powerful federal court is just one step below the U.S. Supreme Court, so this critical case could determine the future of parental rights in our nation . The case, Littlejohn v. School Board of Leon County, Florida, et al, deals with whether a public school can lie to the parents of a 13-year-old girl.

This brief follows one we filed earlier this year in a similar parental rights case pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Boston, Massachusetts. That case, Foote, et al v. Ludlow, et al, remains pending, and as it progresses, we will let you know about key updates.

In Littlejohn v. School Board of Leon County, Florida, et al, a mom and dad are suing their local public school in Leon County, Florida, after finding out that the public school was encouraging their then-13 year-year-old daughter to lie to them, deceive them about her gender identity, and change her name and gender only when in public school.

Our brief is in support of the parents and their lawsuit. We made it clear to the Eleventh Circuit that this is not really a case about the gender identity of a 13-year-old; this case is about whether a public school can tell a young student to keep secrets from her parents about something as basic as her name or gender identity. This case is about whether parents have the most basic right imaginable: the right to know what is going on with their daughter when she is in public school.

Notably, unlike our brief to the First Circuit, we were unable to obtain consent from the attorneys representing the school to file our brief. Normally, and as a professional courtesy, both parties, plaintiffs and defendants, routinely give consent to organizations like Parental Rights Foundation and others to submit friend of the court briefs. We readily obtained consent from the attorneys for the parents, but— and we don’t want to speculate why— were unable to obtain consent from the school. This did not deter us – we simply filed a motion with the Eleventh Circuit telling the Court what was going on, and respectfully requesting the Eleventh Circuit to grant us permission to file our amicus curiae brief. You can read that motion here .

Our brief did two things: we went back to the beginning and explained to the Eleventh Circuit the history of parental rights, showing that this “inalienable right” predates our Constitution and even government itself. Then we went through almost 100 years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent, concluding that “parental rights are fundamental.”

Then we used the Eleventh Circuit’s own precedent in parental rights cases to show how the parents should easily win this lawsuit.

We encourage you to read our brief for yourself. While “amicus curiae brief” may sound like undecipherable lawyer-speak, ours is a simple argument. We wrote this brief to show the Eleventh Circuit that this is a simple case: public schools cannot lie to parents and tell a thirteen-year-old student to also lie to her parents. We wrote this brief to help not just the Eleventh Circuit, but more importantly to help moms, dads, grandparents, and policymakers around the nation see that parental rights are truly the foundation of our communities, our public schools, and yes, our nation.

We want to express our sincere thanks to Professor William Wagner, a member of the Board of Directors of Parental Rights Foundation, for his assistance in drafting this brief and our motion. We also want to express our sincere thanks to our legal intern, Sarah McAndrew of Liberty University School of Law, for her assistance in the drafting of this brief.

This is now the fifth amicus curiae brief we have drafted in the past few years to help courts understand the importance of parental rights as a fundamental right. We are building this body of research to help courts across our nation respect and protect parental rights, while we continue to build support for our ultimate goal: passage of the Parental Rights Amendment to the US Constitution to enshrine once and for all parental rights as fundamental in the text of the Constitution.

Maine Parental Rights Amendment Headed to Committee

Tue, 23 May 2023 20:44:00 GMT

We are excited to let you know that L.D. 1953 , a proposed parental rights amendment to the Maine Constitution, will be heard by the Committee on Judiciary tomorrow, May 24, at 10 AM in the State House, Room 438.

This powerful amendment to the Maine Constitution will establish that “All parental rights are reserved to the parent of a minor child in this State without obstruction or interference from the State, any of its political subdivisions, including, but not limited to, a school board, school district or school administrative unit, or any other governmental entity.”

If passed by the Maine Legislature and adopted by Maine voters as a part of the Maine Constitution, Maine would become the first state in the nation to explicitly protect parental rights in a state constitution.

Please call your Maine State Representative and ask him or her to support L.D. 1953. Your message can be as simple as the following:

While the U.S. Supreme Court has protected parental rights as fundamental for the past 100 years (you can read our recent amicus curiae brief to the First Circuit Court of Appeals laying out this history), it is imperative that we put this language into the Maine Constitution to make sure that future courts do not weaken parental rights. You can find more helpful resources about why this language is so important here .

Please forward this email to a couple of friends and family in Maine and ask them to also contact their representatives and ask them to support HL.D. 1953. Together, we can protect families in Maine for generations to come!

Please stand with families in Maine and support L.D. 1953 to protect parental rights in the text of the Maine Constitution. This powerful amendment will protect parental rights in Maine for generations to come.

Adoption and Foster Family Advocacy with Laura Adams

Tue, 23 May 2023 18:20:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Laura Adams, founder of FACTS4safefamilies.com , which provides education, support, and advocacy to improve understanding of adoptive and foster children and complex trauma. Laura explains how through her work with international adoption and parenting her own adopted children with special needs, she saw firsthand the challenges that exist in getting the proper assessments and support in schools, especially in mental healthcare. Laura is an advocate for attachment-based interventions and today works to transform school social work to provide better outcomes for adopted and foster children.

Victory in Iowa!

Thu, 18 May 2023 16:11:00 GMT

We want to share with you a tremendous victory : Iowa is poised to become the 16 ^th state in the nation to protect parental rights as fundamental in state code . As of today, the bill has passed the legislature and awaits only the governor’s signature, which is expected at any time!

It was the most unlikely of victories. For starters, our bill, Iowa House File 486 , “An Act relating to fundamental parental rights,” died in early March. So how could we possibly be celebrating a victory in Iowa eight weeks later?

We have seen the impossible happen more than once to bring us to this moment.

First, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds had a priority bill, Senate File 496 , that she wanted the legislature to pass. It contained language enumerating major parental rights and specified that parental rights were not limited to those listed. As we studied her bill, we realized she could not achieve the rights and legal safeguards she wanted without a proper recognition of parental rights as fundamental.

And we already had the solution at hand! Our fundamental parental rights bill that had been twice introduced by Representative Eddie Andrews, but stalled in negotiations with hostile lobbying groups, could be resurrected to preserve fundamental parental rights through an amendment to the governor’s bill!

So, our volunteer state coordinator, Barb Heki, went back to work. Barb consulted with Rep. Andrews , as well as our friends at The Family Leader , and then met with the influential senator in charge of the bill, Senator Ken Rozenboom , chair of the Senate Education Committee and the bill’s floor manager, who agreed to include our fundamental parental rights language in SF 496.

In a post-victory Facebook post, Barb described Sen. Rozenboom like this: “I am not in his district, yet he listened to me. In fact, he listened to everyone—to those who oppose his bills, or portions of them, and to those who support them. He is extremely conscientious and responsive, researches things thoroughly, listens to all sides, and actually considers all sides. He was very careful to make sure that children would be protected from abuse without sacrificing the overall standard of protecting fundamental parental rights. He has the respect of fellow senators, as I heard over and over from those I talked with.”

We also started working the phones, engaging and joining national organizations—including HSLDA and Alliance Defending Freedom —to educate lawmakers on the need for this “fundamental” language.

The path of this bill to victory, which Barb called “a chain of miracles by God,” was anything but simple .

It passed the Iowa Senate and went to the Iowa House. It passed the House as well, but with some significant amendments. That meant it had to go back to the Senate to approve the House amendments. Or it could go to a joint committee to iron out the differences between the House and Senate versions, then go back to both houses for passage.

That’s when another amazing event occurred.

As SF 496 approached its final negotiations and votes, we discovered that along the way dangerous language had been added that would exempt CPS investigators, law enforcement, and any state employee involved even tangentially with child welfare from the strong parental rights protections the bill was intended to preserve . (As you may have guessed, hostile lobbying groups that want to limit parental rights convinced legislators that this language was necessary.) We and our allies immediately worked to remove this language, including providing expert legal guidance and analysis. Yet on Friday night before a possible Monday vote, Barb was told that it would not be changed.

That weekend, Rep. Andrews and Sen. Rozenboom had a long discussion involving the history of parental rights, past and current abuses of parental rights, the legal ramifications of the wording and all the iterations that had been attempted for several years with Rep. Andrews’ bills, and the bottom-line wording that was needed to protect children while preserving the fundamental rights of parents.

That crucial conversation tipped the scales and Sen. Rozenboom agreed that the “loophole” language, which would have crippled the parental rights protections in the bill, would be eliminated. It was a complete turnaround, and a thorough victory. The bill ultimately passed the Iowa legislature and awaits Governor Reynolds’ signature into law!

We are also grateful to several Iowa-based groups whose efforts also contributed to the success of this bill, including Iowa Liberty Network , Moms for Liberty Iowa , Homeschool Iowa , Iowans for Freedom , and Protect My Innocence .

Our Volunteer State Leaders Make the Difference

Barb now joins the ranks of other hero volunteers in the history of the Parental Rights Foundation and our parent organization, ParentalRights.org. Like Tracey Montgomery in Oklahoma in 2014, Jan Loftus in Wyoming in 2017, and Patti Sullivan in Florida in 2021, Barb Heki in 2023 was the primary reason that her state passed legislation protecting parental rights as fundamental .

Tracey, Jan, Patti, and Barb are four of our fantastic Parental Rights state coordinators. They put in years of toil meeting with legislators, attending hearings, seeing their bills get defeated, but never quitting. And today, every single family in their states is protected because of their efforts. (Iowa families will be soon!)

There are many, many more moms and dads like Tracey, Jan, Patti, and Barb, who continue working in their states. Many of them recently joined us for our very first “fly-in” on Capitol Hill. We salute them and the countless parents who make visits, email and call your legislators; you make these victories possible!

Your Turn?

This brings me to an important invitation: We are renewing our efforts to have a volunteer coordinator in every congressional district in the nation. (There are 435 congressional districts, so we need YOU!) You may not have the connections Barb and the others do (although, neither did some of them just a few years ago). But if you have a passion for families and a heart for parental rights, you could take up the mantle in your district!

We prepare to celebrate Iowa becoming the 16 ^th state in the nation to protect parental rights as fundamental in state law. But there are still 34 states to go. We need YOU to protect parental rights at the state level. And we know that, in order to get the Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution passed and ratified, we will need many more volunteer parents and grandparents all across the nation.

To apply, please email your name, state, congressional district (or your address if you don’t know your district), and a brief bio explaining why you’re interested, to Michael@parentalrights.org .

Conclusion

Just a few weeks ago, we at the Parental Rights Foundation were starting to get discouraged by all the parental rights bills that failed to make it across the finish line this legislative season. But this victory in the Iowa legislature completely turned that around.

Not only will Iowa soon become the 16 ^th state to preserve parental rights as fundamental in legislative code, but our bills to reform CPS and protect innocent families have passed in Virginia, Montana, and elsewhere. Bills in other states are also showing new signs of life just in the last two weeks. We will report more on these in the weeks ahead.

Thank you for standing with us in Iowa and across the nation as, together, we protect children by empowering parents through state legislation like Iowa SF 496.

Advocating for Parents with Erin Phillips

Tue, 16 May 2023 18:16:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Erin Phillips, president of Power2Parent , an organization uniting parents who want to advocate for their children’s education. Erin discusses her journey in advocating for her parental rights in her own children’s education and how Power2Parent was formed to give parents in her home state of Nevada and across the country the power to speak up for themselves and their children in our public schools.

Call for Alabama House to Vote on Fundamental Parental Rights

Mon, 15 May 2023 18:06:00 GMT

Alabama State Representative Kenneth Paschal’s H.B. 6, The Parental Rights Protection Act , was POSTPONED when it was originally scheduled for a vote on the Alabama House Floor on May 2. (This powerful bill will make Alabama the 17 ^th state in the nation to protect parental rights as fundamental in state code.)

Due to that postponement, we urgently need your help to get this bill across the finish line in the Alabama House. Please call and email your Alabama state representative with the following message:

You can find contact information for your Alabama state representative by typing in your address here .

When you email your Alabama state representative, you can also include a link to a video we produced about the importance of bills like H.B. 6. You can also include a link to the written testimony in support of H.B. 6 submitted by constitutional law professor and Parental Rights Foundation board member William Wagner.

Then, please forward this email to 2 or 3 (or more!) friends and family in Alabama and encourage them to make their voices heard in support of protecting families in Alabama. Together, we can make Alabama the 17 ^th state in the nation to preserve this fundamental right!

As one of your constituents, I respectfully ask you to stand with Alabama families and vote in support of H.B. 6, the Parental Rights Protection Act. This bill will codify in Alabama state code existing Supreme Court precedent and preserve Alabama’s families from unnecessary and harmful state overreach. This bill reflects the fundamental truth that the best way to protect children is by empowering parents. Sixteen states have already done this. It is time for Alabama to join them and become the 17th state to protect parental rights as fundamental in state law. Thank you.

Parental Rights Amendment to Louisiana Constitution to be voted on TOMORROW!

Mon, 15 May 2023 09:51:44 GMT

We are excited to let you know that the Louisiana House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on H.B. 152 , a proposed parental rights amendment to the Louisiana Constitution, tomorrow (Tuesday) when they come into session at 1 PM.

This powerful amendment, introduced by State Representative Beryl Amedee , will enshrine parental rights into the Louisiana Constitution for generations to come.

Please call and email your Louisiana state representative and ask him or her to stand with families and support H.B. 152. Your message can be as simple as the following:

“Please stand with families in Louisiana and vote for H.B. 152 to protect parental rights in the text of the Louisiana Constitution. This powerful amendment will protect parental rights in Louisiana for generations to come.”

While the U.S. Supreme Court has protected parental rights as fundamental for the past 100 years (you can read our recent amicus curiae brief to the First Circuit Court of Appeals laying out this history), it is imperative that we put this language into the Louisiana Constitution to make sure that future courts do not weaken parental rights. You can find more helpful resources about why this language is so important here .

I was privileged to testify in support of H.B. 152 on Monday, May 8, when it was heard in committee, and we were thrilled when it was unanimously voted out of Committee. You can also read the written testimony submitted by one of our board members, Professor William Wagner. (Feel free to include a link to this testimony when you email your representative.)

Then, please forward this email to a couple of friends and family in Louisiana and ask them to also contact their representatives and ask them to support H.B. 152. Together, we can protect families in Louisiana for generations to come!

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

A Momentous Step Forward in Louisiana and for the Nation

Thu, 11 May 2023 14:50:00 GMT

On Monday, the Louisiana State House of Representatives’ Civil Law Committee unanimously approved a proposed parental rights amendment to the Louisiana State Constitution. I was privileged to attend the hearing and present testimony in support, along with parents and allied organizations. Constitutional law professor and Parental Rights Foundation board member William Wagner provided written testimony , as well.

And the sponsor of the proposed amendment, Louisiana State Representative Beryl Amedee , deserves huge credit for her visionary leadership in advancing this bipartisan amendment. We also want to thank Homeschool Louisiana and Health Freedom Louisiana for attending the hearing and their strong support on this critical amendment.

This is a huge step forward for the cause of parental rights, both in Louisiana and across the nation. For almost 30 years, parents and their allies had feared trying to amend state constitutions to protect parental rights because of a shocking defeat at the hands of Colorado voters in 1996.

However, in the spring of 2020, many parents were doing remote work at the kitchen table alongside their children attending “Zoom school.” Those parents, seeing what was going on in their children’s schools (and not liking it!), have made parental rights a key national issue.

We and our allies across the nation felt that the time was ripe to begin working on amending state constitutions to protect parental rights , as well as continuing our work to protect parental rights in state laws . And with the return of the Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in Congress, this multi-pronged strategy is bearing fruit.

Already, the Texas Senate has passed a parental rights amendment to the Texas Constitution; it is now pending in the Texas House.

And the Iowa legislature recently sent S.F. 496 to Governor Kim Reynolds’ desk. If signed into law, as is widely expected, Iowa will join 15 other states in protecting parental rights as fundamental in state code.

We are thrilled with these victories. We know that we have our work cut out for us, however, as there have also been defeats this legislative season. But together, parents are standing up to protect our precious children.

Challenging CPS Overreach with Peter Kamakawiwoole

Tue, 09 May 2023 19:39:00 GMT

This week, Homeschool Legal Defense Association staff attorney Peter Kamakawiwoole returns to the Eppic Broadcast. Peter tells us about a case that he litigated on behalf of a mom who found herself dealing with an invasive CPS investigation including strip searches of her young children – all because she left her children in the car for a few minutes to buy coffee and muffins.

Parental Rights Amendment in Texas House Committee

Thu, 04 May 2023 14:53:00 GMT

On April 19, the Texas Senate passed Senate Joint Resolution 70 proposing an amendment to enshrine parental rights in the Texas Constitution. The bill is currently awaiting a hearing and vote in the State Affairs Committee of the Texas House of Representatives.

If passed by the House and adopted by the Texas voters in the November 7 elections, SJRes 70 will add language to the Texas Constitution assuring that “[a] parent has the inherent right to exercise care, custody, and control of the parent’s child and to make decisions for the upbringing of the parent’s child, including but not limited to decisions regarding the education, moral and religious training, and health care of the child.”

This excellent provision would secure in the Texas Constitution the fundamental rights of parents already upheld by the US Supreme Court for the last 100 years, but recently threatened through overreach by government actors in many areas, including schools, courts, and “child protective services.”

(The provision will not end the government’s appropriate role in protecting children from abuse or neglect. While a super majority of states already recognize such parental rights in their courts, law enforcement and public schools continue to do their jobs to provide for children.)

However, for this measure to reach the voters in November, it must be adopted by the House this month, and that means the House State Affairs Committee needs to take up and support this bill.

We salute the Texas Home School Coalition ( THSC ) and Texas Family Freedom Project for leading the way on this resolution, and today we urge you to join us in supporting their effort by reaching out to your lawmakers.

Please take a moment today to contact your member of the Texas House and urge him or her to vote in favor of SJRes 70 when it comes before them. Then, reach out to the members of the State Affairs Committee as well and urge them to hear and pass this bill.

Your message should be in your own words, but can be as simple as the following:

Then, please forward this email to 2 or 3 other friends or family members in Texas and ask them to join you by urging their representatives to act on this important resolution.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents in the Lone Star State!

I would urge you to support SJRes. 70, the Parental Rights Amendment, with a favorable vote (in the State Affairs Committee). This amendment will preserve for generations to come the standard of protection for families that is currently upheld in our courts, but that has come under increasing attack from overbearing state actors. Now is the time to preserve these rights, before they are eroded and taken away. Please call for a hearing on this measure and vote in favor when it comes before you. Thank you.

Why We Fight for the Parental Rights Amendment

Thu, 04 May 2023 14:50:00 GMT

The Parental Rights Foundation is leading a coalition of allied organizations to amend the US Constitution with these words: “The liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children is a fundamental right.”

There are many reasons why the Parental Rights Amendment is so important. The debates raging across our nation over whether parents should be involved in or even know what is going on in public schools with their own children are one reason. But there is another: the growing threat posed to parental rights by the UN and other international bodies.

So declared a report released on March 8, 2023, by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), an international legal body with numerous links to the United Nations. (For example, the current ICJ president, Professor Robert Goldman , previously served as the UN Human Rights Commission’s Independent Expert on the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism.)

This ignited a firestorm . Was this international body calling for age-of-consent laws to be abolished? Was it actually saying that all that matters is consent, and that an 11-year-old girl could consent to sex with her 40-year-old guidance counselor? Was the ICJ calling for child prostitution to be legalized?

Perhaps realizing that either the ICJ report had crossed a line or this body of international lawyers had failed to be precise with what they wrote (maybe intentionally?), the UN issued the following clarification on April 18:

The Center for Family & Human Rights (C-Fam), which works to protect our nation’s sovereignty and parental rights at the UN, also released a detailed analysis of the ICJ report, and some of the reporting following it. We encourage you to read C-Fam’s analysis here .

The clarification from the UN was good. But it still doesn’t address numerous other major dangers posed to US families by international bodies or UN treaties like the Convention on the Rights of the Child . And that is why we continue to fight to protect parental rights in the black and white of the US Constitution through the Parental Rights Amendment.

You see, as long as parental rights are not found in the black and white of the US Constitution, an international treaty ratified with the consent of the U.S. Senate could eliminate parental rights . The Parental Rights Amendment to the Constitution would protect families in the US from this looming international threat once and for all. It would protect parental rights as a fundamental, God-given right, strengthening family freedom from government coercion at the local, state, and federal level. And no matter what the ICJ or UN or any other international body said in the future, it would ensure that our country protects children by preserving parental rights and family freedom for generations to come.

Thank you for standing with us to support and promote this vital constitutional amendment!

Sexual conduct involving persons below the domestically prescribed minimum age of consent to sex may be consensual in fact, if not in law.

“… the report released by the International Commission of Jurists in March has recently been misrepresented on a number of websites. It did not call for the decriminalization of sex with children, nor did it call for the abolition of the age of consent. … The UN is resolute in fighting the sexual exploitation of children, upholds that sexual exploitation and abuse of children is a crime, and supports countries to protect children.”

Join Parental Rights Foundation President and OCEANetwork Homeschoolers in Salem on Thursday!

Wed, 03 May 2023 16:45:00 GMT

Parental Rights Foundation president Will Estrada is the keynote speaker at OCEANetwork’s annual Apple Pie Day at the Capitol in Salem on Thursday, May 4. This event runs from 10 to 2 with Will featured at the 12:00 rally.

We invite you to come out and meet Will and hear his interactive talks about how to lobby effectively, the history of parental rights, and why homeschool freedom and parental rights are so important. Other speakers and elected officials will also be in attendance and speaking.

You can find out more information and register at https://www.oceanetwork.org/ApplePieDay/

In addition , Will is going to be speaking on parental rights across the nation and how you can join this battle to protect children by empowering parents on the evening of Thursday, May 4, at Faith Baptist Church, 3345 Cordon Road, NE, Salem, OR 97305. Doors will open at 6:30 PM.

We are grateful to our friends at OCEANetwork for standing for homeschool freedom, and we are thrilled to be supporting them. We hope to see you in Salem on Thursday, at either or both of these events!

Fighting for Reasonable Childhood Independence, with Diane Redleaf

Tue, 02 May 2023 20:23:00 GMT

This week, we welcome Diane Redleaf back to the Eppic Broadcast. Diane is the author of They Took the Kids Last Night and founder of the Family Defense Center . Diane is working with Let Grow to pass legislation in Virginia and Utah that protects reasonable childhood independence, the idea that children should be able to pursue age-appropriate activities on their own without the threat of their parents being reported for child neglect. Reasonable independence laws have already been passed in Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado, and Diane is hopeful to expand these laws to more states in the future.

Parental Rights Amendment to Louisiana Constitution hearing on Monday!

Tue, 02 May 2023 13:40:00 GMT

We are excited to let you know that Louisiana State Representative Beryl Amedee has introduced a powerful parental rights amendment to the Louisiana Constitution, H.B. 152 .

H.B. 152 has a hearing on Monday, May 8, at 10 AM. I will be in Baton Rouge to testify in support of H.B. 152 before the House Civil Law Committee.

If passed and ratified, it will enshrine the following language in the Louisiana Constitution for generations to come: “The freedom of a parent in the nurture, education, care, custody, and control of the parent’s child is a fundamental right and shall not be infringed. Any restriction on this right shall be subject to strict scrutiny.”

While the U.S. Supreme Court has held this for the past 100 years (you can read our recent amicus curiae brief to the First Circuit Court of Appeals laying out this history), it is imperative we put this language into the Louisiana Constitution to make sure that future courts do not weaken parental rights. You can find more helpful resources about why this language is so important here .

Please call your Louisiana State Representative and ask him or her to stand with families and support H.B. 152. Your message can be as simple as the following:

Then, please forward this email to a couple friends and family in Louisiana and ask them to also support this amendment, and to sign up for our emails (we will NEVER share your email address!) so they can help in this critical effort. Together, we can protect families in Louisiana for generations to come!

“Please stand with families in Louisiana and support H.B. 152, to protect parental rights in the text of the Louisiana Constitution. This powerful amendment will preserve parental rights in Louisiana for generations to come.”

Call Now! Alabama House to Vote Tuesday on Fundamental Parental Rights

Fri, 28 Apr 2023 14:36:00 GMT

Alabama State Representative Kenneth Paschal’s H.B. 6, The Parental Rights Protection Act , has been scheduled for a vote on the Alabama House Floor on Tuesday, May 2 ! This powerful bill will make Alabama the 17 ^th state in the nation to protect parental rights as fundamental in state code.

Now, we urgently need your help to get this bill across the finish line in the Alabama House. Please call and email your Alabama state representative with the following message:

As one of your constituents, I respectfully ask you to stand with Alabama families and vote in support of H.B. 6, the Parental Rights Protection Act. This bill will codify in Alabama state code existing Supreme Court precedent and preserve Alabama’s families from unnecessary and harmful state overreach. This bill reflects the fundamental truth that the best way to protect children is by empowering parents. Sixteen states have already done this. It is time for Alabama to join them and become the 17 ^th state to protect parental rights as fundamental in state law. Thank you.

You can find contact information for your Alabama state representative by typing in your address here .

Then, please do one more thing: forward this email to 2 or 3 (or more!) friends and family in Alabama and encourage them to make their voices heard in support of protecting families in Alabama. Together, we can make Alabama the 17 ^th state in the nation to preserve this fundamental right!

Join Parental Rights Foundation President and Homeschool Louisiana in Baton Rouge on Monday!

Thu, 27 Apr 2023 20:33:00 GMT

Parental Rights Foundation president Will Estrada is the keynote speaker at Homeschool Louisiana’s Homeschool Day at the Capitol in Baton Rouge on Monday, May 1, from 9 AM – 4 PM. We invite you to come out, meet Will, and hear his interactive talks about how to lobby effectively, the history of parental rights, and why homeschool freedom and parental rights are so important. Other speakers and elected officials will also be in attendance and speaking.

You can find out more information and register at https://www.homeschoollouisiana.org/capitol-2023/

We will also be sharing information about how you can help to pass H.B. 152 , an excellent Parental Rights Amendment to the Louisiana State Constitution, which has been introduced by Louisiana Representative Beryl Amedee.

We hope to see you in Baton Rouge on Monday!

The Significance of the Parents’ Bill of Rights Act

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 16:04:00 GMT

The following, by Parental Rights Foundation president Will Estrada, originally appeared at TownHall.com on Monday, April 24:

On March 24, the U.S. House of Representatives—for the first time in recent memory—stood with parents. H.R. 5, Louisiana Congresswoman Julia Letlow’s bill “The Parents’ Bill of Rights Act,” provides concrete protections for parents of children in our nation’s taxpayer funded, public schools. Although it is now pending in the U.S. Senate, House passage alone sends a powerful message that Congress stands with parents in protecting their precious children. We call on the U.S. Senate to pass H.R. 5 and send it to the president’s desk.

H.R. 5 has great language in it for parental rights. But there is something even more significant tucked away in this bill.

The original bill was good. But as it was going through a markup in the House Education and Workforce Committee, I and several other attorneys in various organizations working on parental rights issues realized that the bill was missing something critical: Congress was missing an opportunity to put a stake in the ground, a marker, that parental rights are fundamental.

We took immediate action. Working with our allies, we reached out to staff and members of Congress. We provided language from key U.S. Supreme Court rulings to buttress our call for an amendment to H.R. 5. And Congress listened. In the final version that passed the U.S. House of Representatives, this powerful language was included in the Manager’s Amendment brought by Congresswoman Virginia Foxx of North Carolina: “It is the sense of Congress that … parents have a fundamental right, protected by the U.S. Constitution, to direct the education of their children, and the strict scrutiny test used by courts to evaluate cases concerning fundamental rights is the correct standard of review for government actions that interfere with the right of parents to educate their children.”

This was a huge victory. It correctly reminds elected officials, judges, bureaucrats, and, yes, public school teachers and administrators, that parental rights predate government—they are fundamental. Our Founders writing in the Declaration of Independence understood this precious right of parents raising their children as one of the “inalienable rights” with which “we are endowed by our Creator.”

And on top of this, Congress correctly specified that “strict scrutiny,” or the highest level of judicial review, is required whenever a parent files a lawsuit against a government actor to protect parental rights. “Strict scrutiny” means the government must show that it has a compelling state interest in the action, and that it is achieving that compelling state interest through the least restrictive means as applied to the individual. Very few governmental actions can meet this high standard.

We were thrilled that Congress passed H.R. 5. But this language added on the floor of the U.S. House was the icing on the cake. It is similar to the Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, introduced by Representative Debbie Lesko of Arizona, which is our long-term solution to protect parental rights for generations to come. But until that Amendment to the Constitution is ratified, rest assured that we—and our allies across the nation representing parents and families against government overreach—will rely on this sense of the Congress as one more tool in our arsenal for freedom to show why the best way to protect our precious children is by empowering parents.

Putting Parents in the Driver’s Seat, with Patrick Garrison

Tue, 25 Apr 2023 18:56:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Patrick Garrison, founder and president of True Corrective , an education curriculum to help parents teach their children about America’s shared principles. Patrick explains what led him to found this curriculum program, including his background as a public school teacher. Plus, he explains how True Corrective can help parents reconnect with their children’s education.

Calls Needed: ND Parental Rights Bill Needs House Vote

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 19:56:00 GMT

Senate Bill 2260 , introduced by Senators Paulson, Lemm, and Wobbema, passed the House Committee on Human Services on April 21 by a vote of 10-4 . It had already cleared the Senate on February 10 by a vote of 40 to 6.

Now we need your help to bring the bill to the House floor for a vote.

This bill guarantees the “fundamental right of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, health care and mental health of the parent’s child” and prohibits any government entity from interfering with these rights except when “required by a compelling governmental interest of the highest order as applied to the parent and the child [that] is the least restrictive means of furthering the compelling governmental interest.”

This is a terrific bill that will require that parental rights be treated as the fundamental constitutional rights that they are, as recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court in a consistent string of cases dating back 100 years to Meyer v. Nebraska (1923).

Please take a moment today to contact your member of the North Dakota House of Representatives and ask him or her to support SB2260 . Ask them to call for a vote to bring the bill to the House floor.

Your message, which should be in your own words, can be as simple as this:

If you email your lawmaker, you might include this link to our video explaining why this legislation is so important: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cqRWQa6e28

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through common sense legislation like SB2260 in the North Dakota House.

I am calling to ask my representative to support SB2260 Relating to Parental Rights. The vital role of a parent in the life of a child must be protected. It’s time for North Dakota law to catch up with a hundred years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent and protect these rights with the respect they deserve. Please do all you can to bring SB2260 to the floor of the House for a vote.

Urgent: Calls Needed as NH Parental Rights Bill Faces Committee Action

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 15:52:00 GMT

S.B. 272, the Parent’s Bill of Rights in Education , which previously passed the New Hampshire Senate, is scheduled for an Executive Session before the New Hampshire House Education Committee tomorrow, Tuesday, April 25, at 10:30 AM , in the Legislative Office Building (LOB), Rooms 205-207.

This powerful bill declares “that parents have a fundamental right and responsibility to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their minor children ….” It provides numerous protections for parents from government encroachment, particularly in the area of education, whether children are educated in a home school, private school, or public school.

Please contact the legislators on the House Education Committee by clicking this link , and then clicking “Email All Committee Members.”

Your message can be as simple as the following:

“As a New Hampshire voter, I respectfully ask you to support S.B. 272, the Parent’s Bill of Rights in Education. The vital role of a parent in the life of a child must be protected. It’s time for New Hampshire law to catch up with a hundred years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent and protect these rights with the respect they deserve. Sixteen state legislatures have already passed similar laws to establish parental rights as fundamental, and New Hampshire should be the 17th state to do so.”

You may remember that H.B. 10 , a similar bill to protect parental rights in New Hampshire, was narrowly defeated last month in the New Hampshire House. Legislators who support parental rights are not giving up, and neither are we. Please email the Committee members, and then please forward this email to as many friends and family in New Hampshire as you can.

To find out why bills like S.B. 272 are so important, you can watch this short video from our organization.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents in New Hampshire.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President

Contact Governor Gianforte Now to Protect Innocent Families From Government Investigations

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 19:27:00 GMT

We’re thrilled to let you know about a major victory: yesterday, the Montana Senate passed H.B. 37 by a vote of 41 – 9 . This bill provides critical protections for innocent children and families when they are falsely accused of child abuse or neglect. You can read H.B. 37 as passed by the Montana House and Senate and sent to Governor Gianforte here . We are also grateful to the Montana Child Protection Alliance for their hard work on this bill and other similar legislation to protect families.

Now we need you to contact Governor Gianforte and ask that he sign H.B. 37 into law. The Montana CPS lobby is not happy with H.B. 37, and we have heard that they are trying to get Governor Gianforte to veto it.

H.B. 37 will do the following:

Declares that “it is the policy of the state of Montana to … ensure that there is no forced removal of a child from the family without first obtaining a warrant from a court unless the child is likely to experience sexual abuse or physical abuse in the time that would be required to obtain a warrant.”
Mandates that “the department [of Public Health and Human Services, and the Child and Family Services Division] shall ensure that department training and policies comply with constitutional requirements.”
Protects loving families who are facing poverty by clarifying that “substance use by a parent or guardian, disorderly living conditions, other factors closely related to economic status, or a child’s obesity do not alone constitute physical or psychological harm to a child.”
Provides a host of additional protections for due process rights of parents and families, to limit child removals, to provide support for struggling families, and to help preserve family unity.

Please contact Governor Gianforte and give him the following message:

If you decide to send an email to Governor Gianforte, you can include a link to an Amicus Curiae (“friend of the Court”) brief we submitted in a federal lawsuit several years ago, which documents the harm that innocent families and children face when going through a child abuse or neglect investigation. H.B. 37 will provide needed protections in these types of investigations in order to protect innocent families. You can read our brief here: /doe-v-woodard/

Then, please forward this email to two or three friends, and ask them to also contact Governor Gianforte. Together, we CAN bring reform to the child welfare system in Montana.

As a Montana resident, I urge that you sign H.B. 37 into law. This bill will protect the due process rights of innocent parents, protect children and families from unnecessary removals, and ensure that Montana child welfare agencies protect children who are truly at risk of abuse or neglect, while protecting innocent families from the trauma of unnecessary government investigations. Thank you for standing with children and families in Montana.

Amendment Update: Congress Is Back!

Wed, 19 Apr 2023 10:01:07 GMT

Three weeks ago, we took our board members and volunteer state leaders into DC to educate members of Congress on the importance of protecting parental rights with the Parental Rights Amendment to the US Constitution, which US Representative Debbie Lesko (AZ-08) recently reintroduced as House Joint Resolution 38 ( H.J. Res. 38 ).

Since then, Congress has been away on recess, but now they have returned to DC!

And that means it’s time to call or email your US Representative and urge him or her to sign on as a cosponsor of the Parental Rights Amendment.

Hopefully, many of those we visited have already decided to sign on; they just need a timely reminder to do so, now that their recess is behind them.

Still other lawmakers need to be persuaded—and your contact could be just the ticket.

You can find your lawmaker’s contact information at www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative or by calling the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.

Your message to Congress should be in your own words, but it can be as simple as the following:

I am a constituent, and I’m calling to urge my congressman/congresswoman to cosponsor H.J. Res. 38, the Parental Rights Amendment. The primary role of parents in the upbringing of their children must be protected from the erosion of increasing government overreach. This Amendment will enshrine in the Constitution the very standard of parental rights protection that the Supreme Court has held for the last century, so that these rights will be secured for the next century and beyond. To sign on, simply reach out to Annie Clark in Debbie Lesko’s office. Thank you.

The Parental Rights Amendment, which would provide that “the liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children is a fundamental right” and that this right is to be protected in the courts by strict judicial scrutiny, was introduced in the US House of Representatives in March. Adding to the seven cosponsors the resolution has now will increase the chances of securing a House subcommittee hearing, which will advance the discussion of these rights, raise the Amendment’s profile in Congress, and help us to get additional support.

You can read more about the Amendment at ParentalRights.org .

Once you’ve called or emailed, please share this email with friends and family who might also make a call. Together we can amplify our voice in support of the vital parent-child relationship upon which our society is built.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through the Parental Rights Amendment!

A Doctor’s Perspective on Parenting with Roger Smith

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 18:17:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Dr. Roger Smith, a physician and pediatrician, and author of Parenting with Influence: Shifting Your Parenting Style as You and Your Child Grow . Roger gives a doctor’s perspective on how you as a parent can work best with your child’s pediatrician. Plus, he lays out some principles for how to stay connected with your children as they grow older and mature into adulthood.

Please Keep Calling in Support of Alabama HB 6, Fundamental Parental Rights!

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 17:45:00 GMT

Please continue to keep the calls and emails going to your Alabama state representative in support of H.B. 6 , The Parental Rights Protection Act. This powerful bill introduced by Representative Kenneth Paschal will make Alabama the 16 ^th state in the nation to protect parental rights as fundamental in state code.

Now the battle to protect children by empowering parents moves to the full Alabama House. H.B. 6 could come up for a vote on the House floor as early as Thursday, April 20.

Please call and email your Alabama state representative and ask him or her to stand with Alabama families and support H.B. 6. You can find contact information for your Alabama state representative by typing in your address here .

Your message can be as simple as the following:

If you email your Alabama state representative, you can also include a link to a video we produced about the importance of bills like H.B. 6. You can also include a link to the written testimony in support of H.B. 6 submitted by Constitutional law professor and Parental Rights Foundation board member William Wagner.

Then, please do one more thing: forward this email to 2 or 3 (or more!) friends and family in Alabama and encourage them to make their voices heard in support of protecting parental rights in Alabama. Together, we can make Alabama the 16 ^th state in the nation to preserve this fundamental right!

As one of your constituents, I respectfully ask you to stand with Alabama families and vote in support of H.B. 6, the Parental Rights Protection Act. This bill will codify existing Supreme Court precedent and preserve Alabama’s families from unnecessary and harmful state overreach. This bill reflects the fundamental truth that the best way to protect children is by empowering parents. Thank you.

Foote v. Ludlow

Fri, 14 Apr 2023 16:11:00 GMT

Parental rights are fundamental. And because of this, public schools cannot lie to parents and tell 11- and 12-year-old children to also lie to their parents.

That is what our friend of the court brief to the First Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Foote, et al. v. Ludlow School Committee, et al. is all about.

The background in this case is that four parents are suing the middle school in Ludlow, Massachusetts after finding out that the public school was encouraging their then 11- and 12-year-old children to lie to them, deceive them about their gender identity, and change their names and genders only when in public school. Even after the parents found out and asked the school not to do this because the parents already had counselors and therapists supporting their children, the public-school officials thought they knew what was best for the children and continued their deceptive course of action.

Our brief is in support of the parents and their lawsuit. We made it clear to the First Circuit that this is not really a case about the gender identity of 11- and 12-year-olds; this case is about whether a public school can tell 11- and 12- year-olds to keep secrets from their parents about something as basic as their name or gender identity. This case is about whether parents have the most basic right imaginable: the right to know what is going on with their children when those children are in public school.

Our brief did two things: we went back to the beginning and explained to the First Circuit the history of parental rights, showing that this “inalienable right” predates our Constitution and even government itself. Then we went through almost 100 years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent, concluding that “parental rights are fundamental.”

Then we used the First Circuit’s own precedent in parental rights cases to show how the parents should easily win this lawsuit.

We wrote this brief to help not just the First Circuit, but more importantly to help moms, dads, grandparents, and policymakers around the nation see that parental rights are truly the foundation of our communities, our public schools, and our nation.

Your Calls Made the Difference: Parental Rights Passes Committee!

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:54:26 GMT

We’re excited to let you know that yesterday, April 12, the Alabama House Judiciary Committee favorably reported House Bill 6 ( H.B. 6 ), The Parental Rights Protection Act! This powerful bill, introduced by Representative Kenneth Paschal , will make Alabama the 16th state in the nation to protect parental rights as fundamental in state code. Constitutional law professor and Parental Rights Foundation board member William Wagner submitted written testimony in support of H.B. 6 to the House Judiciary Committee. You can read Professor Wagner’s written testimony here.

Now the battle to protect children by empowering parents moves to the full Alabama House. H.B. 6 could come up for a vote on the House floor as early as Tuesday, April 18.

Please call and email your Alabama state representative and ask him or her to stand with Alabama families and support H.B. 6. You can find contact information for your Alabama state representative by typing in your address here .

Your message can be as simple as the following:

If you email your Alabama state representative, you can also include a link to a video we produced about the importance of bills like H.B. 6, and a link to William Wagner’s written testimony here .

Then, please do one more thing: forward this email to 2 or 3 (or more!) friends and family in Alabama and encourage them to make their voices heard in support of protecting parental rights in Alabama. Together, we can make Alabama the 16th state in the nation to preserve this fundamental right!

For liberty,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation

Parental Rights Foundation President Will Estrada to Speak in Miami on Saturday

Thu, 13 Apr 2023 10:59:49 GMT

Parental Rights Foundation president Will Estrada is speaking at the 2nd Hispanic Homeschool Conference in Miami on Saturday, April 15. While this event is particularly directed toward Spanish-speaking families who are homeschooling or considering homeschooling, all are welcome.

The conference will be held at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Miami Airport, 711 NW 72nd Ave, Miami, FL, 33126, from 9am to 8pm.

You can find out more about the conference and register to attend by visiting their webpage, https://transitioneducation.mykajabi.com/2da-conferencia

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Executive Director

Parental Rights and Strict Scrutiny with Hugh Phillips

Wed, 12 Apr 2023 19:06:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Hugh Phillips, a constitutional litigator at Liberty Counsel. Hugh has also served as a judicial law clerk for the Supreme Court of Alabama and he’s the author of a law review article entitled “ Liberating Liberty: How the Glucksberg Test Can Solve the Supreme Court’s Confusing Jurisprudence on Parental Rights ”. Hugh discusses his law review article and explains a path forward to consistently applying the strict scrutiny test to parental rights issues in our nation’s courts.

Free Lobby Training Webinar THIS Thursday

Tue, 11 Apr 2023 16:29:00 GMT

The Parental Rights Foundation is proud to announce a free lobby training webinar this Thursday, April 13, at 2:00 p.m. EDT (11:00 a.m. PDT) via Zoom.

The training will feature Parental Rights Foundation president William A. Estrada, Esq., and will involve tips for how to engage with your lawmakers at the federal, state, or local level to support parental rights. Whether you are an experienced advocate or are just getting started, you will learn critical and timely information to help you be a better advocate for our children and our constitutional freedoms.

Right now, with the Parental Rights Amendment ( House Joint Resolution 38 ) once again introduced in Congress, we are looking to enlist a coordinator in each of the nation’s 435 congressional districts . So, please forward this email to anyone you think would be effective in their district so that they can join us for this training!

If you can only attend a portion, you are welcome to attend what you can. If you need to be driving or are otherwise occupied, you can dial in and just listen!

To enroll, simply register here for free! You will then receive a follow-up email with the Zoom and dial-in information before the event on Thursday.

Please note that, to protect the privacy of attendees, we will not make a recording of this event available. We will, however, host similar events in the future. So, if you need to miss all or part of this one, you can just attend the next one!

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents as you learn to engage with and educate your lawmakers. I hope to see you Thursday at 2:00 p.m. EDT/11:00 a.m. PDT!

Action Needed: Call Now to Advance Alabama Parental Rights Bill

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 12:13:52 GMT

House Bill 6 (HB6), the Parental Rights Protection Act, was pre-filed on January 20, 2023, by Representative Kenneth Paschal and 3 cosponsors. It has been placed on the House Judiciary Committee calendar for Wednesday, April 12, at 1:30 p.m. in Room 200.

HB6 seeks to protect parental rights as a fundamental right in state code and to shield Alabama families from governmental overreach. You can read the bill here .

HB6 will codify existing precedent of the U.S. Supreme Court and the Alabama Supreme Court.

Please take a moment today to contact as many of these committee members as you can and urge them to vote “Yes” on HB6. If one of these is your representative, be sure to contact them and let them know you live in their district.

Communicate to them that you deeply appreciate their commitment to doing what is right in Montgomery, and always be courteous in your communications.

Your message should be in your own words, but can be as simple as this:

I want to thank you for your commitment to doing what is right in Montgomery. And I urge you to vote “Yes” on HB 6, the Parental Rights Protection Act. This bill will codify existing Supreme Court precedent and preserve Alabama’s families from unnecessary and harmful state overreach. Thank you.

Below are the House Judiciary Committee Members:

Please take just a few minutes to call or email these members before 9am Wednesday.

Thank you for taking a moment to support parental rights in Alabama. Together, we can make a difference to protect children by empowering parents as you make your voice heard in Montgomery.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Executive director

Teamwork Sees Virginia Governor Sign “Reasonable Independence” Law

Wed, 05 Apr 2023 15:14:00 GMT

We’re celebrating another victory!

On Tuesday, March 28, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin signed into law Senate Bill 1367 , Reasonable Independence for Kids . This law will take effect on July 1, protecting innocent parents and their ability to make age-appropriate decisions for their children from Virginia child protective services. It is not “neglect” to let mature children take on safe, reasonable independence in matters such as waiting at a school bus stop or walking to a nearby park, and now Virginia law reflects that common sense.

In some states, parents can even get in trouble for letting their school-age children play in their own front yard unless there is an adult visibly present. But that will no longer be the case in Virginia.

This victory is not ours alone . Though we are proud to have taken a major role in the bill’s passage, we are also grateful to Let Grow, who drafted this bill and champions similar legislation in states around the country, and to Virginia Poverty Law Center, who also actively championed this effort in the Old Dominion.

We were proud to connect these groups to retiring Virginia Senator Jill Vogel, who proved to be just the right person to lead the charge in the Virginia legislature. With her years of leadership in the Virginia Senate, Vogel showed the perfect combination of influence and wisdom to lead the bill across the finish line.

Parental Rights Foundation president Will Estrada provided letters in support of the bil l and expert testimony before the Virginia Senate Judiciary Committee back in January, as well as expert testimony when the bill went to the House of Delegates.

Most recently, we were able to reach out to Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and urge him to sign the bill into law.

This team victory in Virginia is yet another example of the fact that parental rights is a bipartisan issue. We showed that bipartisanship clearly in Virginia, as this bill brought together organizations from across the political spectrum, passed the Virginia legislature unanimously, and was signed into law.

We are grateful to Senator Vogel for championing this bill, to Governor Youngkin for signing it, and to our friends at Let Grow and Virginia Poverty Law Center for their hard work in bringing attention to the need for this legislation. This provides vital clarity in Virginia’s understanding of what “neglect” means and, more importantly, our understanding of what it is not.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through strong bipartisan partnerships and solid legislative efforts in Virginia and every other state.

Better Outcomes for Families with Ernestine Gray

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 18:15:00 GMT

This week, we talk with former judge Ernestine Gray, who served for 35 years in the Orleans Parish Juvenile Court in Louisiana. During her tenure, the Orleans Juvenile Court went from what the New York Times described as “the worst juvenile court in the nation” to a model that other juvenile courts looked to for best practices. Ernestine tells us about her many years of striving to improve the child welfare system in her parish, and how she’s worked to improve the lives of the parents and children who came into her courtroom.

Parental Rights Fly-in Conference a Rousing Success

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 17:41:00 GMT

Attendees with Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (AZ), photo credit Representative Debbie Lesko's office.

Wow, what a week!

This Monday through Wednesday, March 27-29, the Parental Rights Foundation hosted our first leaders’ conference in 8 years and our first fly-in ever. We gathered state leaders, board members, and top donors from around the country, and after a little training and some inspiring words from founding president Michael Farris, we set them loose on the U.S. Congress.

Tuesday, we spent the whole day on Capitol Hill visiting the offices of many congressmen and a few senators to introduce ourselves to newly elected Members of Congress, educate them about parental rights, and ask them to cosponsor our Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. We also met with Representative Debbie Lesko of Arizona, the sponsor of the Amendment, which is HJ Res. 38 .

Dave Seligson, Sherri Seligson, Florida Parental Rights Coordinators and Parental Rights Foundation board members Patti and Jim Sullivan, and Parental Rights Amendment original cosponsor Congressman Bill Posey (FL), photo credit Patti Sullivan.

The day was full of excitement and adventure as our board members and volunteer state leaders met with members of Congress from Senator Josh Hawley (MO) to Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY) with one simple message: the best way to protect children is by empowering parents. Illinois state coordinator Latasha Fields even managed to meet tennis legend Billie Jean King, talk to Nancy Pelosi’s security detail, and almost meet the former Speaker herself—and all before lunch!

Michael Ramey, Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI), and Michigan Parental Rights Coordinator Paulette Brack, photo credit Parental Rights Foundation.

The real news of the day, though, was not in these celebrity sightings, but in the one-on-ones in congressional offices, where we built relationships and educated our nation’s leaders on the importance of protecting children by empowering parents.

Congress is hours away from their annual two-week Easter recess, so I don’t know if anyone will have time to sign on as a cosponsor before they leave town. If not, it could be close to a month before we see the fruits of our visits. But I believe we will see fruit, and it will come in the form of additional cosponsors, helping move the Amendment toward our next goal, a House subcommittee hearing, which is the first step to ratification.

Tuesday evening, we gathered for more inspiring words from Parental Rights Foundation Chairman Jim Mason, and then a state-focused discussion with board members Jim and Patti Sullivan of Florida.

Wednesday morning, we went into DC again for a meeting with our board member Grover Norquist, and for more Hill meetings. Our leaders left for the airport on Wednesday afternoon tired, yet happy and energized. The conference was a wonderful time of encouragement, inspiration, and action. And we couldn’t have done any of it without your support.

Thank you for standing with us through your gifts and your time to make this organization as powerful and successful as we are. Thank you for your role in protecting children by empowering parents.

Building a Better Support System, with Chelsea Sobolik

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 19:24:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Chelsea Sobolik, the Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy for Lifeline Children’s Services . Lifeline Children’s Services assists families with international adoption in all 50 states, each of the U.S. territories and U.S. citizens living abroad. Lifeline also serves women in unexpected pregnancies and families through domestic adoptions.

Chelsea tells us about the mission of Lifeline and how the organization is working to help provide better solutions for adoption and foster care to parents and children. You can find out more about Chelsea and follow her work on her website .

Episode Five: Restoring Classical Learning, with Jeremey Tate

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 17:06:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Jeremy Tate, founder of the Classic Learning Test . The Classic Learning Test, an alternative to the ACT and the SAT standardized tests, emphasizes classical texts and key threads of Western culture that have been neglected in mainstream American education.

Jeremy breaks down the history of public education for us and explains why the CLT is needed. He also gives us his perspective on what’s missing from our public education and how we can improve our schools in the future.

Parental Rights Passes Iowa Senate, On to the House

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 13:25:16 GMT

Great news! SF 496 passed the Iowa Senate yesterday on a vote of 34-16! Your calls made the difference!

This bill, which will protect fundamental parental rights and require strict judicial scrutiny whenever these rights are infringed, was transmitted to the Iowa House last night, where it will go through a subcommittee and committee on its way to a floor vote as early as next week. (The amendment we asked you to champion with us yesterday passed and is now part of the total bill, so no further mention of the amendment is needed.)

Please take a moment today to contact your Iowa representative and urge him or her to support SF 496 when it comes before them for a vote. If your representative is on the Education Committee, you’ll want to ask him or her to vote in favor both in committee and on the floor.

Your message, either via phone or email, should be in your own words, and can be as simple as the following:

“As an Iowa voter, I respectfully ask you to support SF 496, An Act Relating to Children and Students. The vital role of a parent in the life of a child must be protected. Today is the day for Iowa’s legislative code to catch up with a hundred years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent and our Iowa court precedent to protect these rights with the respect they deserve. Fifteen states have already passed similar laws to establish parental rights as fundamental, and Iowa should join them.”

Then, once you’ve contacted your representative, we want to celebrate this win in the Iowa Senate, which has literally been years in the making.

In particular, we’d ask you to take a moment today to send a friendly email (no phone call is necessary) thanking Sen. Ken Rozenboom for his hard work on SB 496 .

Senator Rozenboom did a tremendous job of understanding the need for fundamental parental rights and strict scrutiny protection, and he put forth an amazing effort to shepherd this bill through the Senate.

Your message to Senator Rozenboom can be super simple, even just one sentence starting with “Thank you…!” His email address is ken.rozenboom@legis.iowa.gov .

If your own senator voted “yes” on SF 496, you may want to take a moment to send him or her an email of thanks, as well. You can find the vote results in the image accompanying this email and your senator’s contact information here .

Thank you for taking a moment today to make your voice heard in the House and your appreciation known in the Senate. Together we will see parental rights protected in Iowa code in the very near future!

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation

Urgent: New Hampshire House Voting on Parental Rights Bill TODAY

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 13:33:56 GMT

H.B. 10, the Parents’ Bill of Rights , is scheduled for a floor vote in the New Hampshire House of Representatives TODAY, Wednesday, March 22.

This powerful bill will establish parental rights as fundamental in New Hampshire, as well as provide parents and children with additional protections from government encroachment.

Please contact your New Hampshire state representative and urge him or her to vote “Yes” today on H.B. 10, the Parents’ Bill of Rights, as amended by the Packard Amendment .

Your message can be as simple as the following:

“As a New Hampshire voter, I respectfully ask you to support H.B. 10, the Parents’ Bill of Rights, as amended by the Packard Amendment. The vital role of a parent in the life of a child must be protected. Today is the day for New Hampshire law to catch up with a hundred years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent and protect these rights with the respect they deserve. 15 states have already passed similar laws to establish parental rights as fundamental, and New Hampshire should be the 16th state to do so.”

To find out why H.B. 10 is so important, you can watch this short video from our organization.

You may remember that a bill very similar to H.B. 10 was narrowly defeated last year in the New Hampshire legislature. We must work together to ensure that does not happen again this year. Please email your representative, and then forward this email to as many friends and family in New Hampshire as you can.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President

ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation

Urgent: Iowa Senate Votes TODAY on Parental Rights

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 13:28:38 GMT

SF 496 , An Act Relating to Children and Students, is scheduled for a floor vote in the Iowa Senate TODAY, Wednesday, March 22.

This powerful bill, with amendment number S-3097 , will establish parental rights as fundamental in Iowa code, as well as provide parents and children with additional protections from government encroachment.

Please contact your Iowa state senator and urge him or her to vote “Yes” today on SF 496, An Act Relating to Children and Students, with Amendment S-3097 .

Your message can be as simple as the following:

“As an Iowa voter, I respectfully ask you to support SF 496, An Act Relating to Children and Students, as amended by Amendment number S-3097. The vital role of a parent in the life of a child must be protected. Today is the day for Iowa’s legislative code to catch up with a hundred years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent and our Iowa court precedent to protect these rights with the respect they deserve. Fifteen states have already passed similar laws to establish parental rights as fundamental, and Iowa should join them.”

To find out why fundamental parental rights laws are so important, you can watch this short video from our organization.

There has been a lot of back-and-forth on this language this year. We must stand together if we are going to see it pass. Please email your senator, and then forward this email to as many friends and family in Iowa as you can.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President

ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation

UPDATED: You’re Invited: Two Virginia Events Focused on Parental Rights and Education

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 13:44:02 GMT

We want to invite you to consider attending two exciting events this spring in the Commonwealth of Virginia that will provide you with resources and encouragement on how you can join in the fight to protect children by empowering parents.

First, our president Will Estrada is one of the featured speakers at the Second Annual Virginia Education Summit. This all-day conference will be held on Saturday, March 25, in Glen Allen , and hosted by our friends at Middle Resolution. You’ll hear from Will, Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, and other experts on education policy and parental rights. You can purchase tickets by clicking here .

Second, in Loudoun County, our friends at Moms for Liberty are hosting a free event with Fight for Schools founder Ian Prior to talk about his new book on parental rights. You can join us on Thursday, April 20, 7:00 PM at Cascades Overlook Event Center, 21453 Epicerie Plaza, Suite 200, Sterling, Virginia. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS EVENT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR MARCH BUT HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED TO THIS NEW DATE.

We’ve had a lot of victories in Virginia over the past couple years, but we also have a lot of work ahead of us. These two events will help provide resources, encouragement, and training for you to engage in the work ahead.

Very truly yours,

Michael Ramey

Executive Director

P.S. Even though the Virginia legislature has adjourned, our work is not complete. We recently sent a letter to Governor Glenn Youngkin asking him to sign into law S.B. 1367 to protect reasonable parenting decisions. Read our letter here.

OK Parental Rights Coordinator Testifies for DOE Rules Change

Tue, 21 Mar 2023 13:40:42 GMT

On March 17, 2023, the Oklahoma State Department of Education held an open forum to allow public comment on proposed rule changes that would expand parents’ rights to be notified regarding sex education materials, including gender identity or sexual orientation, and that would strengthen language against encouraging minors to hide information from their parents. These rules also assign penalties to schools and school officials who violate these provisions of the Oklahoma Parents’ Bill of Rights.

The proposed rule changes would specifically assign penalties when schools expose children to pornographic content and when schools hide information about a child and/or encourage the child to hide information from a parent.

Tracey Montgomery, Oklahoma State Coordinator for ParentalRights.org, spoke on behalf of the rule changes. (See Fox25’s coverage of the event here .) Her testimony was as follows:

“My name is Tracey Montgomery, and I am the Oklahoma State Coordinator for Parental Rights.Org. I wrote the Parents’ Bill of Rights in Oklahoma. My husband and I traveled the state for over 4 years, bringing awareness and educating parents on their fundamental rights. I spent 3 years lobbying the legislature until the Parent’s Bill of Rights was passed by an overwhelming majority of both Democrats and Republicans. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle understood that loving parents are best equipped to direct the upbringing and education of their children.

The courts have also understood that parents act in the best interest of their children. The Supreme Court’s precedent of upholding parent rights as fundamental goes all the way back to the early 1920s. They understand that parents’ rights do not stop at the school door.

Parents have the moral and legal obligations to decide what is best for their child in all areas of life, and parents have to live with the consequences of those decisions. If a parent allows their child to be exposed to something harmful then the parent and the child are the ones that must live with the consequences of that decision. If the school allows a child to be exposed to something that is harmful or later proves to be harmful, who is it that lives with the consequences? The parent and the child are the ones who live with the consequences, NOT THE SCHOOL.

Parents cannot protect their child, nor can they help their child reach their full potential if they don’t have all of the information on their child, or if they don’t know all that [their child is] being exposed to or taught. I support this rule change because it gives parents the tools to be able to protect their child and reach their full potential.

Children have the same fundamental rights as you and I, but parents hold those rights in trust and exercise them for their children. If I attend a class in college and they show or discuss sexual content or pornography, I have the ability to get up and walk out, to choose not to see the content. Our children, however, do not have that same ability in school unless parents exercise it for them.

Parents are willing to work with schools, but we are not willing to surrender our God-given authority or rights to the school.

I support these rule changes and I represent a multitude of parents across the state who support these rule changes also.”

We are grateful for Tracey and her leadership on this issue, and grateful for each of you who reached out and testified in person or through email to make your voices heard!

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Executive D irector

Foundation Files Brief with the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Critical Parental Rights Case

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 18:34:00 GMT

Today, the Parental Rights Foundation filed an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Located in Boston, Massachusetts , this federal court is just one step below the U.S. Supreme Court, so this critical case could determine the future of parental rights in our nation.

Can you support our efforts to shape the court’s views with a special, one-time donation to the Parental Rights Foundation today?

Four parents are suing the middle school in Ludlow, Massachusetts after finding out that the public school was encouraging their then 11- and 12-year-old children to lie to them, deceive them about their gender identity, and change their names and genders only when in public school. Even after the parents found out and asked the school not to do this because the parents already had counselors, therapists, and other support for their children, the public school thought they knew what was best for the children and continued their deceptive course of action.

Our brief did two things: we went back to the beginning and explained to the First Circuit the history of parental rights, showing that this “inalienable right” predates our Constitution and even government itself. Then we went through almost 100 years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent, concluding that “parental rights are fundamental.”

Then we used the First Circuit’s own precedent in parental rights cases to show how the parents should easily win this lawsuit.

We encourage you to read our brief for yourself . While “amicus curiae brief” may sound like undecipherable lawyer-speak, ours is a simple argument. We wrote this brief to show the First Circuit that this is a simple case: public schools cannot lie to parents and tell 11- and 12-year-old children to also lie to their parents. We wrote this brief to help not just the First Circuit, but more importantly to help moms, dads, grandparents, and policymakers around the nation see that parental rights are truly the foundation of our communities, our public schools, and yes, our nation.

Will you stand with us today? The battle in our nation over parental rights is coming to a head. Time is not on our side. We are aggressively fighting for parental rights in Congress with the Parental Rights Amendment , in over 20 state legislatures on our CPS reform bills and Parents’ Bills of Rights , and in courts all across the nation. (You may remember that last year we defeated the District of Columbia in federal court, that we have a pending lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Virginia , and our amicus curiae brief we filed in the Texas Supreme Court in December.)

In addition, we are inundated with requests from desperate moms and dads begging us to represent them in court to protect their God-given rights as parents. We know that to meet this need, we need to hire a legal team to fight in state and federal courts national across America. Will you make the most generous tax-deductible donation you can to allow us to stand with parents not just in Ludlow, Massachusetts, but all around the nation?

Urgent Calls Needed Today to Move Parental Rights Bill out of Committee

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 14:04:08 GMT

House Bill 6 (HB6) , known as the Parental Rights Protection Act, was filed January 20, 2023, by State Rep. Kenneth Paschal and 3 co-sponsors to further fortify parental rights in Alabama, and to shield Alabamians from government overreach regarding parental rights.

HB6 was placed in the House Judiciary Committee.

We need your help. Please call and email the House Judiciary Committee chairman, Representative Jim Hill, and ask him to place HB6 on the House Judiciary Committee calendar for Wednesday, March 22, 2023.

You can reach Chairman Hill by contacting the Clerk of the House Judiciary Committee, Brandy Allen Rogers. Her contact information is (334) 261-0494 and brandy.allen@alhouse.gov .

Below is an example of an email or phone call message.

“Mrs. Brandy Allen Rogers, my name is _____, and I’m emailing/calling to respectfully request that Chairman Jim Hill place House Bill 6 on the House Judiciary Committee calendar for Wednesday, March 22nd. I ask that HB6 be voted out of committee. This bill will protect parental rights in Alabama.

Thank you for taking a moment to stand up for parental rights. Together, we will make a difference and let our voices and concerns be heard in Montgomery.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation

Urgent: Take Action NOW to Support Proposed Regulations Strengthening Parental Rights

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 19:21:00 GMT

Oklahoma is one of 15 states to have a strong Parents’ Bill of Rights as part of state law. And now, the Oklahoma State Department of Education is seeking public comment on two proposed regulations which will strengthen Oklahoma’s law and provide additional protections to children in Oklahoma public schools by empowering parents.

Tomorrow, Friday, March 17, the Oklahoma State Department of Education will hold two public hearings on these proposed regulations. Tracey Montgomery, our Parental Rights State Coordinator, has signed up to testify in support of the proposed regulations, and we encourage you to also sign up to testify with her.

The hearing at 10 AM will focus on a proposed regulation that will prohibit public school libraries from making pornographic materials or sexualized content available to minors.

The hearing at 2 PM will focus on a proposed regulation that will strengthen application of Oklahoma’s Parent’s Bill of Rights in the context of public schools.

Both hearings will be held at the Oliver Hodge Building, 2500 N Lincoln Blvd, Room 1-20 (State Board Room), Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4599.

If you are unable to attend in person, you can submit written public comment by email to rules@sde.ok.gov . Please note that the comment period will close at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, March 17 .

We encourage you to support both proposed regulations by testifying in person, or in writing via email. Your message can be as simple as providing your name, address, and contact information, and telling the Oklahoma State Department of Education that you support these proposed regulations to protect children, to protect parental rights, and to strengthen Oklahoma’s Parent’s Bill of Rights. Feel free to add in anything else that you think will help encourage the Oklahoma State Department of Education to adopt these proposed regulations.

Finally, please forward this email to two or three friends, and encourage them to also file public comments. Together, we can protect our precious children by empowering parents!

Please Call Your Maryland Senator Now to Support Parental Rights Bill

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 14:46:00 GMT

Yesterday, I joined with moms and dads from across Maryland to testify in Annapolis in support of SB 566 , a fundamental parental rights bill introduced by Maryland State Senator Justin Ready .

Now we urgently need your calls to your Maryland Senator to ask him or her to ensure that SB 566 is brought up for a committee vote.

SB 566 guarantees that “[a] parent has the fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education, care, and welfare of the parent’s child .”

This is a terrific bill that will require the government to treat parental rights as the fundamental constitutional rights that they are , as recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court in a consistent string of cases dating back 100 years to Meyer v. Nebraska (1923).

Please contact your Maryland Senator and urge a committee vote in support of SB 566 in the Senate Judicial Proceeding Committee .

Your message, which should be in your own words, can be as simple as this:

If you email your lawmaker, you might include this link to our video explaining why this legislation is so important: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cqRWQa6e28

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through common sense legislation like SB 566 in the Maryland legislature.

I am calling to ask my senator to support SB 566, Fundamental Parental Rights. The vital role of a parent in the life of a child must be protected. It’s time for Maryland law to catch up with a hundred years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent and protect these rights with the respect they deserve. If my senator is on the Committee on Judicial Proceedings, I ask him or her to call for a committee vote of SB 566, and to support SB 566.

You’re Invited: Two Virginia Events Focused on Parental Rights and Education

Thu, 16 Mar 2023 14:07:41 GMT

Virginia that will provide you with resources and encouragement on how you can join in the fight to protect children by empowering parents.

Second, our friends at Moms for Liberty are hosting a free event in Loudoun County with Fight for Schools founder Ian Prior to talk about his new book on parental rights. This gathering will be Tuesday, March 28, at 7:00 PM at Cascades Overlook Event Center, 21453 Epicerie Plaza, Suite 200, Sterling, Virginia.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey

Executive Director

Parental Rights Board Sees Changes for 2023

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 16:41:00 GMT

Shaun Alexander (left) and William Wagner (right).

I count it a true blessing to get to work with the dedicated men and women who make up the board of the Parental Rights Foundation and ParentalRights.org . Some of these board members have served for years, providing their time, experiences, professional expertise, and unique skills to the cause of protecting children by empowering parents.

So, I am excited to announce the return of Professor William Wagner to our board. A constitutional law professor and former diplomat and federal magistrate judge, Wagner was one of the earliest members of the board before he stepped away in 2014 to focus on other pursuits.

Wagner returns at a time when national interest in parental rights continues to grow, and just as the Parental Rights Amendment sees new life in Congress.

Says Wagner, “The fundamental right of parents to control and direct the upbringing of their children is grounded in deeply rooted divine, natural, and common law traditions, and in the constitutional law of our nation. It is a privilege to return to the organization fighting on the front lines to preserve this liberty for future generations. ”

Wagner’s knowledge of constitutional law and his solid understanding of parental rights in American jurisprudence will be invaluable as we move forward with the Parental Rights Amendment this Congress. We are excited to have him registered for our fly-in to visit with lawmakers on Capitol Hill later this month.

At the same meeting that elected Professor Wagner back onto the board, long-time vice president Shaun Alexander announced he would be stepping down to spend more time with his family, as he and his wife prepare to welcome their 13th child.

Many will recognize Shaun as a former NFL running back and the league’s 2005 Most Valuable Player. The story of his football success with the University of Alabama and the Seattle Seahawks can be found in his autobiography, Touchdown Alexander .

Shaun has used his platform to champion the cause of parental rights since joining the board a decade ago in 2013.

Upon his departure, Shaun made the following statement:

We, too, look forward to having Shaun rejoin the board when he and his family are ready. We are busy with so many state-level efforts this legislative season, and the Parental Rights Amendment has been reintroduced in Congress . With so much going on, I am grateful for the support and direction of our skilled and faithful board and for you as our faithful partners in the battle to protect children by empowering parents.

I want to thank Will and the board for being great leaders and for all you do to protect children and protect the rights of their parents. I want to share with you, the board, and the leadership team that Valerie and I are expecting our 13th child. I feel that it is necessary to resign so I can support Valerie and the kids as we get ready to welcome our newest child. I believe resigning will be the best thing for both our family and the Foundation. I have enjoyed my role on the PRF Board and look forward to the possibility of rejoining at some point, as we discussed [at the last board meeting].

Calls Needed: ND Parental Rights Bill Moves to House

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 15:16:00 GMT

Senate Bill 2260 , introduced by Senators Paulson, Lemm, and Wobbema, cleared the Senate on February 10 by a vote of 40 to 6. This bill guarantees the “fundamental right of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, health care and mental health of the parent’s child” and prohibits any government entity from interfering with these rights except when “required by a compelling governmental interest of the highest order as applied to the parent and the child [that] is the least restrictive means of furthering the compelling governmental interest.”

When SB2260 passed the Senate, it was transferred to the House and assigned to the Human Services Committee.

Please take a moment today to contact your member of the North Dakota House of Representatives and ask them to support SB2260 . If they are on the Human Services Committee, ask them to call for a hearing and to vote the bill out of committee. If not, ask them to vote for the bill when it comes to the House floor.

Your message, which should be in your own words, can be as simple as this:

If you email your lawmaker, you might include this link to our video explaining why this legislation is so important: youtube.com/watch?v=1cqRWQa6e28

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through common sense legislation like SB2260 in the North Dakota House.

I am calling to ask my representative to support SB2260 Relating to Parental Rights. The vital role of a parent in the life of a child must be protected. It’s time for North Dakota law to catch up with a hundred years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent and protect these rights with the respect they deserve. (If my representative is on the Human Services Committee, I ask him or her to call for a hearing on SB2260 and to vote it out of committee.)

Urgent Action Needed:Montana CPS Reform Bill in House Committee Monday

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 15:11:00 GMT

SB 181 , a bill to require notice of parental legal rights in child and family services cases, is scheduled for a hearing in the House Human Services Committee this Monday, March 20 . (Please note that schedules and timing can always change).

The bill passed the Montana Senate on a 46—4 vote on January 31 and was transmitted to the House the following day. Introduced by Senator Dennis Lenz , the bill will provide numerous Constitutional due process protections to families when Montana Department of Child and Family Services investigators are conducting an investigation regarding abuse or neglect allegations.

SB 181 is based on our model bill , drafted by legal experts from across the political spectrum.

Many of you called your senators to support this bill, and we thank you for your role in bringing it this far. We are also grateful to the Montana Child Protection Alliance for their hard work on this bill and other similar legislation to protect families.

Now, we ask you to please call or email your Montana State Representative RIGHT NOW using this Find My Legislator tool .

Your message can be as simple as the following:

If you decide to send an email to your state legislator, you can include a link to an amicus curiae (“friend of the Court”) brief we submitted in a federal lawsuit several years ago that documents the harm that innocent families and children face when going through a child abuse or neglect investigation . SB 181 will provide needed protections in these types of investigations in order to protect innocent families. You can read our brief here: https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/doe-v-woodard/

Then, please forward this email to two or three friends, and ask them to also contact their Montana State Representative. Together, we CAN bring reform to the child welfare system in Montana.

I urge you to support SB 181, which will add several due process protections into Montana law to protect the rights of innocent parents and caregivers when faced with a Child and Family Services investigation regarding alleged abuse or neglect, including notifying the family of their legal and constitutional rights during an investigation. These protections are required by the US and Montana Constitutions, and will serve to protect innocent families, while still allowing Child and Family Services investigators and law enforcement to protect children who are truly at risk of abuse or neglect.

The Power of Classical Learning, with Robert Bortins

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 18:31:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Robert Bortins, the CEO of Classical Conversations since 2012, and a member of the board of directors of Homeschool Now USA. Robert tells us how Classical Conversations went from a single homeschooling classroom in a basement to the world’s largest classical homeschooling organization. Robert explains the process and philosophy of classical education, which aims to prepare students for whatever they may face in life and give them the tools they need to learn anything.

Urgent: MD Parental Rights Bill Heading to Committee

Fri, 10 Mar 2023 14:19:41 GMT

Maryland SB566 , Family Law—Fundamental Parental Rights, is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee this Wednesday, March 15, at 1:00pm. Parental Rights Foundation president Will Estrada plans to be on hand to testify, but we also need your help.

This bill guarantees that “[a] parent has the fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education, care, and welfare of the parent’s child ” and that “[t]he State or a political subdivision of the state may not infringe [these rights] unless the State or political subdivision demonstrates…that the…infringement is (1) necessary to achieve a compelling government interest; (2) narrowly tailored to achieve the compelling government interests; and (3) the least restrictive means to achieve the compelling government interest.”

This is a terrific bill that will require state actors to treat parental rights as the fundamental constitutional rights that they are, as recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court in a consistent string of cases dating back 100 years to Meyer v. Nebraska (1923).

HB666, the companion bill to SB566, was heard in the House Judiciary Committee on February 22 and is still awaiting further action by that committee.

Today, we are asking you to contact your Maryland Senator and urge support of SB566 in the Senate . If they are on the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee, ask them to vote “Yes” on the bill in committee. If not, ask them to vote for the bill when it comes to the Senate floor.

Your message, which should be in your own words, can be as simple as this:

I am calling to ask my senator to support SB566, Fundamental Parental Rights. The vital role of a parent in the life of a child must be protected. It’s time for Maryland law to catch up with a hundred years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent and protect these rights with the respect they deserve. If my senator is on the Committee on Judicial Proceedings, I ask him or her to support SB566 at Wednesday’s hearing and to vote it out of committee.

If you email your lawmaker, you might include this link to our video explaining why this legislation is so important: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cqRWQa6e28

We also invite as many as are able to attend the hearing in person Wednesday, March 15, at 1:00 pm in the East Miller Senate Building, Room 2, Annapolis . Our own Will Estrada will be present to testify in favor of the bill.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through common sense legislation like SB566 in the Maryland legislature.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey

Executive Director

Child Abuse Registries and Due Process, with Timothy Sandefur

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 19:19:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Timothy Sandefur, Vice President of Legal Affairs at the Goldwater Institute . Timothy is representing a mother in Arizona who found herself falsely accused of child neglect and placed on the state’s central child abuse registry in a court case that challenges the constitutionality of Arizona’s child abuse registry. Today, Timothy breaks down the details of the case and argues for why exactly child abuse registries are unconstitutional. You can learn more about Timothy and his work here .

Parental Rights are on the move on Capitol Hill – please call Congress now!

Tue, 07 Mar 2023 16:14:00 GMT

It’s an exciting time in our nation’s Capital. It seems that, after several years of inaction, your passion and commitment to your children is paying off as Congress is finally taking action to protect children by empowering parents.

First up, as we told you last week, is the Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Reintroduced by Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (AZ), the Amendment already has seven cosponsors, and has a bill number, H.J.Res. 38 . We are pounding the pavement on Capitol Hill as we work to add cosponsors and move the Amendment forward, and encourage you to visit (and share with your friends and on social media!) our action page at ParentalRights.org .

Second, Congresswoman Julia Letlow (LA), a mom and educator, has reintroduced her bill, the Parents Bill of Rights Act, to ensure that public schools that receive federal funds are respecting parental rights. Introduced as H.R. 5 with the full support of Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (CA) and House leadership, this bill will be marked up in the Education and Workforce Committee tomorrow, Wednesday, March 8, at 10:15 AM EST. You can find more information and watch the markup live on the Committee’s webpage .

We encourage you to contact your U.S. Representative (no need to contact your two senators just yet) and ask him or her to cosponsor the Parental Rights Amendment (H.J.Res. 38) and to vote in favor of H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act. You can find the contact information for your U.S. Representative here , or simply call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.

Your message can be as simple as the following:

Stay tuned for more updates. And we encourage you to like our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter or Instagram . We’re gearing up for our fly-in of our state parental rights leaders the last week of March, and you’re not going to want to miss the exciting photos as we represent YOU on Capitol Hill!

It’s time that Congress act to protect children by empowering parents. As your constituent, I want you to act to preserve parental rights for generations to come by cosponsoring the Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, H.J.Res. 38. You can contact the sponsor, Representative Debbie Lesko, and ask to be added as a cosponsor. To protect parental rights in public schools right now, I also ask that you vote in favor of H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act. Thank you for taking action to preserve our fundamental rights to raise our precious children.

Urgent Action Needed to Support Texas Bill to End Anonymous Reporting

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 16:29:00 GMT

We need your urgent action to help pass a good bill to protect families in Texas.

HB 63 , introduced by Representative Valoree Swanson , will replace anonymous reports of child abuse and neglect with confidential reports, provide penalties for false reporting, and add additional protections for innocent families during child welfare investigations. This bill is based on our model legislation .

HB 63 has been scheduled for a hearing in the Texas House Human Services Committee on Tuesday, March 8, at 8 AM.

Please take a moment to submit a comment in support of HB 63 to the Texas Human Services Committee.

First, go to this webpage , and fill out your information.

Second, click “Select” next to “HB 63 by Swanson.”

Third, tell the Committee why you support this bill. Your message can be as simple as the following:

You can read more about why we support HB 63 here: /confidential-reporting/

Thank you for standing with us to protect Texas families. Please forward this email to a couple friends and family in Texas and ask them to also file a comment with the Human Services Committee in support of HB 63.

HB 63 will protect innocent families from being hotlined anonymously by a disgruntled neighbor, an angry relative, or a vindictive ex. It allows abuse and neglect to still be reported confidentially, but it protects innocent Texas families and children from having to go through the trauma of an unnecessary child welfare investigation. It protects children who are truly at risk of abuse or neglect by ensuring that Texas child welfare investigators have the time to investigate true reports of child maltreatment. And it puts in place penalties to ensure that false reporters are prosecuted. Please stand with Texas children and families and support HB 63.

Urgent Calls Needed as New Hampshire Parental Rights Bill is Scheduled for Hearing

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 16:24:00 GMT

H.B. 10, the Parents’ Bill of Rights , will have a hearing in the New Hampshire House Children and Family Law Committee tomorrow, Tuesday, March 7, at 1:15 PM, in the Legislative Office Building (LOB), Rooms 206-208.

This powerful bill will establish parental rights as fundamental in New Hampshire, as well as provide parents and children with additional protections from government encroachment.

Please contact the legislators on the Children and Family Law Committee by clicking this link , and then clicking “Email All Committee Members.”

Your message can be as simple as the following:

In addition, you may want to include in your email the link to a letter we sent to the sponsors of H.B. 10 explaining why the Parents’ Bill of Rights is so important.

If you are able to go to Concord to testify in support of H.B. 10 in person, that would also be extremely powerful.

To find out why H.B. 10 is so important, you can watch this short video from our organization.

You may remember that a bill very similar to H.B. 10 was narrowly defeated last year in the New Hampshire legislature. We must work together to ensure that does not happen again this year. Please email the Committee members, and then please forward this email to as many friends and family in New Hampshire as you can.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents.

As a New Hampshire voter, I respectfully ask you to support H.B. 10, the Parents’ Bill of Rights. The vital role of a parent in the life of a child must be protected. It’s time for New Hampshire law to catch up with a hundred years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent and protect these rights with the respect they deserve. 15 states have already passed similar laws to establish parental rights as fundamental, and New Hampshire should be the 16th state to do so.

Urgent Calls as New Hampshire Parental Rights Bill is Scheduled for Hearing

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 14:53:00 GMT

This powerful bill will establish parental rights as fundamental in New Hampshire, as well as provide parents and children with additional protections from government encroachment.

Please contact the legislators on the Children and Family Law Committee by clicking this link , and then clicking “Email All Committee Members.”

Your message can be as simple as the following:

“As a New Hampshire voter, I respectfully ask you to support H.B. 10, the Parents’ Bill of Rights. The vital role of a parent in the life of a child must be protected. It’s time for New Hampshire law to catch up with a hundred years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent and protect these rights with the respect they deserve. 15 states have already passed similar laws to establish parental rights as fundamental, and New Hampshire should be the 16 ^th state to do so.”

In addition, you may want to include in your email the link to a letter we sent to the sponsors of H.B. 10 explaining why the Parents’ Bill of Rights is so important.

If you are able to go to Concord to testify in support of H.B. 10 in person, that would also be extremely powerful.

To find out why H.B. 10 is so important, you can watch this short video from our organization.

You may remember that a bill very similar to H.B. 10 was narrowly defeated last year in the New Hampshire legislature. We must work together to ensure that does not happen again this year. Please email the Committee members, and then please forward this email to as many friends and family in New Hampshire as you can.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President

ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation

Please Ask Governor Glenn Youngkin to Sign Reasonable Childhood Independence Bill into Law

Thu, 02 Mar 2023 15:51:00 GMT

We’re excited to let you know that S.B. 1367 , a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Jill Vogel and Jennifer Boysko to protect innocent and loving Virginia families from being caught up in child neglect investigations, has unanimously passed the Virginia General Assembly, and is currently awaiting action on Governor Glenn Youngkin’s desk!

S.B. 1367 amends Virginia law to clarify that a loving and caring parent who allows his or her child to engage in “independent activities” will not be considered to have neglected the child.

S.B. 1367 enjoys broad bipartisan support from advocacy groups across the political spectrum, including ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) (whose model bill Virginia’s legislation mirrors), Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), Let Grow, Virginia Poverty Law Center (VPLC), Independent Women’s Forum, and more.

We were proud to support this critical bill during its journey through the Virginia General Assembly, including providing expert testimony before Senate and House of Delegates Committees, letters of support, grassroots action alerts, and key behind-the-scenes action.

Now only one step remains: Please contact Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and ask him to sign S.B. 1367 into law in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Your message can be as simple as the following:

You can also include a link to the letter that we sent to Senators Jill Vogel and Jennifer Boysko in support of S.B. 1367.

And to read more of our background on the importance of these types of bills, please visit our webpage here: https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/reasonable-independence-model/

You can also read an excellent op-ed by Senators Vogel and Boysko published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch .

Thank you for standing with us for parental rights and freedom.

The Virginia Legislature has adjourned sine die. Look for an email in the near future outlining our work on other key parental rights legislation in the Commonwealth of Virginia!

Please sign S.B. 1367 into law. This commonsense bill will provide Virginia children with reasonable independence. At a time when it seems that government is encroaching more and more on loving parents and their ability to care for and raise their children, S.B. 1367 provides freedom to parents to let their children grow and thrive, freeing Virginia’s Department of Social Services to focus attention on children who are truly in danger of abuse or neglect. This bill passed the Virginia General Assembly unanimously and should become law in Virginia.

Rep. Lesko Introduces Parental Rights Amendment in Congress

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 19:43:00 GMT

I am excited to announce that the Parental Rights Amendment has once again been introduced in the US House of Representatives, this time with 6 original cosponsors. For details, check out this press release we are sending out this afternoon:

Thank you for standing with us and supporting our efforts. Your partnership makes these victories possible.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE // March 1, 2023 // Washington, DC – Rep. Debbie Lesko (AZ-8) and six original cosponsors today introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives a Parental Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution. The Amendment would enshrine the traditional liberty of parents to direct a child’s upbringing, education, and care as a fundamental right.

Lesko, who heads the Protect Kids Caucus in the House, believes protecting this traditional role of parents is key to keeping children healthy and safe.

“The Department of Justice has worked to target parents and prevent them from having a say in what their children are being taught in the classroom,” said Congresswoman Lesko. “This is unacceptable. That is why I am pleased to once again introduce this constitutional amendment to protect and affirm parents’ fundamental right to be involved in their kids’ education and choose the best educational option for their families.”

Will Estrada, the president of ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation, declared, “The Supreme Court has recognized parental rights for a century, but parental rights are just too important to be left to Supreme Court precedent alone. This Amendment will enshrine these traditional rights in the black-and-white of the Constitution, preserving parental rights for generations to come. We are honored to work with Representative Debbie Lesko to protect children by empowering parents through the Parental Rights Amendment to the US Constitution.”

“The Supreme Court in 1925 said ‘the child is not the mere creature of the State,’ but many of today’s bureaucrats have lost sight of that,” says Jim Mason, chairman of the board for the Parental Rights Foundation and ParentalRights.org. “This Amendment will permanently secure that precedent and restore a proper respect for the vital parent-child bond in America.”

The House joint resolution to introduce the Amendment will receive a bill number in the next couple of days. It marks the ninth straight Congress in which the Amendment has been introduced.

Joining Representative Lesko in sponsoring the Amendment are Representatives Jeff Duncan (SC-3), Jim Banks (IN-3), Mary Miller (IL-15), Greg Steube (FL-17), Bill Posey (FL-8), and Doug Lamborn (CO-5).

Media inquiries can be directed to Media@parentalrights.org.

Take Action Now to Support Four Good Bills Introduced in Texas Legislature

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 16:37:00 GMT

We are pleased to notify you that several good bills to protect parental rights and family freedom have been introduced in the Texas legislature.

HB 730 , introduced by Representative James B. Frank , will ensure that families are provided with their legal rights at the initial time of contact during a child welfare investigation. You can read a good editorial in support of this bill here . This bill is based on our model legislation here .

HB 63 , introduced by Representative Valoree Swanson , will end anonymous reports of child abuse and neglect, provide penalties for false reporting, and add additional protections for innocent families during child welfare investigations. This bill is also based on our model legislation .

HB 1667 , introduced by Representative Jacey Jetton , will also end anonymous reports of child abuse and neglect. You can read another good article in support of this bill by our friends at the Texas Public Policy Forum here . This bill is also based on our model legislation .

Finally, HJR 85 introduced by Representative Dustin Burrows , is a proposed amendment to the Texas Constitution which will enshrine parental rights as a fundamental right in the Texas Constitution. You can find out more information and sign the petition at the webpage of our friends at the Texas Family Freedom Project .

We encourage you to reach out to your Texas State Representative and Texas State Senator and ask them to support these four bills. You can contact your Texas State Representative here , and your Texas State Senator here . Please respectfully ask them to support these three bills to protect parental rights in Texas.

URGENT: Calls Needed to Advance Parental Rights Bill in Iowa

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 19:52:00 GMT

On February 28, Representative Eddie Andrews introduced House File 486 , an act Relating to Fundamental Parental Rights. The bill guarantees the right of parents “to direct the upbringing, rearing, associations, care, education, custody, and control of a parent’s child” and further requires that any “state action infringing on or interfering with this fundamental right shall be subject to strict scrutiny.”

The key thing to know about this bill is that it does not create any new rights for parents, so that should take the pressure off legislators. All seven of these rights have been declared fundamental rights of parents by Iowa high courts and are existing case law. This bill merely encodes the existing judicial case law so that it cannot be changed at the whim of a single judge, but only by an act of the 150 representatives of the people, the Iowa Legislature.

This is a terrific bill that will require that parental rights be treated as the fundamental constitutional rights that they are , as recognized by Iowa high court rulings and by the U.S. Supreme Court in a consistent string of cases dating back 100 years to Meyer v. Nebraska (1923).

Upon its introduction this morning, HF 486 was referred to the House Judiciary Committee. In order to be considered by the entire House, it needs to pass through subcommittee and committee this week! So please write the members of the House Judiciary Committee ASAP and ask them to support this bill . If your representative is on the Judiciary Committee, be sure to mention that you are their constituent, and where you live.

Once it passes out of committee, we will send another letter to you with updates for getting support to pass the full House.

Your message, which should be in your own words, can be as simple as this:

Here are the members of the House Judiciary Committee with their email addresses:

Steven Holt (R, District 12), Chair
Bill Gustoff (R, District 40), Vice Chair
Ross Wilburn (D, District 50), Ranking Member
Taylor R. Collins (R, District 95)
Jon Dunwell (R, District 38)
Stanley R. Gustafson (R, District 22)
Lindsay James (D, District 71)
Megan Jones (R, District 6)
Bobby Kaufmann (R, District 82)
Brian K. Lohse (R, District 45)
Ann Meyer (R, District 8)
Brian Meyer (D, District 29)
Carter F. Nordman (R, District 47)
Rick L. Olson (D, District 39)
Sami Scheetz (D, District 78)
Megan L. Srinivas (D, District 30)
Henry Stone (R, District 9)
Phil Thompson (R, District 48)
Charley Thomson (R, District 58)
Beth Wessel-Kroeschell (D, District 49)
Skyler Wheeler (R, District 4)

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through common sense legislation like HF 486 in the Iowa House.

I am calling/emailing to ask you to support HF 486 — Fundamental Parental Rights. The vital role of a parent in the life of a child must be protected legislatively, not just in court case law, where it is more vulnerable to changes by a single judge’s ruling. Please support this bill to encode these rights in the Iowa Code, where laws belong.

Free Speech and Parental Rights

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 19:38:00 GMT

This week, we’re talking with Suzanne Nossel. Suzanne is the CEO of PEN America , a leading human rights and free expression organization, and she is author of Dare to Speak: Defending Free Speech for All . Previously, Suzanne has served as Chief Operating Operator of Human Rights Watch and as Executive Director of Amnesty International USA.

How do principles of free speech interact with parental rights, especially in issues of education? Suzanne shares her perspective on book bans in school libraries, including concerns of censorship and the chilling of free speech in education. Plus, Suzanne tells us about her book and her hope for a renewed respect for free speech in our public discourse.

Calls Needed to Advance Bill Protecting Parental Rights in Oklahoma Public Schools

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 16:07:00 GMT

On February 6, Senator Rob Standridge introduced SB95 , prohibiting public schools from providing certain sexually explicit materials to students without written parental consent.

The act prohibits public schools from providing any “sexually explicit material including but not limited to any book or other written medium…to a student…without written consent from the student’s parent or legal guardian.”

SB95 also includes a “right of private action,” providing that “the parent…of a student who is provided…sexually explicit material for which written consent was not provided shall have a cause of action against” (and may sue) “the public school district or public charter school.”

This is an excellent bill to protect children by keeping their parents informed and empowered to protect their interests in the area of sexually explicit content in public schools.

Oklahoma is one of 15 states that already protects parental rights as fundamental (the Parents’ Bill of Rights, Oklahoma Statutes Sections 2001-2005 of Title 25 ). SB95 will strengthen this law by providing clear, detailed instructions to protect the rights of parents in the particular situation of materials involving sexual content in Oklahoma public schools.

Please take a moment today to contact your senator and urge support for SB95. Your message should be in your own words, and can be as simple as the following:

You can find your senator’s contact information here .

Thank you for taking the time to stand up for parental rights to protect their children in Oklahoma schools.

I am calling/writing to urge my senator to support SB95 prohibiting sexually explicit content to students without written parental consent. Parents know their children best and should be the ones to decide what their child is or is not ready to see, especially in the area of sexuality. Please vote in favor of SB95 to empower parents to protect their children as appropriate.

Parental Rights Celebrating Milestones

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 16:11:00 GMT

This week, we are celebrating a couple of milestones in the area of parental rights.

First, the EPPiC Broadcast is celebrating the launch of its sixth podcast season with an episode featuring Ethan Demme of Demme Learning (and a member of the Parental Rights Foundation board). Ethan discusses his family’s contact with the foster care system from the other side: they fostered and adopted children last year and saw first-hand that, even from the adoptive family’s viewpoint, the system needs reform.

We are also excited for next week’s episode, which will feature Suzanne Nossel. Suzanne is the CEO of PEN America and a former State Department official whose article opposing our parental rights position appeared in Time magazine last fall. She agreed to sit down with our own Will Estrada to discuss and debate their contrasting positions on the proper role of parents in the life of a child.

That episode will launch on Tuesday, February 28, in the afternoon.

Second, there is a much bigger milestone to celebrate this week: February 23 marks the centennial—the 100 ^th anniversary—of the oral arguments before the US Supreme Court in Meyer v. Nebraska , the first parental rights case in the Court’s history .

In recognition of this significant anniversary of an even more significant event, Parental Rights Foundation president Will Estrada wrote an article that is featured this week in the Washington Examiner .

In Meyer , the Court held the following (emphasis added):

In Pierce v. Society of Sisters two years later, the Court would flesh this out more succinctly: “Under the doctrine of Meyer v. Nebraska , 262 U. S. 390 , we think it entirely plain that the Act of 1922 unreasonably interferes with the liberty of parents and guardians to direct the upbringing and education of children under their control…” (emphasis added).

In short , the formal recognition of fundamental parental rights by the US Supreme Court started from those oral arguments presented 100 years ago today!

In light of those rights, we continue our efforts to formalize and preserve them through state law, federal law, and the Parental Rights Amendment, all of which we owe to supporters and followers just like you.

So, thank you for standing with us! As we recognize parental rights this week, let’s commemorate these milestones by listening to the podcast , reading Will’s story at the Examiner , and standing ready for state alert emails to promote parental rights legislation where you live!

While this court has not attempted to define with exactness the liberty thus guaranteed [by the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause], the term has received much consideration and some of the included things have been definitely stated. Without doubt, it denotes not merely freedom from bodily restraint but also the right of the individual to contract, to engage in any of the common occupations of life, to acquire useful knowledge, to marry, establish a home and bring up children, to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and generally to enjoy those privileges long recognized at common law as essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men.

Calls Needed to Advance Parental Rights Bills in Nebraska

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 19:19:00 GMT

On January 12, Senator Dave Murman introduced LB374 , the Parents’ Bill of Rights and Academic Transparency Act . While the bill is primarily focused on parental rights in dealing with the education of their child, it includes the provision that “every parent of a child in this state shall have a fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education, care, and mental health of the parent’s child.”

The act contains many detailed provisions for how these rights are to be protected in the public school context, such as the right to review curriculum, to attend school board meetings, and to be alerted of any crimes or other serious events involving their child that might take place at a child’s school.

LB374 also includes a “right of private action,” meaning that anyone “aggrieved by a violation of the Parents’ Bill of Rights and Academic Transparency Act may bring a civil action for appropriate relief,” including “actual damages” and “reasonable attorney’s fees and other litigation costs reasonably incurred.”

This is an excellent bill to protect children by keeping their parents informed and empowered to protect their interests , especially in the public school context.

Please take a moment today to contact your senator and urge support for LB374. Your message should be in your own words, and can be as simple as the following:

You can find your senator’s contact information here , or simply visit the LB374 page and click the “Submit Comments Online for LB374” button in the middle of the page.

If you email your senator, you might include a link to our video on the important need for fundamental parental rights bills in the states, available here .

Thank you for taking the time to stand up for parental rights to protect their children in Nebraska.

I am calling/writing to urge my senator to support LB374, the Parents’ Bill of Rights and Academic Transparency Act. My children mean the world to me, and no one understands their needs better than I do. That’s why I believe parents should be in the driver’s seat when it comes to matters concerning their child. Please vote in favor of LB374 for the sake of the children and the parents who love them.

You’re Invited: Parents’ Voice Workshop This Saturday in Mansfield

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 16:42:00 GMT

You’re invited to a Parents’ Voice Workshop this Saturday morning (9 to noon) in Mansfield, PA.

The workshop will feature Parental Rights Foundation president Will Estrada and state coordinator and board member Vickie Suarez.

Discussion will include curriculum concerns, schooling options, a history of parental rights, and current action items.

This is your chance to get involved and bring fundamental parental rights to Pennsylvania!

If you can’t make the workshop, you can check out our short video on the importance of fundamental parental rights in the states and stay tuned for exciting legislative updates.

We hope to see you there!

An Inside Look at the Foster Care System, with Ethan Demme

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 20:22:00 GMT

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast, season 6! We’re kicking off our season by talking with Ethan Demme, President and CEO of Demme Learning , and member of the Parental Rights Foundation Board. Ethan is also an elected member of the board of supervisors in East Lampeter Township (Pennsylvania).

As a foster and adoptive parent, Ethan explains how children are often brought into the foster care system and how we can better care for children in the system. Even though some children need to be removed from their parents for their safety, parents and children being reunited is the best outcome for most families that enter the child welfare system. However, many parents who lose their children find themselves without the support that they need to successfully work their case plans and get their children back, and in many states the child welfare system prioritizes the needs of the bureaucracy itself over the needs of parents and children. Ethan also tells us about reforms that would help the foster care system and improve outcomes for parents and children.

Plus, Ethan tells us more about his curriculum company, Demme Learning, which provides learning curriculum to homeschool families, and his efforts as an elected official to help safeguard parental rights.

Texas Considers State Parental Rights Amendment

Tue, 21 Feb 2023 18:37:00 GMT

We are excited to let you know that Texas Representative James Frank has introduced House Joint Resolution 58 (HJR 58) proposing a Parental Rights Amendment to the Texas Constitution.

If the resolution passes, the amendment will be proposed to the voters and subject to their approval at the November 7, 2023, election.

The amendment would take existing United States Supreme Court precedent and place it in the black-and-white text of the Texas Constitution, where it cannot be altered by the shifting attitudes of the courts. While Texas already protects parental rights in state code ( Texas Family Code § 151.003 ), protecting parental rights in the Texas Constitution will make this even more secure.

Below is the text of the proposed constitutional amendment in its entirety. (The bill includes other language in addition to this, which addresses how the amendment is to be proposed, voted on, and so forth.)

Proposed Amendment Text

Sec. 36, FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OF PARENTS TO RAISE CHILDREN. (a) The liberty of a parent to direct the upbringing of a parent’s child is a fundamental right. This right includes the right to direct the care, custody, control, education, moral and religious training, and medical care of the child.

(b) The state or a political subdivision of this state shall not interfere with the rights of a parent described by subsection (a) unless the interference is:

(1) essential to further a compelling governmental interest; and

(2) narrowly tailored to accomplish that compelling governmental interest.

Take Action Now

Please take a moment now to contact your state lawmakers and urge them to protect your family by voting in favor of HJR 58 proposing a Parental Rights Amendment to the Texas Constitution. Your message should be in your own words, but can follow the example below:

I am a constituent, and I am urging my [representative/senator] to protect my family by supporting HJR 58, the Parental Rights Amendment. This amendment would take existing commonsense court protections for parental rights and put them in the black-and-white of the Texas Constitution. This will protect our rights from shifting court ideologies and preserve our families for generations. My family means the world to me, so I hope we can count on my lawmaker’s support of this vital bill.

Once you have made contact yourself, could you also forward this email to family and friends who are as concerned for their families as you are?

Thank you for making your voice heard to protect parental rights in the Lone Star State!

Sincerely yours,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation

Nebraska: Urge Your Senator to Support LB42 for Reasonable Childhood Independence

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 13:29:00 GMT

Senator Ben Hansen’s (District 16) bill, L.B. 42 , that protects innocent families from being caught up in child neglect investigations, has been schedule for a hearing in the Judiciary Committee this Wednesday , February 22 .

This commonsense language unanimously passed the Colorado legislature last year and was signed into law, and the same language is poised to become law (again unanimously) in the Commonwealth of Virginia this year.

Please contact your senator and ask him or her to cosponsor and vote in support of L.B. 42 . You can call or email your senator (or both!) with a message as simple as the following:

“Please support L.B. 42. At a time when it seems that government is encroaching more and more on loving parents and their ability to care for and raise their children, L.B. 42 provides freedom to parents to let their children grow and thrive, freeing Nebraska’s Division of Children and Family Services to focus attention on children who are truly in danger of abuse or neglect.”

If you decide to email your senator, feel free to link to the letter of support that we sent to the sponsor of L.B. 42.

To read more on the background and importance of this type of bill, please visit parentalrightsfoundation.org/reasonable-independence-model .

L.B. 42 enjoys broad bipartisan support from advocacy groups across the political spectrum , including ParentalRights.org, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) (whose model bill Nebraska’s legislation mirrors), Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), Americans for Prosperity (AFP), Nebraska Appleseed, 50Can, Let Grow, and several Nebraska-based child advocacy groups.

Thank you for standing with us for parental rights and freedom.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org & Parental Rights Foundation

Urgent Calls Needed to Save Fundamental Parental Rights

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 17:39:00 GMT

House bill 1407 would add a section to Indiana law protecting “the fundamental rights of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, health care, and mental health of the parent’s child.”

The bill passed the Committee on Family, Children, and Human Affairs on Feb. 9 by a vote of 9 to 4.

Unfortunately, as it approaches a final vote in the house, HB 1407 is facing increasing opposition from special interest groups who don’t want to treat your rights as “fundamental.”

They’re fine with recognizing parental rights in Indiana law as long as that recognition doesn’t actually make any meaningful difference in how you or your rights are treated.

But that is simply insufficient. Only the recognition of your rights as fundamental will enable you to protect your child and represent his or her best interests as you—the loving parent—best understand them.

You can watch a short video here of why we believe your fundamental rights are so
important.

There will be a meeting this coming Monday, February 20, that may prove vital to the fate of HB1407 . So we need you to call or email your lawmaker right now, before you close this email, and urge him or her to support HB1407 for fundamental parental rights.

You can call the Indiana House at 800-382-9842 and leave a message for your representative. Be sure to mention HB 1407 by name and that you support the bill.

You can also find your lawmaker’s contact information at https://iga.in.gov/legislative/find-legislators/ to email or call them directly.

Thank you for standing for families in Indiana with your prompt attention to this matter today.

Action Alert: Please Ask You Virginia Delegate to Support Reasonable Childhood Independence Bill

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 14:28:00 GMT

We’re excited to let you know that S.B. 1367 , a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Jill Vogel and Jennifer Boysko to protect innocent and loving Virginia families from being caught up in child neglect investigations, has unanimously passed the Virginia Senate and has unanimously passed a key House of Delegates committee!

S.B. 1367 amends Virginia law to clarify that a loving and caring parent who allows his or her child to engage in “independent activities” will not be considered to have neglected the child.

Last month, our president, Will Estrada, joined with parents and advocates from across the political spectrum in testifying in support of S.B. 1367 when it was pending before the Virginia Senate.

On Monday, S.B. 1367 faced a critical vote in the House of Delegates’ Courts of Justice subcommittee. Will Estrada again joined with other advocates in testifying in support, and it successfully passed out of subcommittee in a unanimous vote. You can watch Will’s testimony and the committee vote here . (S.B. 1367 is discussed from timestamp 2:32:47 to 2:54:33.) S.B. 1367 is now pending before the full Courts of Justice committee. If it passes there, it goes to the full House of Delegates, and then to Governor Glenn Youngkin to be signed into law.

Please contact your Virginia delegate and ask him or her to support S.B. 1367. You can call or email (or both!) your Delegate with a message as simple as the following:

“Please support S.B. 1367 to provide children with reasonable independence. At a time when it seems that government is encroaching more and more on loving parents and their ability to care for and raise their children, S.B. 1367 provides freedom to parents to let their children grow and thrive, freeing Virginia’s Department of Social Services to focus attention on children who are truly in danger of abuse or neglect. This bill passed unanimously out of the Virginia Senate and the House of Delegates subcommittee and should become law in Virginia.”

If you decide to email your Virginia Delegate, please link to the letter that we sent to the Senators Jill Vogel and Jennifer Boysko in support of S.B. 1367.

And to read more of our background on the importance of these types of bills, please visit our webpage here: https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/reasonable-independence-model/

Thank you for standing with us for parental rights and freedom.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey

Executive Director

Parental Rights Foundation & ParentalRights.org

Toolkit: How to Lobby for the Parental Rights Amendment During Congressional Recess

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 17:48:00 GMT

This week and next, your U.S. Representative will be at home in your district. Congress is on a scheduled recess so the Members can hear from their constituents. That’s you!

So, we have scheduled a special webinar with our president, Will Estrada, this Thursday, February 16, at 9pm EST to bring you up to speed on how to lobby your U.S. Representative this week (or next) to become an original cosponsor on the Parental Rights Amendment in Congress.

Rep. Debbie Lesko (AZ) plans to introduce the Amendment as soon as the recess is over, in the first week of March. And we need to add as many original cosponsors as we can, to show the rest of Congress (and especially House and Judiciary Committee leadership!) that this is a serious matter that deserves a committee hearing and votes in Congress.

It may be tempting to leave this for someone else, or to wait until things have already reached fever pitch. But if we don’t make enough noise for parental rights now, the Amendment effort will stall. So, please plan to make your voice heard right now!

Here’s what we’re asking you to do:

Call your U.S. Representative and ask him or her to sign on as an original sponsor of the Parental Rights Amendment. Just call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121, ask to be connected to your Representative, and tell the staffer why you support the Parental Rights Amendment, and that they can find more information by talking with Annie Clark in Representative Debbie Lesko’s office.
Reach out to your U.S. Representative’s district office and set up a 20-minute slot that you can come and talk to them about parental rights.
Register here to attend the brief webinar and training with our President, Will Estrada, on Thursday at 9pm EST/6pm PST.
Attend the webinar online using this Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86749360727?pwd%3DRWVITDlVUTVWMXNBMzV1MFg4K2JoUT09
Check out our toolkit at parentalrightsfoundation.org/howtolobby/ to find our two-pager on the Amendment and other helpful resources.
Visit your U.S. Representative as scheduled and share with him or her the things you learned at the webinar. Or, if you can’t attend the webinar, simply explain to your U.S. Representative why parental rights are so important to you and urge him or her to contact Annie Clark in Representative Debbie Lesko’s office to sign on as an original cosponsor of the Amendment.

And that’s it!

Congress will be returning to D.C. the first week of March, so our opportunity to reach out to our elected officials while they’re at home is closing fast.

Please take time today to get your U.S. Representative signed on to the Parental Rights Amendment in the U.S. House!

Calls Needed NOW to Protect Innocent Families from Being Placed on Central Registry

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 13:31:00 GMT

We are pleased to support a bipartisan bill, HB 23-1160 , that has been sponsored by Representative Gabe Evans and Representative Elisabeth Epps , which will establish due process protections before an innocent parent is placed on Colorado’s central registry of abuse and neglect. HB 23-1160 will greatly improve the likelihood that all Colorado families receive due process in CPS investigations. HB 23-1160 is based on the Parental Rights Foundation’s model legislation on this subject.

HB 23-1160 will be heard and voted on by the Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee on Tuesday, February 14, at 1:30 PM.

Please email and call the Colorado Representatives who are on the Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee, and urge them to vote “yes” on HB 23-1160, to ensure that Colorado families receive due process protections during CPS investigations, and that they have the opportunity for notice and a hearing before being placed on a registry that could cost them their job, or even their children.

Representative Dafna Michaelson Jenet, 303-866-2945, dafna.michaelson.jenet.house@coleg.gov
Representative Judy Amabile, 303-866-2578, judy.amabile.house@coleg.gov
Representative Brandi Bradley, 303-866-2935, brandi.bradley.house@coleg.gov
Representative Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, 303-866-2954, serena.gonzales-gutierrez.house@coleg.gov
Representative Richard Holtorf, 303-866-2398, richard.holtorf.house@coleg.gov
Representative Tammy Story, 303-866-2582, tammy.story.house@coleg.gov
Representative Mary Young, 303-866-2929, mary.young.house@coleg.gov
Representative Mary Bradfield, 303-866-2946, mary.bradfield.house@coleg.gov
Representative Regina English, 303-866-3069, regina.english.house@coleg.gov
Representative Eliza Hamrick, 303-866-3706, eliza.hamrick.house@coleg.gov
Representative Iman Jodeh, 303-866-2919, iman.jodeh.house@coleg.gov

Thank you for standing with us to protect innocent families and children during CPS investigations.

Very truly yours,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org and Parental Rights Foundation

Calls Needed to Advance Parental Rights Bill in West Virginia

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 13:19:00 GMT

On January 27, WV Delegate Jim Butler introduced HB3118 , Creating the Parents’ Bill of Rights. The bill provides that “[t]he liberty of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, and care, including medical care, of the parent’s child is a fundamental right.” It also requires the government to “demonstrate[e] that the governmental interest as applied to the parent and the child is of the highest order and long recognized in the history and traditions of this state, is narrowly tailored, and is not otherwise served by a less restrictive means.”

On February 10, HB 3118 passed the House Committee on Senior, Children, and Family Issues and was then assigned to the Judiciary Committee, where we are hearing it may face opposition.

Today, we are asking you to contact your member of the West Virginia House of Delegates and ask them to support HB3118 . If they are on the House Judiciary Committee, ask them to call for a hearing and to vote the bill out of committee. If not, ask them to vote for the bill when it comes to the House floor.

Your message, which should be in your own words, can be as simple as this:

I am calling to ask my delegate to support HB3118 Creating a Parents’ Bill of Rights. The vital role of a parent in the life of a child must be protected. It’s time for West Virginia law to catch up with a hundred years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent and protect these rights with the respect they deserve. (If my delegate is on the Judiciary Committee, I ask him or her to call for a hearing on HB3118 and to vote it out of committee.)

Please also email the House Judiciary Chairman, Del. Moore Capito , and vice-chairman, Del. Tom Fast , and ask them to schedule HB 3118 for a hearing. These men control the committee’s schedule, and they need to hear from you!

If you email your lawmaker, you might include this link to our video explaining why this legislation is so important: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cqRWQa6e28

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through common sense legislation like HB3118 in the West Virginia House.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada
President

Calls Needed to Advance Parental Rights Bill in Indiana

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 18:13:00 GMT

On January 17, Representative Dale DeVon introduced HB1407 , an act to amend the Indiana Code concerning family law and juvenile law. The bill guarantees “the right of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, health care, and mental health of the parent’s child ” and prohibits the state or any agency or subdivision of the state from infringing on these rights “without demonstrating that the infringement: (1) is required by a compelling governmental interest of the highest order as long recognized in the history and traditions of the state of Indiana; and (2) as applied to the parent and the child, is narrowly tailored and not otherwise served by a less restrictive means.”

This is a terrific bill that will require that parental rights be treated as the fundamental constitutional rights that they are , as recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court in a consistent string of cases dating back 100 years to Meyer v. Nebraska (1923).

I’m excited to announce that HB1407 passed the House Committee on Family, Children, and Human Affairs this morning by a vote of 9 to 4.

Now, we are asking you to contact your member of the Indiana House of Representatives and ask them to support HB1407 when it comes up for a vote on the House floor.

Your message, which should be in your own words, can be as simple as this:

I am calling to ask my representative to support HB1407 Relating to Parental Rights. The vital role of a parent in the life of a child must be protected. It’s time for Indiana law to catch up with a hundred years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent and protect these rights with the respect they deserve. Please support HB1407 when it comes to the House floor for a vote.

If you email your lawmaker, you might include this link to our video explaining why this legislation is so important: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cqRWQa6e28

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through common sense legislation like HB1407 in the Indiana House.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada
President

Calls Needed to Advance Parental Rights Bills in Maryland

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 16:23:00 GMT

On February 6, six Maryland senators introduced SB566 , Family Law—Fundamental Parental Rights. On the same day, 32 Maryland representatives introduced HB666 in the Maryland House with the same title and content. This “cross introduction” allows the language to work its way through both houses simultaneously, reducing the chances of it running out of time in the second chamber.

These bills guarantee that “[a] parent has the fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education, care, and welfare of the parent’s child ” and that “[t]he State or a political subdivision of the state may nor infringe [these rights] unless the State or political subdivision demonstrates…that the…infringement is (1) necessary to achieve a compelling government interest; (2) narrowly tailored to achieve the compelling government interests; and (3) the least restrictive means to achieve the compelling government interest.”

These are terrific bills that will require that parental rights be treated as the fundamental constitutional rights that they are , as recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court in a consistent string of cases dating back 100 years to Meyer v. Nebraska (1923).

On the day of the bills’ introductions, SB566 was referred to the Senate Committee on Judicial Proceedings and HB666 was referred to the House Judiciary Committee. HB666 is now scheduled for a hearing on February 22 at 1 p.m.

Today, we are asking you to contact your Maryland lawmakers and ask them to support SB566 in the Senate or HB666 in the House . If they are on the appropriate committee, ask them to call for a hearing and to vote the bill out of committee. If not, ask them to vote for the bill when it comes to the House or Senate floor, as appropriate.

Your message, which should be in your own words, can be as simple as this:

If you email your lawmaker, you might include this link to our video explaining why this legislation is so important: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cqRWQa6e28

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through common sense legislation like Hb666 and SB566 in the Maryland legislature.

I am calling to ask my [representative to support HB666 / senator to support SB566], Fundamental Parental Rights. The vital role of a parent in the life of a child must be protected. It’s time for Maryland law to catch up with a hundred years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent and protect these rights with the respect they deserve. (If my senator is on the Committee on Judicial Proceedings, I ask him or her to call for a hearing on SB566 and to vote it out of committee.)

Calls Needed to Advance Parental Rights Bill in Indiana

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 21:07:00 GMT

The day it was introduced, HB1407 was referred to the House Committee on Family, Children, and Human Affairs.

Today, we are asking you to contact your member of the Indiana House of Representatives and ask them to support HB1407 . If they are on the House Committee on Family, Children, and Human Affairs, ask them to support the bill when it comes up for a hearing. And whether they are or not, ask them to vote for the bill when it comes to the House floor.

Your message, which should be in your own words, can be as simple as this:

If you email your lawmaker, you might include this link to our video explaining why this legislation is so important: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cqRWQa6e28

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through common sense legislation like HB1407 in the Indiana House.

Sincerely,
Will Estrada
President

Calls Needed to Advance Parental Rights Bill in North Dakota

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 18:53:00 GMT

On January 16, six North Dakota state representatives and five state senators introduced House Bill 1403 “relating to prohibiting governmental entities from interfering with parental rights.” The bill guarantees the “ fundamental right of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, health care and mental health of the parent’s child ” and prohibits any government entity from interfering with these rights “unless the governmental entity demonstrates [that] the interference furthers a compelling governmental interest and is narrowly tailored and is the least restrictive means available to further the compelling governmental interest.”

On January 30, HB1403 was referred to the House Human Services Committee.

Today, we are asking you to contact your member of the North Dakota House of Representatives and ask them to support HB1403 . If they are on the Human Services Committee, ask them to call for a hearing and to vote the bill out of committee. If not, ask them to vote for the bill when it comes to the House floor.

Your message, which should be in your own words, can be as simple as this:

I am calling to ask my representative to support HB1403 Relating to Parental Rights. The vital role of a parent in the life of a child must be protected. It’s time for North Dakota law to catch up with a hundred years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent and protect these rights with the respect they deserve. (If my representative is on the Human Services Committee, I ask him or her to call for a hearing on HB1403 and to vote it out of committee.)

If you email your lawmaker, you might include this link to our video explaining why this legislation is so important: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cqRWQa6e28

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through common sense legislation like HB1403 in the North Dakota House.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada
President

Calls Needed to Advance Parental Rights Amendment in Minnesota

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 18:46:00 GMT

On January 23, Representatives Ron Kresha and Josh Heintzeman introduced HF682 to propose an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution protecting parental rights in their child’s education. The bill guarantees “the liberty of a parent to direct the education of their child [as] a fundamental right to choose, as an alternative to public education, a private, religious, or home school, and the right to make reasonable choices within a public school for their child.”

This is a terrific resolution that will establish parental rights in education as fundamental rights in the Minnesota Constitution , just as they have been recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court in a consistent string of cases dating back 100 years to Meyer v. Nebraska (1923).

The day it was introduced, HF682 was referred to the House Committee on Education Policy.

Today, we are asking you to contact your member of the Minnesota House of Representatives and ask them to support HF682 . If they are on the House Education Policy Committee, ask them to call for a hearing and to vote the resolution out of committee. If not, ask them to vote for the resolution when it comes to the House floor.

Your message, which should be in your own words, can be as simple as this:

I am calling to ask my representative to support HF682 proposing an amendment to protect parental rights. The vital role of a parent in the life of a child must be protected. It’s time for the Minnesota Constitution to catch up with a hundred years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent and protect these rights with the respect they deserve. (If my representative is on the House Committee on Education Policy, I ask him or her to call for a hearing on HF682 and to vote it out of committee.)

If you email your lawmaker, you might include this link to our video explaining why fundamental parental rights are so important: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cqRWQa6e28

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through constitutional efforts like HF362 in the Minnesota House.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada
President

Calls Needed to Advance Parental Rights Bill in Hawai’i

Tue, 07 Feb 2023 18:21:00 GMT

On January 25, Representatives Pierick, Garcia, and Matsumoto introduced HB1393 , an act Relating to Parental Rights. The bill guarantees the right of parents “to direct the upbringing, education, care, and welfare of the parent’s child ” and prohibits the state or any agency or subdivision of the state from enacting “any rule, regulation, or law that infringes upon [these rights] “without demonstrating that the rule, regulation, or law is narrowly tailored to address a compelling governmental interest using the least restrictive means necessary.”

On January 30, HB1393 was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs (JHA).

Today, we are asking you to contact your member of the Hawaiian House of Representatives and ask them to support HB1393 . If they are on the JHA Committee, ask them to call for a hearing and to vote the bill out of committee. If not, ask them to vote for the bill when it comes to the House floor.

Your message, which should be in your own words, can be as simple as this:

I am calling to ask my representative to support HB1393 Relating to Parental Rights. The vital role of a parent in the life of a child must be protected. It’s time for Hawaiian law to catch up with a hundred years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent and protect these rights with the respect they deserve. (If my representative is on the JLA Committee, I ask him or her to call for a hearing on HB1393 and to vote it out of committee.)

If you email your lawmaker, you might include this link to our video explaining why this legislation is so important: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cqRWQa6e28

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through common sense legislation like HB1393 in the Hawaiian House.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada
President

Call Now for Parental Rights Amendment Original Cosponsors!

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 20:58:00 GMT

This is it! This is the exciting moment we’ve been waiting for!

Rep. Debbie Lesko plans to reintroduce the Parental Rights Amendment in Congress in the first week of March, shortly after their upcoming recess. And that means right now is the time for your congressman to sign on as an original cosponsor.

Cosponsors can help show that a bill or resolution has solid support—it’s not just backed by one solitary lawmaker.

And cosponsors are even more important right now.

Because of last year’s elections, combined with the nationwide interest in parental rights, we believe that the time is ripe to press ahead in a big way with the Parental Rights Amendment. We’ve never had a full Judiciary Committee hearing in Congress, let alone a committee vote. And all of that— and maybe more— is on the table, IF we can show House leadership that the Parental Rights Amendment has broad support, as shown by numerous cosponsors. Combined with our fly-in for our state coordinators and leaders , we are excited about this chance for significant progress to protect our fundamental right to raise our children.

So please take a moment today—before you close this email!—to contact your member of the U.S. House of Representatives and urge him or her to sign on as an original cosponsor of the Parental Rights Amendment.

Your message should be in your own words, but can be as simple as the following:

Lawmakers who don’t act soon enough can still sign on as cosponsors after the introduction, but our aim is to have as many original cosponsors as possible. So please reach out to your lawmaker today!

(Please do not contact your U.S. Senators yet. That call is coming soon, but it is not today.)

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by securing parental rights in the U.S. Constitution!

I am calling to urge my member of Congress to sign on as an original cosponsor of the Parental Rights Amendment. The fundamental role of parents in the life of their child is non-negotiable and should be firmly established in the text of the U.S. Constitution. Please contact Annie Clark in Rep. Debbie Lesko’s office to sign on before she introduces the Amendment resolution this Thursday. Thank you.

Calls Needed Now to Stop Dangerous Grandparent Visitation Bill in Nevada

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 16:35:00 GMT

Nevada State Senator Robin L. Titus has introduced a grandparent visitation bill, S.B. 74 , that would allow Nevada judges to override a loving parent’s wishes and order grandparent or great-grandparent visitation if the judge felt it was necessary. The bill allows a judge to override parental rights if the judge believes that the grandparent or great-grandparent has a “meaningful relationship” with the child, and if the judge believes that the parent has “denied or unreasonably restricted” visitation. No other requirements are needed.

S.B. 74 violates U.S. Supreme Court precedent and threatens the fundamental right of parents to make decisions for their children. While I know first-hand the incredible blessing that grandparents and great-grandparents have played in my children’s lives, it must be parents, not courts, who decide who should be involved in a child’s life.

We urge you to contact your Nevada State Senator and ask him or her to oppose S.B. 74.

Your message can be as simple as the following:

If you decide to email your Nevada State Senator, you can also link to a recent amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) brief that we submitted to the Texas Supreme Court outlining the importance of protecting parental rights in the context of grandparent visitation.

Thank you for standing with us for freedom and parental rights.

Please oppose S.B. 74. This dangerous bill will change current Nevada law to allow a court to order grandparent or great-grandparent visitation if the judge simply decides that there is a meaningful relationship, and that the parent has denied or unreasonably restricted visitation. Nothing in this bill requires that a court consider the fundamental right of parents to raise their children before granting grandparent visitation rights over a loving parent’s objection. Parents, not courts, should make the decision of who is involved in a child’s life. Nevada law and court precedent already balance grandparent and great-grandparent visitation with parental rights, so there is no need for this bill.

Maryland SB 378 Threatens Children, Parental Rights

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 13:56:00 GMT

We need your help today to halt a dangerous bill that threatens the health of children and the fundamental right of parents to make decisions for them.

Maryland Senate Bill 387 , introduced by Senator Kagan and assigned to the Finance Committee, would essentially do away with any age of consent for vaccination , depending solely on the opinion of a health care provider.

Ostensibly, the bill lowers the age of vaccination consent to 14 years, which is bad enough. Allowing a 14-year-old to consent without a parent’s knowledge, input, or support will open the door for peer pressure and coercion, rather than wisdom, caution, and knowledge of one’s family medical history, to drive children’s health decisions.

But, the bill also provides that “a minor under the age of 14 years …has the capacity to consent to vaccination if…in the opinion of the health care provider, the minor is of sufficient intelligence to understand and appreciate the need for, nature of, and the significant risks and consequences of the vaccination; and the minor is able to give informed consent” (emphasis added).

Apparently, Senator Kagan is not familiar with Booth and Mazer, et al, v Bowser , the case we argued (and won) last year that threw out DC’s Minor Consent for Vaccinations Act Amendment of 2020 which tried to do this very same thing. The court sided with our clients because DC’s statute violated federal law and the fundamental rights of parents.

This Maryland bill makes the very same fatal mistakes and must therefore be voted down.

Take Action Now

Please take a moment today to contact your Maryland state senator and urge them to vote “No” to SB 378, that violates federal law and constitutional parental rights. You can find your lawmaker’s contact information here .

Your message can be as simple as the following, preferably in your own words:

SB 378 is a bad idea for children. It would violate federal laws designed to protect children from coercion, and it would violate a parent’s constitutionally protected right to make decisions with and for their child for the child’s best interests. Cutting parents out of a minor’s healthcare is always a bad decision, and in this case we already know the law cannot survive a court challenge. Please protect our children by voting “no” on this terribly unwise legislation.

Regardless of where one stands on vaccines, removing parents from major decisions in a child’s life is certain to have negative consequences . The Supreme Court of the United States has upheld the vital role that parents play in making these decisions which children, by virtue of simply being children, are not yet ready to make.

S.B. 378 treats children as adults. A minor child may not know his or her medical history. A minor child may consent to an immunization, and then suffer an adverse reaction, and a parent who does not know that the child was immunized may miss warning signs and be unable to get the child to the hospital in time . A parent who does not know that their child received an immunization at school may have their family pediatrician administer the same immunization, resulting in potential harm due to multiple and unnecessary doses.

Thank you for standing with us to protect all Maryland children by halting this very dangerous bill.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada
President

Watch: Why Pass Parental Rights State Laws?

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 15:36:00 GMT

Today fifteen states protect parental rights as fundamental rights in state law. So, it’s very exciting that almost fifteen more states (currently 12) have introduced or are expected to introduce similar measures this legislative session.

If every one of those were to pass—a longshot, I know—we would nearly double the number of states protecting our children by recognizing parental rights as fundamental . That would be absolutely incredible!

But why does it matter? What’s the big deal?

As these bills are introduced, we hear from a lot of lawmakers who may not understand why we need to put this into state law, especially in states where the courts already recognize fundamental parental rights (which is most of them).

So, we have put together a video in which Parental Rights Foundation president Will Estrada and chairman Jim Mason explain just why these laws are so important in protecting families.

I believe many Americans will find this short video interesting and informative, so please feel free to share it wherever you are able.

You can view the video (and grab this link to share) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cqRWQa6e28

Urgent Action Needed to Save Parents’ Bill of Rights in Mississippi!

Tue, 31 Jan 2023 18:04:00 GMT

We need your calls and emails TODAY to ensure that H.B. 1489, The Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act , does not die in committee.

This is a powerful bill that codifies in Mississippi law that parental rights are fundamental. In addition, it provides a host of strong protections to parents of Mississippi children, particularly those who are enrolled in public schools. If H.B. 1489 becomes law, Mississippi will be the 16 ^th state in the nation to protect parental rights as fundamental.

Unfortunately, powerful special interests are trying to kill this bill. If H.B. 1489 does not go through the committee process TODAY, January 31, it will die.

Please call and email your Mississippi State Representative right now and respectfully, but firmly, ask him or her to support H.B. 1489. Your message can be as simple as the following:

“I ask that you support H.B. 1489 and make sure that it does not die in committee today. This critical and timely bill will enshrine into Mississippi law that parental rights are a fundamental right, as the U.S. Supreme Court has held for the past 100 years. 15 states have already done this – it is time for Mississippi to become the 16th state to protect parental rights as fundamental in state law. Additionally, H.B. 1489 will protect parents and children in Mississippi’s public schools, allowing parents to make critical decisions regarding their own children. As parental rights are under attack, please stand with Mississippi parents and kids and support H.B. 1489, the Parents’ Bill of Rights.”

Thank you for standing with us to protect parental rights in Mississippi!

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President

ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation

Urgent Action Needed: Bill to Reform Montana CPS Investigations before Montana Senate TODAY

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 14:39:00 GMT

We need your help TODAY to pass SB 181 , a good bill to require notice of parental legal rights in child and family services cases. SB 181 has been introduced by Senator Dennis Lenz , and will provide numerous Constitutional due process protections to families when Montana Department of Child and Family Services investigators are conducting an investigation regarding abuse or neglect allegations.

SB 181 is based on our model bill . It passed out of the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Safety Committee on January 26, by a vote of 8-1.

“SB 181 is scheduled for a vote on the Montana Senate floor today, around 1 PM.” (Please note that schedules and timing can always change).

Please call or email your Montana State Senator RIGHT NOW using this Find My Legislator tool .

Your message can be as simple as the following:

“I urge you to support SB 181, which will add several due process protections into Montana law to protect the rights of innocent parents and caregivers when faced with a Child and Family Services investigation regarding alleged abuse or neglect, including notifying the family of their legal and constitutional rights during an investigation. These protections are required by the US and Montana Constitutions, and will serve to protect innocent families, while still allowing Child and Family Services investigators and law enforcement to protect children who are truly at risk of abuse or neglect.”

Then, please forward this email to two or three friends, and ask them to also contact their Montana State Senator. Together, we CAN bring reform to the child welfare system in Montana.

Very truly yours,

Will Estrada

President, Parental Rights Foundation and ParentalRights.org

Now in Print: Parental Rights in Peril

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 16:40:00 GMT

Parental Rights in Peril , the book version of the Parental Rights Foundation’s 2021 Steubenville Conference on Parental Rights, is now in print and available at Amazon . (Remember, if you use Amazon Smile, a portion of the proceeds will go to the Parental Rights Foundation at no extra cost to you.)

The work is edited by our own Stephen M. Krason, Ph. D. Krason is Professor of Political Science and Legal Studies and the Chair of the Department of Political Science at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, which hosted the event. He is also a long-time member of the Parental Rights Foundation’s board.

Contributors to the book include Parental Rights Foundation founder Michael Farris, chairman Jim Mason, and board members Krason and Allison Folmar , as well as then-Home School Legal Defense attorney Michael Donnelly and these other great thinkers in the area of parental rights: George Ash, Allan C. Carlson, Michelle Cretella, Patrick Fagan, Mary Rice Hasson, Anne Hendershott, Chuck Kokiko, Patrick Lee, and Cathey Ruse.

Each speech or lecture from the Steubenville Conference on Parental Rights is included as a chapter in this informative book.

You can also hear more about this work from this episode of the EPPiC Broadcast podcast from a couple of months ago.

This scholarly work brings a much-needed pro-parent voice to the legal discussion of families taking place all across the country, which discussion will shape our nation for generations to come.

Thank you for standing with us to make this work possible!

Urgent Action Needed: Bill to Reform Montana CPS Investigations to be heard TODAY

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 13:22:00 GMT

We need your help today to pass SB 181 , a good bill to require notice of parental legal rights in child and family services cases. SB 181 has been introduced by Senator Dennis Lenz , and will provide numerous Constitutional due process protections to families when Montana Department of Child and Family Services investigators are conducting an investigation regarding abuse or neglect investigations.

SB 181 is based on our model bill .

SB 181 has been scheduled for a hearing today at 3:00 PM in Room 317 of the Montana Senate, before the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare and Safety.

There are several ways that you can help pass this bill. You can visit the Montana Capitol in Helena and testify briefly in support. Or you can call or email your Montana State Senator using this Find My Legislator tool .

Your message can be as simple as the following:

“I urge you to support SB 181, which will add several due process protections into Montana law to protect the rights of innocent parents and caregivers when faced with a Child and Family Services investigation regarding alleged abuse or neglect. These will include notifying the family of their legal and constitutional rights during an investigation. These protections are required by the US and Montana Constitutions, and will serve to protect innocent families, while still allowing Child and Family Services investigators and law enforcement to protect children who are truly at risk of abuse or neglect.”

If you decide to send an email to your state legislator, you can include an Amicus Curiae (“friend of the Court”) brief we submitted in a federal lawsuit several years ago, which documents the harm that innocent families and children face when going through a child abuse or neglect investigation. SB 181 will provide needed protections in these types of investigations in order to protect innocent families. You can read our brief here: https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/doe-v-woodard/

Very truly yours,

Will Estrada

President, Parental Rights Foundation and ParentalRights.org

Coming January 26 to Vero Beach: An Evening with Parental Rights Florida

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 19:54:00 GMT

It’s one night only , and you’re invited!

Parental Rights Florida and the Parental Rights Foundation are hosting “An Evening with Parental Rights Florida” next Thursday, January 26, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the Kings Baptist Church, 3235 58 ^th Avenue in Vero Beach.

Parental Rights Foundation president Will Estrada will be the keynote speaker for the event, which will highlight the state of parental rights in Florida, the state of parental rights nationwide, and how the path forward involves parents taking action!

There will also be a Q&A period to get your questions answered!

Will Estrada is an attorney with 14 years’ experience at the Home School Legal Defense Association and four years as a career federal servant at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the Office for Civil Rights’ Conscience and Religious Freedom Division. These experiences combine to give him a unique and powerful perspective on the role of parents in protecting children, and the proper role of government in protecting parental rights.

Patti Sullivan, Florida State Coordinator for the Parental Rights Foundation and the driving force behind Parental Rights Florida, coordinated with then-Florida Representative Eric Grall (now a Florida senator) to champion Florida’s Parents’ Bill of Rights, which was passed in 2020 and signed into law by Gov. DeSantis.

Come meet both of these dynamic leaders and learn how you can plug into parental rights efforts to protect children in the Sunshine State!

Legislatures are Heating Up for the 2023 Session

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 15:57:00 GMT

It’s the time of year when many state legislatures convene for their new session, and already parental rights are a prominent issue in proposed new legislation.

Some are “reasonable independence” bills, which aim to exclude from the definition of “neglect” certain activities some parents may reasonably allow their children to do on their own as they grow and gain a measure of independence. While some parents may not be as comfortable allowing their own child the same responsibility, that does not make the more permissive parent “negligent,” and these bills would make that clear. As a result, fewer innocent families will be exposed to unnecessary intrusion, and child welfare investigators will have more time and resources to find and aid those children truly in need.

You can find a model reasonable independence bill on our website .

We’re working on reasonable independence bills in South Carolina, Nebraska, and Virginia, and are proud to be assisting bipartisan coalitions and legislators on these bills.

Others are “ fundamental parental rights ” bills, ranging from basic declarations that parental rights are fundamental and merit strict scrutiny protection in the courts to full-scale parents’ bills of rights (such as the proposals in South Carolina, below). Obviously, the latter are our favorites, but as every state is different, each of these bills will represent a significant step forward to protect our fundamental rights as parents.

There are so many of these fundamental parental rights bills introduced (or set for introduction) across the country that if every one of them were to pass, we would double the number of states—currently fifteen—whose laws feature this protection !

We are currently championing fundamental parental rights bills in Alabama (bill sponsored by Rep. Kenneth Paschal, not yet introduced), Hawaii, Indiana (not yet introduced), Iowa (not yet introduced), Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi ( HB 509 ), Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Pennsylvania (not yet introduced), South Carolina ( H. 3197 and S. 234 , H. 3485 ), South Dakota, and West Virginia.

Many of the volunteers coordinating our efforts in these states are among those we’re bringing to our fly-in conference in Washington, DC this March. They will be able to encourage and advise one another as these efforts heat up to make America more respectful of parents, one state at a time.

If you’re in any of the states listed here, stay tuned to our emails for alerts when it’s time to call or email your state lawmakers to push these bills through. And encourage your friends and family to join you by signing up for our emails .

On the other hand, if your state is not listed, consider what you could do to bring parental rights to your state. If that sounds like something you would like to do and are ready to undertake, please email michael@parentalrights.org and put the name of your state in the subject line.

While this is only the beginning—most of these bills are still in drafting and haven’t even been introduced yet—it is already shaping up to be a very busy—and very exciting —year!

Thank you for standing with us to make these efforts possible!

Critical Parental Rights Legislation Introduced In South Carolina Legislature!

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 14:21:00 GMT

We are excited to let you know that three powerful bills have been introduced in the South Carolina legislature. All of these bills will protect parental rights in South Carolina and will make South Carolina the 16 ^th state in the nation to enshrine in state law that parental rights are fundamental!

H. 3197 , The Parental Bill of Rights, has been introduced in the South Carolina House, and has been cosponsored by Representatives Burns, McCravy, Leber, Chumley, Taylor, Pace, Kilmartin, Haddon, Beach, Harris, Hartnett, and Magnuson.

H. 3485 , The Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act, has been introduced in the South Carolina House, and has been cosponsored by Representatives Magnuson, May, A.M. Morgan, Burns, Chumley, B.J. Cox, Cromer, Haddon, S. Jones, Kilmartin, Long, McCabe, T.A. Morgan, O’Neal, Oremus, Pace, Trantham, White, M.M. Smith, Willis, McCravy, T. Moore, Nutt, Thayer, Yow, Gilliam, Pope, Leber, Lawson, Harris, and Beach.

And S. 234 , the companion bill to H. 3197, The Parental Bill of Rights, has been introduced in the South Carolina Senate, and has been cosponsored by Senators Loftis and Adams.

All three of these bills protect parental rights as a fundamental right in South Carolina law. In addition, these three bills will also do the following:

provide curriculum transparency to parents of children in South Carolina public schools,
allow parents to protect their children’s privacy in public schools,
allow parents to opt their children out of certain public-school classes, and
provide a host of additional protections for families in South Carolina.

Please call or email (or both!) your State Representative and State Senator , and ask him or her to support H. 3485, H. 3197, and S. 234.

Your message can be as simple as:

“Please support H. 3485, H. 3197, and S. 234, to protect parental rights as fundamental in South Carolina law. These critical and timely bills will enshrine into South Carolina law that parental rights are a fundamental right, as the U.S. Supreme Court has held for the past 100 years. Fifteen states have already done this – it is time for South Carolina to become the 16th state to protect parental rights as fundamental in state law. Additionally, these three bills will protect parents and children in South Carolina’s public schools, allowing parents to make critical decisions regarding their own children.”

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by preserving parental rights in South Carolina!

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President

ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation

Action Alert: Please Ask Your Virginia Senator to Support Reasonable Childhood Independence Bill

Wed, 18 Jan 2023 13:27:00 GMT

We’re excited to let you know that S.B. 1367 , a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Jill Vogel and Jennifer Boysko, has been introduced in the Virginia General Assembly! S.B. 1367 will protect innocent and loving Virginia families from being caught up in child neglect investigations.

S.B. 1367 amends Virginia law to clarify that a loving and caring parent who allows his or her child to engage in “independent activities” will not be considered to have neglected the child.

Please contact your state senator and ask him or her to support S.B. 1367. You can call or email (or both!) your senator with a message as simple as the following:

If you decide to email your state senator, feel free to link to the letter that we sent to the Senators Jill Vogel and Jennifer Boysko in support of S.B. 1367.

And to read more of our background on the importance of these types of bills, please visit our webpage here: https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/reasonable-independence-model/

Thank you for standing with us for parental rights and freedom.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President

Parental Rights Foundation and ParentalRights.org

Parental Rights Bill Introduced in Alabama

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 21:12:00 GMT

I first heard from Kenneth Paschal in March of 2011, when he was the Birmingham chapter president of the Alabama Family Rights Association. He was trying to persuade state lawmakers to pass parental rights legislation, and we were happy to lend our support to his efforts.

Today, Kenneth Paschal is himself the state lawmaker, and he is still laser-focused on parental rights, as shown in a recent press release that his office sent out.

“Representative Paschal is championing the kind of solid parental rights protection we’d love to see passed in every state,” declared Parental Rights Foundation president Will Estrada. “I fully support House Bill 6 and urge the state lawmakers there to make this the reality in Alabama.”

The following is that press release from Rep. Kenneth Paschal of Alabama:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 12, 2023
Contact: Kenneth Paschal (205)626-9458

STATE REP. KENNETH PASCHAL PRE-FILES LEGISLATION TO PROTECT PARENTAL RIGHTS AS “FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS”

State Rep. Kenneth Paschal (R – Pelham) announced on Thursday he has pre-filed a pro-family bill that would add Alabama to the growing list of 15 states which have opted to preserve and protect parental rights as “fundamental rights” under statute.

Paschal’s legislation ensures that Alabama recognizes parental rights as “fundamental rights,” which cannot be taken away unless there is a “compelling reason” to do so, rather than “ordinary rights,” which allow parental decisions to be overridden by state government more easily.

“As a God-fearing man and father, I stand in unity with parents across Alabama who believe that it is our fundamental right to raise our children without fear of unwarranted government intrusion and interference,” Paschal said. “Rather than creating additional rights, this bill simply preserves the rights already afforded to parents, who will be able to rest easy knowing that they won’t wake up one morning to find that the government is trying to erode their decision-making power in raising their children.”

Former NFL most valuable player and University of Alabama standout running back Shaun Alexander, who serves as vice president of the Parental Rights Foundation , said Paschal’s measure is a much-needed step in shielding parental rights from being weakened and, in some cases, revoked by intrusive government edict. Alexander’s statement read:

“I strongly support Rep. Paschal’s legislation that would enshrine in Alabama’s state code that the rights of parents are fundamental. While courts have long recognized these rights, it is time for the Alabama legislature to fully protect them by statute.

“One of life’s greatest honors is raising a child, which is a challenging task, a rewarding task, and, truth be told, a task that is key for the future of our great country. Few people will ever lead, provide, and protect a child like their parents.

“We must create the law that gives parents the authority to do that for their children. We must protect the family and the fundamental right to parent at the highest degree in the law. As a husband and father, I’m proud and honored to support this bill and urge that it be passed by the Alabama legislature and signed into law.”

(End Press Release) —

I encourage you to keep an eye on Rep. Paschal’s bill, HB 6, and contact your own state representative and ask them to support it when it comes before them for a vote. And be on the lookout for future alerts in case we need to urgently press lawmakers to push this bill through in Alabama.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Executive Director

We Need YOUR Help in Connecticut!

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 18:43:00 GMT

We need your help in Connecticut to pass a bill to protect innocent families from unnecessary and traumatic CPS investigations. We’ve worked with our allies across the political spectrum to pass “reasonable independence” laws in states around the nation, including Colorado, Texas, Utah, and Oklahoma. You can see our model bill here: https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/reasonable-independence-model/

We are looking for either parents or professionals who live or work in Bridgeport specifically. If you or someone you know in Bridgeport supports the effort to give Connecticut kids more independence, can you or they please email a note to our president, Will Estrada, at will@parentalrights.org ? He will then respond with more details about how you can help in this advocacy effort.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey

Executive Director

Parental Rights Fly-in Coming This March

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 18:07:00 GMT

I’m so excited! For the first time in nine years (and only the second time in our history), we are gathering our state coordinators from across the country for a Parental Rights Leadership Fly-in this March!

You might think we have bigger things to be excited about right now, like the pending reintroduction of the Parental Rights Amendment in Congress, or the introduction of fundamental parental rights legislation in more than a dozen states. And I am excited about those things, too.

But I know firsthand how much our first fly-in all the way back in late 2013 helped lay the crucial groundwork that has paved the way for these other big events that are taking place today.

See, a fly-in is an opportunity for our volunteer leaders from across the country to all come together in one room and share stories, tips and—most of all—their common passion for families. That fly-in nine years ago did so much to build relationships and cement individual resolve for our mission together!

And that’s why I can’t wait to see it happen all over again.

This March 27–29, we’ll be gathering in the DC area for a conference with our volunteer state leaders, along with some top donors and board members. We’ll also spend a day in DC, visiting Congress and urging our representatives to support the Parental Rights Amendment and any other key parental rights legislation that may arise by that time.

Now, I have to tell you: our volunteer leaders are some of the greatest people in the world. They are generous with their time, their efforts, and their passion. If we told them they have to pay for this event themselves, I bet every one of them would be willing to do so. Willing—but not necessarily able.

So, we’re not asking them to do that. Our plan is to cover the cost of everything but their travel to get here, in hopes that as many of them as possible can join us.

But to make that happen, we will need your help. All told, this conference will cost us in the neighborhood of $20,000. Can you join us in supporting these passionate, tireless, self-sacrificing state leaders with a one-time donation today to help us cover their costs to gather?

(And if one or two very generous donors wanted to cover the travel costs, too, we’d love to hear from you!)

Pulling these folks together in one place will let us reap tremendous dividends in heart, effort, and solid relationships that will carry our entire mission well into the future. And I know it will—because we’re still reaping benefits from 2013!

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents, and thank you for making this meaningful and exciting event possible!

Action Alert: Call or Email to Support Reasonable Childhood Independence Bill

Wed, 11 Jan 2023 14:17:00 GMT

We’re excited to let you know that Senator Ben Hansen (District 16) has introduced L.B. 42 , a bill that protects innocent families from being caught up in child neglect investigations.

L.B. 42 was introduced January 5 and will be scheduled for a Judiciary Committee hearing, so we need your help. Please contact your senator and ask him or her to cosponsor and vote in support of L.B. 42. You can call or email your senator (or both!) with a message as simple as the following:

If you decide to email your senator, feel free to link to the letter of support that we sent to the sponsor of L.B. 42.

For background, L.B. 42 amends Nebraska law to clarify that a parent who allows his or her child to engage in “independent activities” will not be considered to have neglected the child, unless there is evidence of obvious danger that any reasonable parent would not – and should not — ignore. L.B. 42 enjoys broad bipartisan support from advocacy groups across the political spectrum, including ParentalRights.org, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) (whose model bill Nebraska’s legislation mirrors), Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), Americans for Prosperity (AFP), Nebraska Appleseed, 50Can, Let Grow, and several Nebraska-based child advocacy groups.

Thank you for standing with us for parental rights and freedom.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org

Launching the New Year with Exciting Events

Wed, 04 Jan 2023 18:41:00 GMT

Welcome to 2023! It’s going to be a huge year for parental rights, and we can’t wait to get it started!

In the coming days, we’ll see state legislatures convene and take up legislation to support fundamental parental rights. And the Parental Rights Amendment is coming back to the U.S. Congress, as well!

We’ll also have gatherings and events around the country throughout the year, and the first one is coming up in Florida later this month. If you’re in Florida, I hope you’ll make plans to join us. Or if you know someone in Florida who would be interested, please pass this invitation along.

If you’re not in Florida, you may want to wait and watch for an event closer to where you are. We’ll let you know as those get scheduled throughout the year.

Without further ado, below is the information you need on the upcoming Florida event.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Executive Director

You’re Invited

An Evening With Parental Rights Florida

Date, Time & Location

Thursday, January 26, 2023

6:30 – 8:30 pm

3235 58 ^th Avenue (Kings Baptist Church Building)

Vero Beach, Florida

Our local communities, state, and nation are battling for parental rights to protect our children and families. Engaging as parents and citizens at this crucial time in history is more important now than ever. This evening will include:

Key Updates

The State of Parental Rights in Florida

The State of Parental Rights in the United States

Discussion With Q & A

Parents In Action – The Way Forward

Our keynote speaker of the evening is the president of ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation , Will Estrada. Will is an attorney who spent 14 years at HSLDA lobbying for homeschool freedom on Capitol Hill. He has testified before Congress and state legislatures. He served four years as a career federal servant at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services in the Office for Civil Rights’ Conscience and Religious Freedom Division. He will give an update about what’s happening on a national level regarding parental rights.

Parental Rights Florida has been at the forefront of the parental rights movement in Florida since 2012. In 2018, Patti & Jim Sullivan presented parental rights language to Florida Representative Erin Grall (now Senator). She then created and sponsored the Parents’ Bill of Rights. After a three-year legislative and grassroots push, the Bill passed in 2021. It was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis just as a new wave of national interest in parental rights emerged. The model language for this bill is now being introduced in state legislatures nationwide.

Thank you for standing on behalf of parents and families at this crucial moment in history.

Jim & Patti Sullivan

Parental Rights Florida
Parental Rights Foundation Board Members

Click Here Now To Register.

In The Interest Of S.K. and L.K., Children

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 19:13:00 GMT

Read the brief.

On Friday, we filed a major amicus curiae (Latin for “friend of the court”) brief with the Texas Supreme Court in a grandparent visitation case . Our brief argued that courts should not overrule parents’ wishes unless the parents are proven to be unfit by “clear and convincing” evidence.

Our brief was filed in a case that is pending before the Texas Supreme Court, In The Interest Of S.K. and L.K., Children, case number 20-0676. S.K. and L.K. are young children born to their mother, Chrysta Campbell, and their father, Treigh Kalinec (Respondent). The Petitioner who filed the lawsuit is the children’s maternal grandmother, Lorraine Rangel. The children were removed from their parents’ custody several years ago due to allegations that the mother was addicted to drugs, and the father had been emotionally abusive to the mother. The maternal grandmother, Lorraine Rangel, was given primary care of the children.

Over the course of the next few years, the mother sadly failed to clean up her life. The father, however, Treigh Kalinec, met all court-ordered steps to regain a life with his children. The case has worked its way up to the Texas Supreme Court and, we believe, provides a powerful opportunity for the Texas Supreme Court to establish that courts should only overrule parental decisions if there is “clear and convincing evidence” that the parents are unfit , or that the children will be harmed if they do not have visitation with their grandparents.

The Parental Rights Foundation isn’t taking a position on who should win in this particular case. The facts of the case show that the grandmother has been heavily involved in her grandchildren’s lives, while the father loves his children deeply. But we know that across the nation, many courts have unfortunately become referees over who should have contact with children without requiring a very high standard for governmental involvement . That is why our brief focuses on one issue only: asking the Texas Supreme Court to require that a non-parent (whether a grandparent or someone else) meet a high evidentiary burden before a court overrules a fit and loving parent’s decision . We believe this will not only protect parental rights in Texas, but will also provide a strong precedent that we and other advocates can rely upon in courts across the nation.

We were grateful to be able to file this amicus brief to protect parental rights, and to assist our friends at the Family Freedom Project , who are representing Treigh Kalinec in this lawsuit. You can read more about this case on their website here: https://familyfreedomproject.org/our-campaigns/

When courts overrule the decisions of fit and loving parents – even to require grandparent visitation – it establishes a dangerous trend of governmental action weakening the sacred bond between parents and children . That is why we are urging the Texas Supreme Court to accept this case for review and to establish – regardless of who wins in this particular case – that “clear and convincing” evidence of parental unfitness or harm to the children must be proved before courts intervene.

Thank you for your support, enabling us to fight to protect children by empowering parents, in courts, in legislatures, on Capitol Hill in DC, in the media, and in the public square. It is an honor to labor alongside of you.

Parental Rights Foundation Files Amicus Brief With Texas Supreme Court

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 19:04:00 GMT

On Friday, we filed a major amicus curiae (Latin for “friend of the court”) brief with the Texas Supreme Court in a grandparent visitation case. Our brief argued that courts should not overrule parents’ wishes unless the parents are proven to be unfit by “clear and convincing” evidence.

You can read the brief here . We were grateful to have the assistance of two attorneys, Thomas C. Sanders and Ryan J. Zimmerman, who serve as our local attorneys. And we are grateful for the help of our chairman of the board, Jim Mason, as well as two other lawyers, Darren Jones and Peter Kamakawiwoole, who provided invaluable input and advice.

The Parental Rights Foundation isn’t taking a position on who should win in this particular case. The facts of the case show that the grandmother has been heavily involved in her grandchildren’s lives, while the father loves his children deeply. But we know that across the nation, many courts have unfortunately become referees over who should have contact with children without requiring a very high standard for governmental involvement. That is why our brief focuses on one issue only: asking the Texas Supreme Court to require that a non-parent (whether a grandparent or someone else) meet a high evidentiary burden before a court overrules a fit and loving parent’s decision. We believe this will not only protect parental rights in Texas, but will also provide a strong precedent that we and other advocates can rely upon in courts across the nation.

We were grateful to be able to file this amicus brief to protect parental rights, and to assist our friends at the Family Freedom Project , who are representing Treigh Kalinec in this lawsuit. You can read more about this case on their website here: https://familyfreedomproject.org/our-campaigns/

I personally know the incredible blessing that grandparents (and great grandparents!) can have on a child’s life. Just this past weekend, my family attended the funeral of John Rhee, my wife’s grandpa, and our children’s great grandfather. John Rhee grew up in occupied Korea during World War II, then fought alongside the US GIs as their translator during the Korean War, and then moved his family to the US, eventually becoming a high-level federal government employee. Our two sons have been incredibly blessed to have had great grandparents and grandparents involved in their lives.

But when courts overrule the decisions of fit and loving parents – even to require grandparent visitation – it establishes a dangerous trend of governmental action weakening the sacred bond between parents and children. That is why we are urging the Texas Supreme Court to accept this case for review and to establish – regardless of who wins in this particular case – that “clear and convincing” evidence of parental unfitness or harm to the children must be proved before courts intervene.

Because of your support, the Parental Rights Foundation has now filed four amicus curiae briefs: before the 10 ^th Circuit Court of Appeals, before the 9 ^th Circuit Court of Appeals, in a non-parent visitation case before the Texas Supreme Court, and now our latest brief again before the Texas Supreme Court. And because of your support, we recently defeated the District of Columbia in federal district court, and are able to defend a family in Virginia with Our lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Virginia .

Warmly,

William A. Estrada, Esq.
President, Parental Rights Foundation

Under the Hood: Exciting Plans for 2023

Fri, 16 Dec 2022 18:36:00 GMT

“These are the times that try men’s souls.”

Those are the words I used as I began a keynote speech recently at a gala in Houston, Texas. Those words weren’t something a politician said on the nightly news the other evening. These were the words of Thomas Paine in a pamphlet he wrote titled “The Crisis” in the winter of 1776.

Today, it also seems that we live in times that try men’s souls. We see attacks on parental rights at all levels of our government: school boards, state courts, federal courts, governors, and legislatures. A relentless attack on the most basic right that for generations we took for granted as Americans: that loving parents have the fundamental right to raise their children free from government control or meddling.

And yet we endure. And not only do we endure, but we are winning .

We’ve told you in recent months about some of our victories:

Defeating the District of Columbia’s Minor Consent to Vaccinations Act Amendment (which would have allowed 11-year-olds to consent behind their parents backs to immunizations, and then prohibiting doctors and teachers from telling the child’s parents).
Passage of Georgia’s Parents’ Bill of Rights, making 15 states in the nation that have now codified in some fashion our model language that parental rights are fundamental. Fifteen states down. Thirty-five to go.

And now we have another one: the Parental Rights Amendment to the US Constitution—our signature priority since ParentalRights.org was founded 15 years ago— has been reintroduced in Congress as House Joint Resolution 99!

This is a significant moment. We’ve introduced the Parental Rights Amendment in the past. But never have we had such favorable conditions on the ground. Parental rights are being discussed like never before. Parental rights are showing up in national surveys as significant on voters’ minds, something that has never happened before . We as an organization have been talking about the importance of parental rights since we were founded in 2007—15 years ago. And today, for the first time, we have that momentum surrounding the reintroduction of the Parental Rights Amendment.

I’m also excited about our sponsor. We’ve always had dads in Congress introduce our Parental Rights Amendment. But now, for the first time ever, a mom is our primary sponsor. Representative Debbie Lesko, a mom of three from Arizona, is the sponsor of our Parental Rights Amendment. And she is passionate about parental rights.

No persuasion was needed when we met with her team. We started explaining the Parental Rights Amendment, and before we were done, the excitement in the room to get the Amendment introduced was palpable.

The reintroduction of the Parental Rights Amendment in Congress caps off 2022—the Year of the Parent—and our 15th year of existence fighting to protect children by empowering parents.

All of these successes are because of you and your support, your passion for your children, and your faithful investment in our organization.

And because of your faithful partnership with us, I want to open up the hood and tell you about our strategy for this coming year, 2023.

First off, we are bringing back the Parental Rights Amendment in a big way.

We worked with Representative Debbie Lesko and her team to reintroduce the Parental Rights Amendment in the waning days of the 117th Congress. Now that the midterm elections are over, the rest of 2022 will be filled up with the 117th Congress in a lame duck session. Representative Lesko will reintroduce the Parental Rights Amendment at the start of the 118th Congress, and we also anticipate that it will be reintroduced in the Senate.

And then the real work begins.

We’re going to make a major push for cosponsors with a goal of House Judiciary Committee hearings and a vote at the end of 2023 . Representative Jim Jordan from Ohio is set to be the chairman of the powerful Judiciary Committee where the Parental Rights Amendment will be referred. And as he is a past cosponsor of the Parental Rights Amendment, we look forward to working with him to schedule the Parental Rights Amendment for a hearing and a vote to send to the full House of Representatives.

This is just the start. But as the ancient proverb reminds us, “the journey of a thousand miles starts with the first step.”

Another of our first steps will be to schedule a fly-in. This is where we will bring our experienced parental rights volunteers from around the nation to DC to meet with their elected officials , asking them to cosponsor the Parental Rights Amendment, and securing commitments from them to vote for it in Congress. When members of Congress see their own constituents come to DC in favor of legislation, it pushes them into action in a way no lobbyist will ever achieve. And it will send a message that we as an organization are serious about ratification of the Parental Rights Amendment.

The third under-the-hood strategy that I want to share with you is related to our state legislative action. One of the victories I mentioned at the start of this letter is that Georgia became the 15th state in the nation to codify parental rights as fundamental just this year. Since then, we have been inundated with state legislators reaching out to us. We expect over a dozen states to introduce state-level fundamental parental rights bills in the first few months of 2023 .

While the Parental Rights Amendment to the US Constitution is our highest priority, we know it is going to take time. And we also know that state fundamental parental rights bills can be adopted quickly and provide significant protections for parents and children. That work to protect parental rights on a state-by-state level is ongoing and ramping up. Fifteen states down, thirty-five to go.

We’re excited about this, and I wanted to share with you the details of our strategies to protect children by empowering parents. But we can’t do this on our own. Will you make a final generous year-end donation?

We anticipate that our fly-in to bring our volunteer parental rights coordinators to DC will take $25,000 to $35,000. We know that just three donations of $10,000 would allow us to accomplish this.

Some of you may be able to join our President’s Council with a donation of $5,000 or more.

Others may be able to donate $500, which will cover my flight and one night hotel stay from our headquarters in Northern Virginia to Pierre, South Dakota, or Concord, New Hampshire, two states where we know our state parental rights legislation is going to be introduced . This will enable me to testify on your behalf in favor of our state fundamental parental rights bills.

But whatever you can afford will be used wisely and with good stewardship to protect our fundamental parental rights. As a husband and dad myself, it’s personal to me. And it is the honor of a lifetime to fight for you, for your children, and for your grandchildren, to protect children by empowering parents.

I started this letter with a quote by Tom Paine. I believe that we stand at a critical moment—like in 1776. And here’s how Tom Paine continued his pamphlet in 1776. May these words, written almost 250 years ago, inspire and encourage us for our battles today:

With gratitude,

William A. Estrada, Esq.

President, Parental Rights Foundation

P.S.—With the victories of 2022 now under our belt, we are poised for even bigger victories in 2023. From the introduction of the Amendment in Congress to a fly-in of our most engaged volunteers to our efforts to bring parental rights to the states, we are ready to make tremendous strides in the coming year. It’s a powerful time to invest in your Parental Rights Foundation today!

The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value

Our Biggest Court Victory of 2022!

Wed, 07 Dec 2022 17:27:00 GMT

It was our biggest court victory of 2022: the District of Columbia surrendered to a preliminary injunction against DC’s Minor Consent for Vaccinations Amendment Act of 2020 , choosing to settle out of court and repeal their law rather than appeal their case.

You may recall that the law would have allowed children as young as 11 to give legally binding consent to vaccinations, while prohibiting schools, medical providers, and even insurance companies from informing parents that the shot had been received. Thanks to the preliminary injunction followed by DC’s decision not to appeal, that law never went into effect.

Our win did something else, too: it helped us and allied organizations defeat similar legislation nationwide. You can rest assured that we and our allies will be relying on this win wherever states try to pass minor consent laws of their own in 2023.

Parents, not government bureaucrats, should decide what vaccines their minor children should receive and when.

You can read media accounts of the victory at WebMD , DCist , and the Washington Post . You can read our full account online here . And you can listen to our podcast interview with our cocounsel in this case, Rolf Hazlehurst, here .

As you know, the Parental Rights Foundation is 100% donor funded. That means that if it weren’t for the support of readers like you, we would not have been here to challenge this law and protect the children of DC from the consequences of adult decisions they are not yet ready for. Your generosity fueled our ability to protect these children by preserving their parents’ protective decision-making role.

Let me invite you to invest in us today , so that we will be here to take on the next challenge to your parental rights, as well.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Executive Director

PS—Parental Rights Foundation president Will Estrada will be presenting an online workshop with Leadership Institute next week. Grassroots Lobbying—A Workshop for Center-Right Citizens Who Want to Succeed is scheduled for Tuesday, December 13, from 7-11pm Eastern. This training will provide valuable information for dedicated supporters as we gear up to promote parents’ bills of rights in the states and the Parental Rights Amendment in 2023. You can get more information or register here .

Today is Giving Tuesday!

Tue, 29 Nov 2022 22:09:00 GMT

This week, Parental Rights Foundation president Will Estrada and executive director Michael Ramey host a special discussion about Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday is a day to give back to nonprofits and charitable organizations, and it’s today, November 29th! Michael and Will discuss the mission of the Parental Rights Foundation and give us a snapshot into how the organization runs on a day-to-day basis. Plus, hear about our victories this year so far and the upcoming projects we’re working on.

You can donate towards the Parental Rights Foundation at https://secure.parentalrights.org/forms/giving-tuesday, where today only your tax-deductible donation counts double toward protecting parental rights!

This episode marks the conclusion of our fifth season of the EPPiC Broadcast. We’ll be back soon in February 2023 . Thank you for listening!

Double Your Investment in Parental Rights Today Only

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 22:01:00 GMT

Today is #GivingTuesday, the day set aside to “give back” by supporting charities and nonprofits you care about. And thanks to our generous supporters, any gift up to a total of $15,000 to the Parental Rights Foundation will be matched today only .

That means that for every dollar you give to support our work in Congress, state legislatures, the courts, and in the public square, the Parental Rights Foundation will receive two . And your gift will be tax deductible, too!

For more information, including my discussion with PRF President Will Estrada regarding some of our major victories for the cause of parental rights this year, check out our exclusive, informative new EPPiC Broadcast episode here .

Then, spread the word to your family and friends, and please give to support the work of the Parental Rights Foundation in protecting children by empowering parents!

Thank you as always for standing with us in the battle for your family.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey

Executive Director

Parental Rights and Vaccines, with Rolf Hazlehurst

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 22:40:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Rolf Hazlehurst, Rolf is a senior attorney with Children’s Health Defense and has been actively engaged in the practice of law since 1995. Rolf breaks down the history of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, which should help families of children with vaccine-related medical injuries receive justice, but often just causes more problems for them instead.

Plus, Rolf tells us what parents can do to help secure their parental rights in issues surrounding vaccines and discusses his important role in overturning Washington DC’s dangerous Minor Consent to Vaccination Act, which would have allowed children as young as 11 to receive vaccines without parental consent.

DC Minor Consent Case

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 16:13:00 GMT

UPDATE November, 2022:

Total victory! Soon after Judge McFadden issued the preliminary injunction, DC waved the white flag. Rather than appeal the preliminary injunction, they entered into settlement talks with the Parental Rights Foundation and our co-counsel on behalf of our clients. The settlement, signed by all parties on August 31, provides in part that “The District will not enforce the Act, now or in the future” and that the parties will dismiss their suit “[i]f the Act is permanently repealed by or before December 31, 2022.”

UPDATE March 18, 2022:

In response to the Parental Rights Foundation’s lawsuit, the US District Court for the District of Columbia today granted a preliminary injunction to halt DC’s Minor Consent to Vaccination Act Amendment of 2020. You can read more on this latest update here .

January 7, 2021

Read the complaint.

DC passed a law in 2019 to allow a medical provider to decide whether a child is mature enough to grant consent for vaccination without their parent’s approval. The law also directs the medical provider, the child’s school, and even their insurance provider to keep this information away from the child’s parent.

Such a scheme could cause irreparable harm to a child whose parent could be making medical decisions without a full knowledge of their child’s medical history.

To protect children by empowering parent against this dangerous new law, we filed suit in DC court.

Read updates on the case’s progress on these pages:

https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/breaking-foundation-files-suit-to-halt-dc-minor-consent-law/

https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/prf-lawsuit-takes-positive-first-step-needs-help/

https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/4084-2/

https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/litigants-it-takes-love-and-discernment-to-raise-kids-dcs-new-law-undermines-both/

https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/foundation-goes-to-court-september-2/

https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/dc-lawsuit-decision-delayed-for-more-evidence/

We Are Thankful!

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 14:37:00 GMT

The holiday season is upon us, and we have so much to be thankful for in 2022!

First, we are thankful for the major victory won this year over a dangerous DC law that would have allowed children as young as 11 to give legally binding consent for vaccinations. Children need the wisdom and guidance of loving parents in making such permanent, perhaps life-altering decisions. That victory protects every child in the District and sets a precedent to protect children throughout the nation!

We are also grateful for the states that passed parental rights legislation this year, and that includes Georgia’s new Parents’ Bill of Rights , which follows the model of Florida’s 2021 law. Fifteen states have now codified parental rights as fundamental in their state code.

We are grateful for the return of the Parental Rights Amendment in Congress , thankful to Rep. Debbie Lesko (AZ-8) for introducing it, and excited to see it advance in the coming Congress.

These are only a few of the blessings we have received this year as an organization and as a movement.

But most of all, we are thankful for you , and for your constant support of our efforts. Together, we are preserving parental rights for the protection of children across America.

We could not do it without you. Thank you!

And may you and yours have a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving this year!

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey

Executive Director

P.S. Giving Tuesday, the day set aside to “give back” by supporting the charity of your choice, is just one week away: Tuesday, November 29 .

This year, supporters have generously agreed to match donations on that day, up to $40,000. Our goal is to meet 100% of that match—a total of $80,000!

Every dollar you give to the Parental Rights Foundation is tax deductible, and every dollar given on Giving Tuesday will count as $2 toward our goal—and toward our next victory for families !

Please make plans now to give on November 29 to protect children by empowering parents!

The Problem with ASFA, with Joanna Woolman

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 20:41:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Joanna Woolman, associate professor of law at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law and the executive director of the Institute to Transform Child Protection . Joanna tells us about the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA), a key piece of legislation in America’s child welfare system. ASFA creates arbitrary deadlines and financial incentives for states to separate parents and children, and even terminate parental rights. Joanna explains why the law operates this way and how we can do better.

Election Day, with Will Estrada and Michael Ramey

Tue, 08 Nov 2022 20:25:00 GMT

This week, we feature a special discussion between Parental Rights Foundation president Will Estrada and executive director Michael Ramey about how important it is to go out and vote today for candidates that support parental rights.

Action Needed: Please Go Vote!

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 14:57:00 GMT

Election Day is tomorrow, Tuesday, November 8. For many of us, casting our vote is the single-biggest action we can take to secure parental rights in state law, federal law, or the passage of a constitutional amendment. It is time to get out and vote!

On October 18, the Parental Rights Amendment was introduced in the US House of Representatives as House Joint Resolution 99 . While there will not be time for the Amendment to move forward in this Congress, we are already discussing with our friends on the Hill an ambitious agenda to move the Parental Rights Amendment in the 118th Congress that will be sworn in early next year.

And just who will that Congress be?

That’s what we’re answering with our votes in the next few hours.

Many of you also have the chance to elect your state legislators and governors. And those are the people who will make it easier—or harder—to pass legislation in your state to protect parental rights as fundamental in state code, to do away with anonymous hotline calls, or to grant children reasonable independence without inviting accusations of parental neglect. You can click here to see the model bills we have successfully passed across the nation and which we are preparing to introduce in state legislatures nationwide next year.

So, while we will never tell you who you should vote for (we trust YOU as parents, grandparents, and supporters of parental rights to review all the candidates and issues that are important to you and to vote wisely), we urge you to get out and vote .

Please take this moment to exercise your tremendous power as a citizen of the United States of America to vote for the candidates who will protect your family!

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents this Election Day.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Executive Director

Parental Rights are Advancing in Pennsylvania!

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 19:03:00 GMT

We have been busy in Pennsylvania this year. With a lot of momentum behind us and a lot of opportunities ahead of us, we need your support to continue our vital efforts in your Commonwealth.

First, we worked with allies from across the political spectrum to oppose House Bill 1737 , which would have allowed Child Welfare Services to ask a judge to force a drug test on any parent who was so much as accused of child neglect. No level of evidence, no probable cause would be necessary. A simple, anonymous phone call with an accusation would be enough to haul a family before a judge , threatening the sanctity of their home and the privacy of their children.

To defeat this bill, we worked with partners as diverse as the Women’s Law Project , ACLU of Pennsylvania , the Home School Legal Defense Association, and Community Legal Services of Philadelphia to oppose its passage. So far, families in Pennsylvania remain safe from this level of intrusive overreach . You can read our letter of opposition here .

And we didn’t just play defense. We went on offense . We were proud to work with Senators Doug Mastriano, Kristin Phillips-Hill, Judy Ward, and Michele Brooks to draft and introduce Senate Bill 996, the Parental Rights Protection Act. We worked behind the scenes with Senate leadership to ensure that S.B. 996 was a priority , and when S.B. 996 had a committee hearing on October 18, Parental Rights Foundation President Will Estrada testified in support of the bill. You can read his testimony here and watch the full hearing here (Will was the very last speaker to testify, at the very end of the hearing).

We were thrilled when the Senate State Government Committee passed S.B. 996 out of committee on Monday, October 24, by a 6–4 vote. We want to thank Senators Cris Dush, Daniel Laughlin, Doug Mastriano, Kristin Phillips-Hill, Patrick Stefano, and David Argall for standing with parents and voting “yes” on S.B. 996.

Although there will not be time to pass S.B. 996 out of the Pennsylvania Senate before the end of the session, this critical committee vote shows that the Pennsylvania Senate leadership stands with parents to ensure that the traditional, primary role of parents in the upbringing, education, and care of their children is protected in Pennsylvania law going into next year’s legislative session.

Parental rights are winning in the Keystone State. But all of these projects take time, hard work, and financial resources.

Would you be willing to stand with us and visit ParentalRightsFoundation.org/donate to make your best donation to invest in these continuing efforts? All donations are tax-deductible, and they will ensure that we are able to fight nationally and in Pennsylvania to protect parental rights.

You know that those who want to control your children will not stop coming after you , your child’s greatest defense. And that is why we will not stop standing with you to defend your family.

So please take a moment today to support our efforts as you are able.

Thank you as always for standing with us and for your children.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Executive Director

Why School Choice Matters, with Quisha King

Tue, 01 Nov 2022 19:08:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Quisha King. Quisha is the host of the Quisha King Show podcast and the founder of the Mass Exodus movement, which aims to get children into better learning environments. She’s a national speaker on education issues and parental rights and she’s the mother of two daughters. Today, Quisha tells us about her journey to embracing parental rights issues and how she’s working to draw awareness to the importance of school choice and improving education for children.

Coordinated Efforts Came Together on “Banner Day”

Wed, 26 Oct 2022 15:02:00 GMT

October 18 was a banner day for the Parental Rights Foundation, as our team coordinated major legislative undertakings at the state and national level at the same time.

First, we traveled north to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where Will Estrada testified before the Pennsylvania Senate’s State Government Committee. The subject was Senate Bill 996 , the Parental Rights Protection Act, which will enshrine into Pennsylvania law the fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their minor children.

While we have several model bills on our website to give lawmakers a head start on things like confidential reporting or Child Protective Services reforms, this fundamental parental rights model has been the hallmark of our work in state legislatures for the last few years. With the addition of Georgia this past spring, 15 states now include this legal protection in state law. With the passage of S.B. 996 (which was voted favorably out of committee on October 24, just days after Will’s testimony), Pennsylvania can make it 16.

Legislative protection of parental rights as a fundamental right is moving in PA!

Second, while all of that was going on in Pennsylvania, the Parental Rights Amendment to the US Constitution was being reintroduced in Congress. Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) introduced House Joint Resolution 99 ( H.J. Res. 99 ) on the floor of the US House of Representatives that same morning.

All of this took coordination: coordination with staff for the Pennsylvania State Senate in advance of our testimony in favor of S.B. 996, and coordination with Rep. Lesko’s staff to produce press releases and social media announcements promoting the introduction of the Parental Rights Amendment.

All of that kept us busy not only on October 18 (the day of those events), but also on the days leading up to and following it. And that includes days we were coordinating a third project: weighing in on Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin’s new, pro-parent education policy.

Youngkin famously won election last year over former governor Terry McAuliffe after the latter foolishly declared that “parents should have no say in what is taught in the public schools.” Now, true to his pro-parents position, Youngkin has proposed education guidelines prohibiting schools from keeping parents in the dark about their own children’s health and welfare. This is a dramatic reversal of his predecessor’s guidance, which kept this crucial information away from loving parents.

For our part, we were happy to weigh in on the new guidelines, encouraging their adoption for the good of Virginia families.

And underneath all these events, we have been awaiting the settlement of our court case with the District of Columbia that ended their overreaching law to give vaccines to minors without parental knowledge or consent. The outcome has been set—DC gave up on the case and our plaintiffs have won—but we are just awaiting the final administration of that settlement.

All told, it has been a crazy-busy couple of weeks. But it has been fun, exciting, and worthwhile.

Yet efforts like these are not unique.

Oh, it’s something special when such big moments all happen on the same day, as is the case with the Pennsylvania hearing and the Parental Rights Amendment introduction.

But these are efforts we are working on day in, day out, in Congress and in the states, wherever we have opportunity. We understand that the battle for your family and for your children is not only in Congress, or only in your state government, or only at your local school board. The battle for your family is raging in all of these areas, and more.

That’s why the Parental Rights Foundation is at work in all of these places—the state house, the courthouse, and even Congress—to promote legal protections for the vital role only you can play in the life of your child.

And in all these things, we are completely donor supported. So, if you are able, please consider making a tax-deductible gift today to keep these efforts moving forward.

Thank you as always for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents wherever the need arises!

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Executive Director

A Pediatrician’s Perspective on Parental Rights, with Dr. Rodger Sayre

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 18:30:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Dr. Rodger Sayre. Rodger is a pediatrician and family doctor with over forty years of experience in the medical field, and he’s also a Parental Rights Foundation board member. He gives us expert advice on raising healthy children and explains how to interact with the medical community as a parent while ensuring that your parental rights are respected. He also explains how to respond to false claims of medical abuse or neglect.

Urgent: Vote on PA SB 996 Coming Monday!

Fri, 21 Oct 2022 20:25:00 GMT

We just received word that Pennsylvania Senate Bill 996 , the Parental Rights Protection Act, will be up for a vote in the Senate State Government Committee on Monday morning , October 24.

This doesn’t leave a lot of time to contact your senator on that committee and urge him or her to vote in favor of the bill to protect families like yours and mine.

Based on the model found at the Parental Rights Foundation website, SB 996 will preserve the liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children as a fundamental right . Further, it will enshrine that right in state law where it belongs—not just in state court precedent.

The rights guaranteed by SB 996 are those already preserved under the United States Constitution as recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court for nearly a hundred years. But enshrining these rights in Pennsylvania law will further protect them for families in the Keystone State.

This is the bill in favor of which Will Estrada testified at a committee hearing just last week, which you may have seen in our social media post.

Call to Action

Please take a moment right now to see if your senator is on the committee listed here .

Then, if they are, urge them to vote in favor of SB 996 on Monday. Be sure to mention that you are a constituent. As a voter in their district, you have a voice that carries extra weight!

If your senator is not on the committee , contact them anyway and urge them to support the bill when it is reported out of committee for a full Senate vote.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents through good legislation in Pennsylvania!

A History of Parental Rights, with Stephen Krason

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 18:12:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Stephen Krason, Professor of Political Science and Legal Studies at the Franciscan University of Steubenville , and Parental Rights Foundation board member. Stephen tells us about the historical background of parental rights, and why we have the parental rights laws that we have today. He also explains the legal underpinnings of our federal parental rights law, including key Supreme Court decisions.

Parental Rights Amendment Introduced in Congress

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 16:45:00 GMT

I am excited to announce the introduction of the Parental Rights Amendment to the US Constitution in Congress! In addition to our work across the nation to defend families and parental rights through litigation, state legislation, and other advocacy, we are pulling the Amendment off the back burner and ramping up a new effort in Congress led by Representative Debbie Lesko, a Congresswoman and mom of three from Arizona. I’m including our press release below, and after that a call to action.

Parental Rights Amendment Introduced in Congress

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE // October 18, 2022 // Washington, DC – Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) today introduced in the US House of Representatives an amendment to the United States Constitution. The Amendment would enshrine the traditional liberty of parents to direct a child’s upbringing, education, and care as a fundamental right.

Lesko, who heads the Protect Kids Caucus in the House, believes protecting this traditional role of parents is key to keeping children healthy and safe. “Parental rights are under attack across our nation,” Lesko says. “I am pleased to have the support of ParentalRights.org in introducing this crucial amendment to the US Constitution to enshrine parents’ fundamental right to have a say in their children’s education, and I will continue to advocate for protecting children and empowering parents in Congress.”

Will Estrada, the president of ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation, declared, “The Supreme Court has recognized parental rights for a century, but parental rights are just too important to be left to Supreme Court precedent alone. This Amendment will enshrine these traditional rights in the black-and-white of the Constitution, preserving that parental role for generations to come. We are honored to work with Rep. Lesko to protect children by making this Amendment a reality.”

“The Supreme Court in 1923 said ‘the child is not the mere creature of the State,’ but many of today’s bureaucrats have lost sight of that,” says Jim Mason, chairman of the board for the Parental Rights Foundation and ParentalRights.org. “This Amendment will permanently codify that precedent and restore a proper respect for the vital parent-child bond in America.”

The House joint resolution to introduce the Amendment will receive a bill number in the next couple of days. It marks the eighth straight Congress in which the Amendment has been introduced.

Media inquiries can be directed to Media@parentalrights.org.

Call to Action

Right now, you can promote the Parental Rights Amendment in Congress by encouraging your own US representative to sign on as a cosponsor to the resolution. Here’s how you can help:

1. Once it’s available, check the current list of cosponsors at Congress.gov to see if your representative is already a cosponsor. If not, proceed to step 2. (The list won’t be available for a few days. Until it is, you may assume your lawmaker is not on it and proceed to step 2.)

2. Find your representative’s contact information here .

3. Email or call your representative’s office . Tell their staff that you are a constituent and that you are urging your member of Congress to contact Bobby Bravo in Rep. Debbie Lesko’s office to sign on as a cosponsor of the Parental Rights Amendment. (We’ll provide the bill number here as soon as we have it, too—that will help.)

Your message can simply be something like this:

And that’s it!

Thank you for standing with us to promote the Parental Rights Amendment and empowering parents for the protection of their children!

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Executive Director

I live in Rep. _____’s district, and I value the role of parents in the life of a child. I’m calling to urge my representative to contact Bobby Bravo in Rep. Debbie Lesko’s office and sign on as a cosponsor of the Parental Rights Amendment. Parents, not the government, have the fundamental right to decide what is best for their child. Please sign on to cosponsor this vital safeguard for my children and for America’s families.

Calls Needed as Key Committee Considers Fundamental Parental Rights Bill Next Tuesday!

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 19:13:00 GMT

We’re excited to announce that S.B. 996 , the Parental Rights Protection Act, will receive a committee hearing in the Senate State Government Committee on Tuesday, October 18, at 10:30 a.m.!

S.B. 996 was introduced earlier this year by Pennsylvania Senators Doug Mastriano, Kristin Phillips-Hill, Judy Ward, and Michele Brooks. S.B. 996 will protect parental rights in Pennsylvania law, strengthening the right of parents to direct the education, upbringing, and care of their children. And it will allow Pennsylvania to join the fifteen other states in the nation that already have a similar law on their books.

Please contact the senators on the State Government Committee and urge them to support S.B. 996 . You can find the names and contact information of the 11 senators on this committee here: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/cteeInfo/Index.cfm?CteeBody=S&Code=41

Your message can be as simple as the following:

ParentalRights.org President Will Estrada has been asked to testify in favor of S.B. 996 at the hearing on Tuesday. If you wish to attend the committee hearing , it will be held in the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg in Hearing Room 1 of the North Office Building.

You can also watch the livestream on the Committee’s webpage at https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/cteeInfo/Index.cfm?CteeBody=S&Code=41

Thank you for standing with us in the battle to protect our children by empowering parents!

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey

Executive Director
ParentalRights.org

Please support S.B. 996 to enshrine into Pennsylvania law that parental rights are a fundamental right. This common-sense bill will take the U.S. Supreme Court’s precedent from the last 100 years and put it into the text of Pennsylvania law, thereby protecting the constitutional rights of all Pennsylvania families.

Family is Fundamental, with Melissa Moschella

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 18:48:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Melissa Moschella, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the Catholic University of America, where her teaching focuses on bioethics and the moral and political status of the family. Melissa is also the author of To Whom Do Children Belong? Parental Rights, Civic Education, and Children’s Autonomy .

Melissa discusses why parental rights are critical to society as a whole, and why the family is the most important, basic building block of society. She also tells us about why school choice is important for parental rights and to protect children.

Parental Rights Foundation Launches Internship Program to Invest in Future Leaders

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 14:04:00 GMT

One of the most exciting aspects about our work to defend and advance parental rights in our nation is the knowledge that this work is all about the future : the future of our children, the future of our families, the future of our nation, and the future of 100 years of U.S. Supreme Court precedent that parental rights are fundamental.

We are regularly engaged in day-in, day-out battles to stop bad bills, advance good legislation, defend families and parental rights in court, and be a voice for parental rights in the public square. Sometimes— and I’m sure you have the same feeling at times— it feels that we’re battling the tyranny of the urgent.

But part of our mission is to serve you and advance parental rights by looking ahead. And one of the ways that we have recently expanded this preparation for the future is through our new legal and legislative intern program.

Today’s law school students and highly qualified undergraduate students will be tomorrow’s lawyers, judges, and legislative staff . It is critical that they be exposed to the issues surrounding the history and importance of parental rights in our nation. It is critical that they know the history and legal precedents surrounding parental rights.

To that end, we brought on two highly qualified legal interns this past summer. Christopher Waugh and Sarah McAndrew came to us from Liberty University School of Law, and both did a tremendous job researching critical legal issues. Sarah reviewed all of our statutory and case precedent regarding parental rights as a fundamental right from the 50 states to ensure that the state court decisions and statutes we cite on our webpages are up to date. Christopher did a major research project regarding curriculum opt-out laws across the 50 states. And both were able to participate in staff meetings, discuss cutting-edge parental rights issues with our team, and learn about the legal precedents surrounding parental rights.

This fall semester, we brought on a legislative intern, Sahknaa Relph, a Patrick Henry College student, to assist with model legislation in advance of state legislatures opening in January of 2023. Sahknaa just finished an internship with Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears and has already jumped in with both feet in all aspects of our office.

Our internship program is more than just research. It’s about investing in the leaders of tomorrow to provide them with hands-on experience regarding parental rights. We know this will bear fruit in the years ahead.

If you know a highly motivated and highly qualified student enrolled in law school or an exceptional student in an undergraduate program , please have him or her send mea resume and writing sample at will@parentalrights.org . Our internships are virtual, so there is no requirement that an intern be in the northern Virginia area (although local interns are able to participate in more in-person activities).

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, Parental Rights Foundation

School Board Parental Rights Resolution

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 19:54:00 GMT

Education experts agree that the best education outcomes are achieved when parents are actively involved in their child’s education, even if—perhaps especially if—that education takes place in the public schools.

And the U.S. Supreme Court has long held that parents have a fundamental right to direct the upbringing and education of their children.

These two facts are perfectly complementary.

By embracing the fundamental right of parents and taking seriously the trust with which parents have charged them for the teaching of their children, teachers, administrators, and school boards can set their students on a path to success. Partnering with parents rather than opposing them is the key to this success.

With this in mind, we offer these models. The state-specific school board models can be used in the 15 states that have adopted state legislation that affirms that parental rights are a fundamental right. The blank school board model can be used in any of the 35 states that have not yet adopted state legislation that affirms that parental rights are a fundamental right.

Arizona

Colorado

Florida

Georgia

Idaho

Kansas

Michigan

Montana

Nevada

Oklahoma

Texas

Utah

Virginia

West Virginia

Wyoming

Blank School Board Model

Maryanne Godboldo’s Story, with Allison Folmar

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 18:57:00 GMT

In 2011, Detroit-area parent Maryanne Godboldo found herself in a standoff with social workers, police, and even a SWAT team threatening the removal of her daughter – all because Maryanne refused to give her daughter a dangerous, mind-altering psychiatric drug.

This week, we talk with civil attorney Allison Folmar, who represented Maryanne in this nationally-publicized case. Allison has represented many parents caught up in the child welfare system, and she’s a member of the Parental Rights Foundation board. In this episode, Allison tells us about Maryanne’s case from the inside, including how she successfully fought to change Michigan state law. You can learn more about Allison and her work on her website .

We’re Shaping Major National Events

Wed, 28 Sep 2022 16:30:00 GMT

Last week I had the privilege of attending the Home School Legal Defense Association’s National Leaders Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. I hosted a table for the Parental Rights Foundation and ParentalRights.org, where I made connections, answered questions, and generally got to discuss our cause with some wonderful, like-minded leaders in homeschooling.

Then, on the final day of the conference, I was honored to give a brief presentation on our work over the last couple of years. Below is the content of that presentation, which ties our work to some of the biggest headlines of 2021 and 2022 .

This was presented to a conservative, home schooling audience, so it highlights our work from an angle they would appreciate. If that is not your angle, please consider the context as you read.

Speech Connects Major Headlines

The story is told of a young football prospect. He’s from a small school, so there’s not a lot of tape on him, and he’s being interviewed by a scout who’s not familiar with his work.

Scout: Can you tell me your strengths?

Prospect: Speed, definitely. I ran the 40 in 4.23. Vision. I ran for 1,829 yards from scrimmage last year. Ability to finish. I scored 31 rushing touchdowns.

S: Wow! Anything else?

P: I’ve got great hands. I had 1,117 receiving yards and added 18 receiving touchdowns.

S: That’s amazing! What are your weaknesses?

P: Hmm.

S: Anything. On-field, off-field…

P: Oh, off-field. Well, I mean…. I do lie a lot.

To give you an update on ParentalRights.org, I want to look at 3 big moments in 2021 and the fruit we’re seeing from them in 2022 and likely beyond. When I start naming headlines and claiming them for Parental Rights, you might be inclined to think I lie a lot, too. These are amazing connections.

July 30, 2021, Orlando (FL) Spectrum News 13 : DeSantis Fights School Mask Rules with Executive Order

A few weeks later, August 16, the New York Times : Tennessee’s Governor Allows Parents to Opt Out of Mask Mandates at School

September 10 Washington Post , Florida School Mask Fight Heats Up Again as Appeals Court Backs DeSantis …

December 1, The Texas Tribune : Texas’ Ban on Mask Mandates in Public Schools Back in Place after Federal Appeals Court Ruling

Y’all remember that news cycle, right? The federal government started talking about a second year of lockdowns and certain states were having none of it . And the revolt started with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s executive order of July 30, 2021.

Now, Florida law requires a governor to cite chapter and verse, to name that part of the law that empowers any executive order he makes. For Executive Order No. 21-175, he listed several of these “whereas” statements, including the following:

This pushback on Washington DC overreach, when it was finally successful, arose from a law establishing the fundamental right of parents to make decisions for their own children. And while that law was passed in Florida in June of 2021, it didn’t start there. ParentalRights.org volunteers Jim and Patti Sullivan started working on a version of that bill in 2015. We moved it forward with some success in 2016 and came one committee away from passage in 2018. That’s one committee out of SIX committee assignments that big bills go through in Florida.

Then in 2020, we had the pieces in place . Our 2015 sponsor, Kelli Stargell, was now in a key position in the Senate and our 2018 sponsor, Erin Grall, was in a key position in the House. She was also the 2020 sponsor. Our volunteer, Patti Sullivan, traveled 4-plus hours one-way, five times , to testify at five of the six committee hearings that year, and with support from both sides of the aisle, we got the job done. The ink wasn’t even dry on it when DeSantis used it to bolster his now historic executive order.

And that win continues to bear fruit in 2022. First, Florida this year added the Parental Rights in Education Act. Mocked by media as the “Don’t Say ‘Gay’ Act”, it would be more appropriately nicknamed the “Let Kids Be Kids Act.” It keeps “gender studies” out of kindergarten through the third grade. And it shows that the ball now rolling in Florida is not ready to stop. In fact, we’re just getting started.

And that’s not all. Neighboring Georgia glanced across the state line and decided, “we want some of what they’re having. ” So, Georgia adopted its own Parents’ Bill of Rights, HB 1158, in May of this year, making them the 15 ^th state to enshrine fundamental parental rights in state statute.

In 2023, we’re targeting more states, like South Dakota, New Hampshire, Iowa, and Pennsylvania: four states where we made progress in 2022 and are poised for victory in the year ahead. In South Dakota in 2023, like Florida in 2020, leadership who held things up in the past have termed out and won’t be back, so we like our chances.

Second Moment: Taking Bold Stands

Second big moment: Washington Post , November 3, 2021: Republican Glenn Youngkin Wins Virginia Governor’s Race . Same date, New York Post : Youngkin’s Victory Seen as Win for ‘Parental Rights’ in Education

Yes, I’m going to claim a slice of that credit for ParentalRights.org, too.

See, Jim Mason, who was then president of ParentalRights.org, interviewed Mr. Youngkin by Zoom for the HSLDA PAC after the final gubernatorial debate, but weeks before the election. And when Jim mentioned that “Homeschoolers are interested in parental rights,” Youngkin got excited and asked, “Did you know that in Virginia there is a [parental rights] statute? And the statute says, ‘A parent has a fundamental right to make decisions regarding the upbringing, education, and care of the parent’s child.’” He was riding in his car, on Zoom by cell phone, and quoted the statute exactly.

Jim told him proudly—but humbly—“Yes, I was aware. We were a big part of drafting and championing that statute,” which was passed in Virginia in 2013.

So, while Terry McAuliff was foolishly doubling down on his position that parents should play no role in what their children learn in school, Youngkin knew—he knew — that he was standing on solid legal ground when he took the side of parents. I can’t claim any credit for Youngkin making the right decision morally, legally, and, as it turned out, politically. But I do believe from his excitement over our little statute that it empowered him to make his decision boldly.

And that bold uprising that seemed to start with Glenn Youngkin in Virginia didn’t stop there. Consider a couple more related headlines from 2022:

New York Times , Feb. 16, 2022: In Landslide, San Francisco Forces Out 3 Board of Education Members
ABC News , Aug. 24, 2022: DeSantis Celebrates as Most of His School Board Candidates Win Their Florida Races

That was just last month, when five of the largest counties in Florida flipped their school boards in favor of parental rights. And none of those flips was by just one seat. We’re talking a major groundswell that is still rising .

And even more recently, a California bill that would allow children as young as 14 to give legal consent to vaccines without their parents’ knowledge died when their session ended on August 31. Even in California, those opposing parents found themselves running into stiff headwinds—and out of steam.

As more people pay attention to the fundamental rights of parents, more politicians (including many new public servants like some of these school board members) are taking a stand for families, and the voters are supporting them, even in surprising places like San Francisco.

Third Big Moment: Laws with Teeth!

Now, the third big moment of 2021 didn’t get national headlines, and won’t ring a bell with most of you. But it was a game-changer as much as these first two. It was Senate Bill 400 in Montana, signed into law on May 12, 2021. It was only the second parental rights bill in the country to include a private right of action (following the example of a bill we championed in Idaho in 2015). That is, if the government infringes on your fundamental right, you can sue them for damages and lawyer fees. For the first time, parental rights really have teeth.

I was privileged to work alongside Senator Theresa Manzella on editing and pushing for this Montana bill, which she sponsored, and I was honored to attend by Zoom and testify at the Senate committee hearing on its way to passage.

And while there are still no headlines to point to, I’m excited to report that this year, every one of our parental rights allies has adopted this private right of action as a goal to include in model parental rights legislation. I’m not sure why we didn’t jump on this after Idaho, but this year Heritage, ADF, and others who promote parental rights bills are all on the same page we are, working to bring this private right of action to more states in 2023 and beyond.

To sum up, parental rights have come to the forefront of our national discussion in these last couple of years, and we were right there in the thick of it , not just passing new laws, but able to proudly display those solid foundations, like in Virginia, that we have already laid. Right now is a good time to support parental rights in our country. Yet, for all of that, we really are still just getting started.

And that’s no lie.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Executive Director

Whereas, on June 29, 2021, I signed into law H.B. 241, the Parent’s Bill of Rights, which prevents the state, its subdivisions, or any governmental institution, from infringing on the fundamental rights of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, health care, or mental health of a minor child without demonstrating that such action is reasonable and necessary to achieve a compelling state interest and that such action is narrowly tailored and is not otherwise served by less restrictive means….

Parental Rights Foundation Joins Amicus Brief to Defend the First Amendment From Federal Overreach

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 15:14:00 GMT

A few members of the Parental Rights team preparing a mailing in the office. From left to right, Michael Ramey, Natalie Clarke, Will Estrada.

On Tuesday, the Parental Rights Foundation joined over fifty organizations, individuals, and elected officials in an amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) brief to the Federal District Court for the Middle District of Alabama , in the case of Boe v. Marshall (formerly Eknes-Tucker v. Ivey ), No. 2:22-cv-184-LCB-CWB.

The amicus brief , drafted by the prestigious law firm of Boyden Gray & Associates in Washington, D.C., and filed by local counsel Bert Jordan at Wallace, Jordan, Ratliff & Brandt, L.L.C. in Birmingham, AL, is in response to the U.S. Department of Justice’s attempt to subpoena emails and documents from Eagle Forum of Alabama.

You can read the amicus brief here . The amicus brief states,

The Parental Rights Foundation was not involved in the passage of the state law at issue in Boe v. Marshall . But we joined with this amicus brief because the U.S. Department of Justice is treading on the sacred Constitutional right of organizations like Parental Rights Foundation to be involved in our nation’s legislative efforts. Just this spring, our parent organization, ParentalRights.org, registered as a lobbying organization in nearly a dozen states so that we could represent you and advance state-level legislation to protect our precious children by empowering parents.

If one of the bills we championed became law and was then challenged in court, such is life. This regularly happens, and state attorneys general step up to defend their state’s laws. But what does NOT regularly happen is for the federal government to suddenly demand to see internal emails and documents from a nonprofit organization simply because it supported the bill during the legislative process before the bill became law. This is what the U.S. Department of Justice is trying to do in this case. If the U.S. Department of Justice was left unchecked to subpoena these communications, it would have a chilling effect on the work that we do to advance laws all around the country that protect the rights of parents like you.

It’s because of you that we are able to work on federal legislation like the Parental Rights Amendment. It’s because of you and your generous financial support that we are able to advance model legislation like our model fundamental parental rights bill that is now the law in 15 states and our model bill to ensure due process in CPS investigations . We are proud to join this amicus brief to ensure that the federal government does not use the civil litigation process to chill the First Amendment free speech and free association rights of organizations like ours.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, Parental Rights Foundation

P.S.This week on our podcast, we interviewed Jason Bedrick about a recent article from the New York Times that attacked the Yeshivas (religious schools) of New York’s Hasidic Jews. You won’t want to miss this interview on a hot-button topic. Check it out here .

Amici comprise a wide range of organizations and individuals, from non-profit policy groups, to federal and state legislators, to individual citizens. Their interests and goals vary. But all agree that the United States’ subpoena in this case is a transparent use of the civil litigation process to chill the speech and political organizing of those who hold views contrary to those of the United States and the Department of Justice. The subpoena harms not just members of the public across all ideological and political spectra, who will be inhibited from open discourse and petitioning, but also legislators themselves, who benefit from hearing from their constituents without those citizens fearing subsequent federal investigations seeking reams of protected materials.

Episode Six: In Defense of Yeshiva Schools, with Jason Bedrick

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 18:35:00 GMT

Recently, the New York Times ran an article entitled “ In Hasidic Enclaves, Failing Private Schools Flush With Public Money ”, attacking the Yeshivas (religious schools) of New York’s Hasidic Jews. But what’s the real story?

This week, we talk with Jason Bedrick, a former member of the New Hampshire state legislature, and now a Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation . Jason explains the tradition of Yeshivas; some teach secular subjects in addition to religious texts, while some schools focus solely on religious instruction. And he tells us the other side of this story – the perspective of Hasidic Jews in New York who want to give their children an education in their religion and history. You can learn more about Jason and his work here .

Child Protection Investigations Reform Act

Tue, 20 Sep 2022 16:08:00 GMT

View the model as adopted by the American Legislative Exchange Council.

People rarely exercise rights they don’t know they have. This is especially true in CPS investigations. Many CPS investigators take advantage of a parent’s ignorance of their legal rights to push them into “agreements” that might ultimately be against the family’s best interests. Parents unknowingly sacrifice their rights and expose their children to avoidable trauma at the hands of an over-reaching agency.

Meanwhile, because child welfare is often its own separate section of the legal code, sometimes even lawyers, unless they specialize in family law, can’t keep straight how the system is supposed to work.

Instead, CPS investigators should have to alert parents to their basic rights the moment an investigation is started. Parents facing an investigation should know their rights at the outset in order to better protect their parental decision-making for their child’s best interests.

This model, drafted by a bipartisan coalition of lawyers and family advocates, and adopted by ALEC in 2022, is ready to be modified to address this issue in your state.

Parental Rights Foundation Submits Comments on New Title IX Rules

Wed, 14 Sep 2022 15:47:00 GMT

On Monday, the Parental Rights Foundation submitted a nine-page letter as our official public comment in response to the Biden Administration’s Notice of Proposed Rule Making related to Title IX . The reason we submitted this public comment is because the proposed regulation includes certain provisions that threaten parental rights .

For background, a few months ago, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it was considering making significant changes to the regulations implementing the landmark law that Congress passed in 1972, Title IX. These proposed changes were included in a Notice of Proposed Rule Making, or an NPRM.

When Congress passed Title IX, the key reason was to ensure that girls and women had the opportunity to play sports in public schools and colleges and universities, just as boys and men did. The U.S. Department of Education’s main focus with the proposed regulations is to broaden Title IX to meet the Biden Administration’s focus on transgender and gender identity issues.

Numerous organizations have raised legitimate concerns about these issues in the context of public education. But few have addressed how the regulations include certain provisions that could weaken parental rights. That’s why we submitted this public comment. And under the Administrative Procedure Act, codified at 5 U.S.C. § 551 et seq. that was passed by Congress in 1946, federal agencies are required to review, consider, and respond to every single substantive comment on a proposed regulation.

Our public comment focuses on six ways that the proposed regulation would threaten parental rights.

As an organization that has been fighting to protect children by empowering parents for the last 15 years, we are proud to be able to use our expertise to help shape the public conversation and the laws and regulations of our nation to better protect the God-given right of parents to raise their children. But it is because of you and your faithful generosity over the years that we are able to do this. Our submission of this public comment is because of you.

As we were writing our public comment, it was readily apparent that the fight to protect parental rights from unelected bureaucrats at the federal level would be significantly improved if there was a Parental Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution. (The Parental Rights Amendment would also protect parents and families in numerous other ways, as well.) Therefore, we are meeting with allied organizations and Members of Congress to reintroduce the Parental Rights Amendment in the next Congress. Stay tuned!

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, Parental Rights Foundation

Why Due Process Matters, with Frank Garrison

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 19:55:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Frank Garrison, an attorney at the Pacific Legal Foundation , which fights to protect civil rights, private property rights, and to uphold the constitutional separation of powers. Frank is representing a mother in Arizona who has been falsely accused of child neglect and has found her name on the state child abuse registry without due process.

In this episode, Frank tells how his case is challenging the constitutionality of putting parents on a state child abuse registry without due process, and how he’s fighting to give this mother a fair trial with a jury. You can learn more about Frank and his work here .

Episode Four: Are State Child Abuse Registries Unconstitutional? with Timothy Sandefur

Wed, 07 Sep 2022 19:10:00 GMT

In Arizona , one mom found her name on the state registry of child abusers, with many job and volunteer opportunities closed to her for the next 25 years , all because she let her child play in a safe neighborhood park with friends while she shopped for groceries. How does this happen to an innocent, loving parent?

This week, we talk with Timothy Sandefur, Vice President of Legal Affairs at the Goldwater Institute .

Timothy is representing this mom in a court case that challenges the constitutionality of Arizona’s child abuse registry. You can learn more about Timothy and his work here .

Parent Volunteers: The Greatest Human Beings on the Planet

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 16:26:00 GMT

I’m just going to put this out there: our volunteers are some of the greatest human beings on the planet!

A couple of weeks ago, ParentalRights.org president Will Estrada and I found ourselves in the same place as a few of our state coordinators and got to sit down with them. We talked ( in person! ) about our legislative efforts of the past year and how we’d like to proceed in 2023. We also discussed next steps in introducing the Parental Rights Amendment to the US Constitution in Congress.

As exciting as that conversation was, though, what really struck me was just how blessed we are to get to work with such amazing people for the cause of parental rights.

Parental Rights Champions

I’m talking about champions like Paulette Brack of Michigan, who first started working with nonprofits (and with our founding president, Michael Farris) in the 1980s—well before ParentalRights.org was founded in 2007!

Or Barb Heki of Iowa, who has been leading the charge in her state for more than 10 years, and who is right now in the middle of negotiating with lawmakers the best way to bring a fundamental parental rights law to the Hawkeye State in 2023.

Or Jim and Patti Sullivan, who successfully steered a Parent’s Bill of Rights through Florida’s legislature in 2021 and yet are just getting started. (You can hear Patti talk about her experience in this episode of our EPPiC Broadcast podcast. )

In fact, getting to sit down with them was so encouraging, we’ve begun serious talks about hosting a training event for state leaders, hopefully in the coming months. It has been several years since our last one, and it’s time to “get the band back together.”

But in all this, there is still something missing—and it might just be you .

An Invitation

The reason that ParentalRights.org has been able to do so much good through the years is because of our passionate ParentalRights.org volunteers who do so much of the on-the-ground work to defend families, empower parents, and protect children. It is reader-supporters just like you who one day rise to the call and decide to see what they can do to bring parental rights protection to their state.

With the rise of many volunteer parent grassroots groups in the past two years, we have more organizations to partner with than ever before. And that creates opportunities for ParentalRights.org volunteers to coordinate with these partners and with lawmakers to make great strides for parental rights, wherever you happen to live.

So here’s my invitation to you today: If you would be interested in pursuing parental rights efforts in your state (especially toward passing state legislation to protect families), send an email to Michael@parentalrights.org and put “2022 Volunteer” in the subject line. If your state already has a coordinator, I will connect you with them. And if not, we can talk about whether you might be the right person for that role.

(One word of caution: If you are in the middle of a family crisis right now, I will urge you to focus on your family and get that resolved first. We don’t want to take your energy away from that; it wouldn’t be the best thing for you, your family, or the organization.)

There is something Paulette, Barb, Patti, and Jim all have in common: there was once a time when they had never done anything like this before. Just like you. But then they stepped up and volunteered. I honestly can’t imagine where ParentalRights.org would be today without them.

So, carefully consider if you’d like to join us, and send me an email to let me know. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

And if you don’t have the time to volunteer, perhaps you have the financial ability to help support our parent volunteers. You can contribute to ParentalRights.org and our efforts to pass legislation. Or, make a tax-deductible donation to the Parental Rights Foundation to fund efforts like our in-person volunteer training event coming in the next few months.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey

Executive Director

Our Incredible Parent Volunteers

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 15:49:00 GMT

I’m just going to put this out there: our volunteers are some of the greatest human beings on the planet!

As exciting as that conversation was, though, what really struck me was just how blessed we are to get to work with such amazing people for the cause of parental rights .

Parental Rights Champions

But in all this, there is still something missing—and it might just be you.

An Invitation

The reason that ParentalRights.org has been able to do so much good through the years is because of our passionate ParentalRights.org volunteers who do so much of the on-the-ground work to defend families, empower parents, and protect children . It is reader-supporters just like you who one day rise to the call and decide to see what they can do to bring parental rights protection to their state.

So here’s my invitation to you today : If you would be interested in pursuing parental rights efforts in your state (especially toward passing state legislation to protect families), send an email to Michael@parentalrights.org and put “ 2022 Volunteer ” in the subject line. If your state already has a coordinator, I will connect you with them. And if not, we can talk about whether you might be the right person for that role.

So, carefully consider if you’d like to join us, and send me an email to let me know. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey

Executive Director

Protecting Innocent Parents, with Jamie Gullen

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 18:28:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Jamie Gullen . Jamie is the Managing Attorney of the Employment Unit and Youth Justice Project at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia.

On August 10th, Community Legal Services filed a lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania over Pennsylvania’s state child abuse registry . When child abuse investigations are opened, parents are automatically placed on the registry, regardless of whether they have actually been convicted of child abuse . Jamie is the lead attorney on the lawsuit, and today she explains how Pennsylvania’s child abuse registry violates due process for parents.

You can learn more about Jamie’s work here .

Parental Rights Foundation President Discusses High Priority California Issues

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 16:51:00 GMT

Parental Rights Foundation president Will Estrada appeared on the Issues, Etc. podcast last week to discuss his recent op-ed about removing parental consent when it comes to vaccine mandates. We encourage you to check out that episode here .

In addition, Estrada also authored an op-ed last week pushing back against the LA Times Editorial Board’s support for legislation like California Senate Bill 866 that would allow teens to receive vaccines without parental consent . You can read his op-ed here .

The Supreme Court has already held that “most children, even in adolescence, simply are not able to make sound judgments concerning many decisions, including their need for medical care or treatment. Parents can and must make those judgments.”

At the Parental Rights Foundation, we are working hard to educate the public about the critical nature of parental rights. But we cannot do it on our own. Please support our efforts to preserve the fundamental right of parents—not bureaucrats—to raise and care for our children with a tax-deductible donation to the Parental Rights Foundation .

As the California legislature hurtles toward adjournment this Wednesday , August 31, we are standing with you—and millions of other California parents and grandparents—to protect children by empowering parents.

Thank you for your love and passion for your children, and for standing with us to protect them!

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Executive Director

No, Teens Shouldn’t Be Required to Make Adult Decisions About Vaccines

Wed, 24 Aug 2022 16:44:00 GMT

This article by PRF president Will Estrada was originally published in The Federalist .

Should laws be passed that cut parents out of the decision-making process when it comes to teens and vaccines?

Yes, if you’re the Los Angeles Times Editorial Board , who support California Senate Bill 866 , innocuously entitled “Minors: Vaccine Consent,” which could come up for a vote in the legislature anytime in the next week. Their recent editorial argued that “California teenagers should have the right to protect their health by receiving approved vaccines without parental consent or knowledge.”

To that unprecedented and controversial claim I say without hesitation, “NO!”

This is not an issue of parents versus children. We all recognize that teens are still developing and are still immature. Science has shown that their brains are still developing. We still consider them to be minors because they still need the influence and wisdom of loving parents. After all, we don’t let minors use tobacco, vape, or vote. So, the question is really: Who will help guide and protect minor children—government bureaucrats or parents?

The LA Times Editorial Board thinks that parents cannot be trusted. They advocate for minors to consent to vaccinations to protect from what they describe as “vaccine misinformation” from parents. But here’s the problem: the LA Times Editorial Board wants government bureaucrats to be influencing kids. Parents can’t be trusted, but government bureaucrats can—at least in the eyes of the LA Times Editorial Board.

This is not only wrong, but also directly contrary to U.S. Supreme Court precedent. In the 1979 case of Parham v. J.R., the Court made this clear: “The law’s concept of the family rests on a presumption that parents possess what a child lacks in maturity, experience, and capacity for judgment required for making life’s difficult decisions. More important, historically it has recognized that natural bonds of affection lead parents to act in the best interests of their children.”

Parents, not government bureaucrats or even the LA Times Editorial Board, must be trusted to review all the information in consultation with their medical provider, and make the best decision for their kids.

Many parents will choose vaccinations. Others will choose to wait. Some will choose to not use some vaccines.

Child safety is also an issue. If minors who are still developing in their wisdom and maturity are being forced to make adult decisions, what happens if they forget which vaccine they received? What happens if they receive multiple and unnecessary vaccinations? What happens if they suffer an adverse reaction, and their parents, unaware they received a particular vaccine, are not able to provide emergency medical services with accurate and timely information?

All of these are issues that arise when laws are passed that allow minors to consent to vaccinations and cut their parents out of the process.

Some of these concerns led to our organization recently filing suit against the District of Columbia and winning a preliminary injunction in Federal District Court for the District of Columbia in the case of Booth v. Bowser regarding the District of Columbia’s legislative scheme that allowed minors to consent to immunizations. The court rightly agreed that DC’s Minor Consent to Vaccination Act violated federal law.

Parents are a child’s first and best advocate. Parents know that when it comes to their children, one size does not fit all. And I will always stand with loving parents over some government bureaucrat who may be a great person, but who at the end of the day works with kids because they are paid to. The best way to protect children is by empowering parents.

A History of Homeschooling, with Jim Mason

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 18:28:00 GMT

This week’s episode features an interview with Jim Mason, president of the Home School Legal Defense Association . Jim has represented homeschooling families in a wide range of challenging situations and has set precedents that have expanded freedom for the homeschool community. Today, he tells us about HSLDA’s work in protecting the right of parents to teach their children at home.

Plus, learn about the future of the parental rights movement and why families choose to school their children at home.

Season Five Is Here and It’s Going to Be EPPiC!

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 16:09:00 GMT

The Parental Rights Foundation’s EPPiC Broadcast podcast launched its fifth season August 16 with guest Kathleen Creamer , managing attorney for the Family Advocacy Unit of Community Legal Services in Philadelphia. Kathleen is on the front lines every day, defending families from overreach by Pennsylvania’s child welfare system. This marks her second appearance on the EPPiC Broadcast; I had the privilege of talking with her in our first season back in 2020.

The EPPiC Broadcast (which stands for “Empowering Parents, Protecting Children”—EPPiC) was launched by the Parental Rights Foundation in January, 2020, and has featured guests from across the political spectrum who all share a concern for parental rights, whether in education, medical services, or in battling the child welfare system.

Our first season was shaped by the emergence of covid, and I’m proud to say we responded to those ever-changing events with helpful and insightful episodes applying parental rights to the shifting world around us to protect your children.

Since then, we have built one of the greatest (if not the greatest) libraries of parental rights thought and scholarship among podcasts today, with such scholars as Martin Guggenheim , Diane Redleaf , Vivek Sankaran , Josh Gupta-Kagan , Robbie George , Michael Farris , Jerry Milner , Jessica Pryce , John Rosemond , and Andrew Brown (plus many more)!

Season five, which is scheduled to run through November, will continue to feature a new guest each week unpacking legal, educational, or other practical tidbits to help you in your parental role.

Early season-five episodes include Creamer, Foundation chairman and founder Jim Mason, and Melissa Moschella , a professor of philosophy at The Catholic University of America and author of the book, To Whom Do Children Belong?

Breaking News!

We have also just learned that Community Legal Services of Philadelphia (CLS) has filed suit against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania over the practice of adding parents’ names to the state’s child abuse registry without first providing due process , such as a hearing and a chance to defend oneself. The EPPiC Broadcast will host a conversation with one of Kathleen’s CLS colleagues to discuss this exciting development and what it might mean for parents across the country. (Further details to be announced!)

Listen Now

If you haven’t yet checked out the EPPiC Broadcast , I encourage you to do so today. You can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Google Podcasts. And you can catch up on past episodes by clicking on the links in this article or from our podcast’s webpage online .

We are proud to bring you these vital voices in the cause for parental rights and family defense, and we invite you to join us by listening today!

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey

Executive Director

[MR13] S. 2, Ep. 19

Representing Parents in Family Court, with Kathleen Creamer

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 21:03:00 GMT

Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast! We’re kicking off our fifth season by talking with Kathleen Creamer, managing attorney of the Family Advocacy Unit at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia.

Despite the life-altering consequences of CPS investigations, up to losing their children forever, many parents go to court completely unrepresented by any legal counsel. The system is particularly harsh on low-income families and families of color. Kathleen works to give high-quality legal aid to families caught up in child welfare investigations in Pennsylvania.

Kathleen also breaks down how anonymous child abuse hotlines and central registries for child abusers, while ostensibly intended to protect children, often do more harm than good to innocent families. Plus, hear about a new bill in Pennsylvania that threatens parents with compulsory drug screenings based only on an anonymous hotline call.

You can learn more about Kathleen’s work on the CLS website , and you can hear more from her on her Twitter . Also check out Community Legal Services’ podcast, How Is That Legal? .

Protecting Innocent Families from Rogue CPS Investigations

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 16:22:00 GMT

We recently shared with you about our work to introduce a model bill at the annual meeting of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) in Atlanta. Our model was drafted to ensure that innocent families know their legal rights when a child welfare investigator shows up at their door. The bill would help level the playing field and protect innocent families from overreaching and overbearing CPS investigators, while still ensuring that child abusers are prosecuted and that abused children are protected.

I am excited to report that our “Child Protection Investigations Reform Act” was adopted at ALEC’s annual meeting and will be an official ALEC model policy in just a few weeks. You can see the draft here . (Please note: several helpful amendments were included, so this is not the final version.)

Our president, Will Estrada, and our legislative sponsor, Louisiana State Representative Beryl Amedee , worked tirelessly both before and during the ALEC meeting to ensure that state legislators understood how important this bill was. And we are grateful to our friends who stood with us, because several legislators at the meeting tried to torpedo our model bill, thinking that any model bill that requires CPS investigators to inform parents of their rights should not be adopted.

As an official ALEC model, the “Child Protection Investigations Reform Act” will now go to state legislators across the nation. We will be working with our allies to introduce this bill in state legislatures across the nation during the upcoming legislative sessions.

This is not the first time we have worked on model legislation to protect innocent families during CPS investigations. Our new “Child Protection Investigations Reform Act” joins several others: our model bill to end anonymous reports of child abuse and neglect and replace them with confidential reporting; our model bill to ensure due process before a parent is put on a central registry of abuse or neglect; and Let Grow’s model bill that we support to ensure that reasonable parenting decisions are not considered “child neglect.” Many of these models have been introduced across the nation, and we have been proud to testify in favor of them and to work with our allies from across the political spectrum to see them become law.

And we are starting to do even more : because Will Estrada is both a lawyer and our president, he is leading the Parental Rights Foundation on an aggressive, proactive campaign to help innocent families who are undergoing unfair CPS investigations. He recently assisted another law firm in successfully helping an innocent family from Pennsylvania who was hotlined for child abuse simply because a relative disagreed with their faith. CPS closed the case as unfounded after a short investigation.

Will is also currently assisting a family from Oklahoma (through our associated local counsel Rick White with Barber & Bartz ) with an administrative appeal after Oklahoma Child Welfare Services (CWS) found them to have medically neglected their son. This was CWS’s judgment (not that of a court or judge), even though their son’s doctors submitted letters to Oklahoma CWS stating that the family is following medical advice and is NOT neglecting their son’s medical care.

And we are partnering with numerous other allies and organizations in our work to ensure that innocent families are protected during CPS investigations. We’ll have more updates on this critical topic in the coming months.

We’re excited to be using our organization’s expertise in this area of the law to ensure that innocent families are not torn apart , while actual child abusers still receive the full punishment for their crimes. As you know, our work on CPS reform is not new; we have built our expertise over the years with amicus curiae (“friend of the court”) briefs, such as in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 2019 and in the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit in 2021.

At this time, we unfortunately do not have the ability to help every family in need. But we are putting in place a framework for our growing capacity to fight for innocent families and children as we receive more donations to support this critical work.

As always, thank you for standing with us in this vital family protection effort!

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey

Great Job, Massachusetts!

Wed, 10 Aug 2022 13:26:00 GMT

Great job! With your help, Senate Amendment 3030 ( S. 3030 ) to House Bill 5034 went down to defeat when the session ended August 2 with neither the amendment nor the bill being adopted.

We alerted you to S. 3030 in the last week of July because it would strip parents with religious convictions of the right to exempt their children from vaccines on the basis of those beliefs.

With the end of the session August 2, that measure will have to start all over again in 2023—and if it does, we will keep you posted and continue to stand against it.

We firmly believe that fit and loving parents, in consultation with their child’s pediatrician (where appropriate), are the most qualified to make decisions regarding their children’s health—not the “one-size-fits-all” lawmakers in Boston.

Thank you for making your voice heard and standing for parents in your state!

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey

Executive Director

Teachers Unions Are Wrong: Parental Rights Are NOT ‘Anti-Education’!

Wed, 03 Aug 2022 13:35:00 GMT

With a nod to the country classic, “The Night the Lights Went out in Georgia,” now we are celebrating the day they came back on!

On April 28, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed into law House Bill 1178, the Parents’ Bill of Rights, preserving the fundamental liberty of parents to direct their child’s education and care , and shining a light on what goes on in the public schools. This bill is based on our model legislation, and we were proud to support it.

With the stroke of the governor’s pen, Georgia became the 15th state to preserve these rights in statutory law. (A majority of states recognize these rights in their courts but have not yet codified them in the legal code.)

Georgia’s new Parents’ Bill of Rights now fills at least two vital needs in Georgia law: First, it preserves “a fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing and care of their minor children.” While courts across the country differ on the level of respect they afford to parental rights, their respect for fundamental rights is uniformly very high, demanding “strict scrutiny protection”: the strongest possible level of judicial review. So, this codifying of parental rights as fundamental leaves no room for ambiguity on the level of protection they are to receive in Georgia courts.

Second, it provides that “important information relating to a minor child should not be withheld, either inadvertently or purposefully, from his or her parent, including information relating to the minor child’s education.”

While the quote above comes from the General Assembly’s “findings” and is not necessarily legally binding in itself, it is a good summary of what is laid out in detail (and in very legally binding fashion) throughout the rest of the law.

As you may imagine, national teacher unions and special interest groups fought this bill, calling it “anti-education.” But the only thing the law does is permit parents to see and know what their child is learning, what records are being kept on their child, and how their child is doing in school. If that is “anti-education,” they have a strange definition of “education.”

The law also reflects and preserves the freedom of parents, already constitutionally protected, to enroll their child in public, private (religious or secular), or homeschool programs.

In the words of Governor Kemp during the signing ceremony , “Making sure parents have the ultimate say in their child’s education should not be controversial.”

But for special interest groups, it is. And the controversy arises on one point: they want parents kept in the dark about what their child is learning in the public schools.

And that’s exactly why we celebrate the lights going on in Georgia.

Last year, the fight was in Florida (where we also won!). And as that struggle wound down, Florida state Representative Erin Grall had this to say about similar parental rights legislation:

“Based upon the opposition to this bill, it is clear that liberties have been taken for too long with regard to accessing our children. The fact that any entity is concerned that their ‘right’ to access our children is being infringed upon makes the case for this legislation.”

Representative Grall was right in 2021, and, sadly, her point is even more clearly true today.

In New Hampshire, for example, this very year, another Parents’ Bill of Rights failed over this very issue. Nationwide teacher unions and special interest groups lobbied the legislature there because they opposed the idea that parents should know what is going on in their child’s life at school. They penned a letter warning lawmakers that providing information to parents about their own children in public schools would put children at risk. And, unfortunately, just a few too many of the lawmakers bought it.

The loss this year in New Hampshire is countered by the big win for parents in Georgia. Parents and responsive lawmakers want to preserve parental rights because they understand that children are safer and experience better outcomes when parents are “in the loop” and are an active part of their child’s education.

But it won’t be an easy battle. Now more than ever, your continued support of our work is so vitally important.

It is only with your partnership that we were able to push through to success in Florida in 2021 and to see this huge victory in Georgia earlier this year. And it is only with your continued investment that we will overcome the opposition in states like New Hampshire and Iowa, where similar measures have failed to cross the finish line (so far).

Now, there is more help on the way, too. A recent survey, just released by the Parental Rights Foundation, shows that support for parental rights remains high throughout the country . Which should tell New Hampshire lawmakers that they just made a big mistake.

I’ll unpack that survey more for you in a future letter.

But for today, the take-away is this: states would do well to follow the lead of Georgia in protecting parental rights , and not the lead of New Hampshire. When 83 percent of the public support an issue (as our Parental Rights Foundation survey found), it shouldn’t really matter what the teacher unions or special interests say—not for a lawmaker who wants to keep his or her seat.

We are on the winning team! But we still have so much work to do.

Lawmakers from New Hampshire to Iowa to California need to know the results of this survey. And they need good models to follow, like the one we shared at the American Legislative Exchange Council, which served as the basis for Georgia’s new law, to help them support families. They need us to show them how the law can protect children by empowering parents. And to get the word to them and to lobby legislators to stand with parents, we need your support.

So that you, too, can know just what I’m talking about, I will provide you with that model right here in this letter:

Section 1. The liberty interest of a parent in the nurture, education, care, custody, and control of the parent’s child is a fundamental right recognized by the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of ____________.

Section 2. No agency or officer of this state nor any agency or officer of any subdivision of this state shall infringe fundamental parental rights except as provided by law narrowly tailored to meet a compelling governmental interest by the least restrictive means.

It’s not complicated. Parents know what is best for their children . And they know that in order to act on that knowledge, they need their rights as parents to be protected. Because any infringement of those rights could one day lead to harm for their precious child.

You know that, too.

It’s why you have stood with us through the years, to pass laws in states like Oklahoma years ago and Georgia today. Together, we will bring good, solid laws to states like New Hampshire and Iowa—and the 33 other states that still need them—tomorrow, as well.

That’s why I am asking you to invest with us again today, to continue these efforts until every state has legal protection for parents, for the sake of our children.

Can I count on you today to make your very best investment of $10, $25, or even $125 to continue our vital state-level work?

I know many state legislatures are just winding down, and it may seem we have time before we gear up for 2023. But I can tell you we have already been contacted by lawmakers who saw the battles we have faced this year and are eager to get a jump on legislation for next year.

The time to fight this battle is right now , before the other side gets any stronger, and while such an overwhelming majority of Americans are still on our side.

So, please take a moment today to make your best investment in this worthy cause, to protect all children by protecting their parents’ rights.

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org

Urgent: Action Needed to Protect Religious and Medical Vaccine Exemptions in Massachusetts

Fri, 29 Jul 2022 13:19:00 GMT

Urgent action is needed to protect religious and medical vaccine exemptions in Massachusetts. An amendment has been snuck into an economic development bill that would severely curtail the ability of a family’s trusted pediatrician to issue medical exemptions and would allow public and private schools to ignore a family’s religious exemption.

This amendment could be passed within the next few days. It is urgent that you contact your Massachusetts state legislators and urge them to remove the “Community Immunity Act ” from Senate Amendment S.3030 to House Bill H.5034 —lines 2943-3036 of Senate Amendment S.3030.

You can reach your Massachusetts state senator and representative here . For your convenience, we are partnering with the Massachusetts Family Institute and Health Choice 4 Action-MA, who graciously allowed us to link to their online action alert here .

We believe that decisions related to childhood vaccines should be up to parents, not government bureaucrats . And we believe that any legislation that makes it harder for parents to exercise their fundamental right as parents and choose to delay vaccines or exempt their children from vaccine mandates should be rejected. That is why we are opposing this amendment.

Thank you for standing with us to defend parental rights.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org

Presenting Model CPS Reform Legislation to ALEC This Week

Thu, 28 Jul 2022 14:43:00 GMT

This week, our president, Will Estrada, is in Atlanta attending the American Legislative Exchange Council’s (ALEC) national convention. Will is presenting our newest model legislation: a bill that state legislatures can introduce to ensure that CPS investigators respect a parent’s constitutional rights when they are investigating child abuse or neglect.

You see, far too often, CPS investigators neglect to follow constitutional due process protections during an investigation . As a result, far too often, those rights of innocent families are violated during the investigation.

We are grateful for social workers who respect parental rights and constitutional protections, and who help protect children from abuse. But in the many cases of those who don’t, we believe this model bill will help protect innocent families and children.

Our bill, tentatively titled “ Child Protection Investigations Reform Act, ” will ensure that CPS investigators tell families the allegations against them, that they have a right to an attorney, that the Fourth Amendment protects their right to be secure in their home, and additional information that is critical to protecting innocent families.

CPS investigators are government officials. They wield immense power, including the most terrifying power: the ability to remove a child from a home. Because of this, the U.S. Constitution applies to CPS investigators just as it does to any other government servant. They must protect the due process rights of parents. And that is what this model legislation is designed to accomplish.

We are grateful to Louisiana State Representative Beryl Amedee who is our legislative sponsor for this critical bill. She is helping to shepherd this bill through the ALEC process.

You can read the draft of the model bill here . Will and Representative Amedee are still working on several key amendments prior to the bill being introduced for a vote later this week at the ALEC conference, so we anticipate there will be some changes to the draft of the model bill. Then, there are several other steps before it becomes an official ALEC model policy and is circulated to state legislators across the nation. We will keep you updated!

Our ability to champion model legislation is solely because of the support we receive from people like you. If our “Child Protection Investigations Reform Act” is approved and becomes official model ALEC policy, it will join our other model bills , including our Fundamental Parental Rights bill , our Central Registry Reform bill , and our Confidential Reporting Act .

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Executive Director

Foundation Announces New Initiative to Support School Boards in the Battle for Parental Rights

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 18:31:00 GMT

It’s those hazy and lazy dog days of summer. But parents and teachers across the nation are looking ahead to school starting after summer break. And at least two school boards across the nation have started the summer off right by publicly standing up for parental rights.

First, in southwest Virginia the Bedford County School Board unanimously adopted a resolution declaring that the school board stands with parents and with the fundamental right of parents to direct the education of their children. You can read the full text of the resolution here .

Then, in Kansas, the Lansing Board of Education passed in a 4-3 vote not just a resolution, but a policy protecting the right of parents when it comes to the education of their children . You can read this new policy here .

At the Parental Rights Foundation, we are excited to see public school districts across the nation taking action to protect parental rights. This is a first step . It’s not as strong as state legislation, like the fundamental parental rights model bill that PRF supports, and which is now the law in some form in 15 states . And it is certainly not as strong as an amendment to the U.S. Constitution protecting parental rights, which is the primary purpose of our founding organization, ParentalRights.org.

But this is a first step, and an effective step. School board resolutions and policies protect parents and students in each county’s public schools. And they advance the national discussion over the importance of parental rights.

To support these efforts, we are excited to announce a new initiative: model resolutions that school boards can adopt to support parental rights. You can see our landing page here.

So far, we have model resolutions for Virginia and Georgia. We’ll be adding more states over the coming days and expect to have model resolutions for all 50 states by the end of the year. We’re working with allied organizations around the country, and we’ll be releasing more information about this new initiative in the coming weeks and months.

But we need your help to do this. We need you to please share this resource with school board members in your county and urge them to adopt a parental rights resolution (or even better, a parental rights policy!) in your county.

Homeschool parents (like my wife and me) and, to a lesser degree, parents of kids in private schools, have been insulated in large part from the battles that we’ve been seeing play out in the public schools, particularly over the past two years. But at PRF, we are dedicated to defending parental rights for all parents , whether their kids are being homeschooled, private schooled, or public schooled. And right now, the main locus in the battle over parental rights is in the public schools. That is why we’re excited about the progress from these two school boards in Virginia and Kansas, and why we’re excited to launch this new initiative.

Yours in liberty,

Will Estrada
President, Parental Rights Foundation

Read Our Letter to the Fairfax County School District Reminding them of Virginia’s Parental Rights Statute

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 17:48:00 GMT

Today, the Parental Rights Foundation mailed a letter to the Fairfax County School District, requesting information on whether they are following Virginia law. Due to reporting on July 5 that raised questions about whether the school district is hiding information from parents, we asked Fairfax County School District whether they were in compliance with Va. Code Ann. § 1-240.1, Virginia’s codification of parental rights as a fundamental right.

Our parent organization, ParentalRights.org, was instrumental in the drafting, introduction, and passage of this critical law in 2013. In addition, the Parental Rights Foundation has worked with allied organizations to adopt language similar to Virginia’s fundamental parental rights statute as model legislation that can be introduced across the nation. Virginia is one of 15 states with statutes similar in effect to our model legislation to protect parental rights as a fundamental right.

We are concerned that Fairfax County School District may not be following Virginia’s parental rights statute. We will let you know how they respond to our letter. In addition, we have provided copies of our letter to Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin and his administration so that they can also investigate whether Fairfax County Public Schools is following Virginia law.

“School districts are a governmental body in the Commonwealth of Virginia,” said Jim Mason, Chairman of the Board of the Parental Rights Foundation. “As such, they are required to follow all Virginia law, including Va. Code Ann. § 1-240.1.”

“We live in a diverse, pluralistic nation,” said Will Estrada, president of the Parental Rights Foundation. “Thus, parents will have different views about raising their children. But one thing is clear: parents, not public-school bureaucrats, must make decisions for their own children. If the recent news reports are true, it raises serious questions about whether Fairfax County Public Schools is respecting parents, or if Fairfax County Public Schools is hiding information from parents to the detriment of their own precious children.”

While we are excited to see our model policies adopted as state law around the country, that does little good if states, localities, or school boards can simply ignore those statutes. To protect our children, we are happy to address concerns, like this one in Fairfax, wherever they may arise throughout the nation.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Executive Director

Liberty: Celebrating Today and Securing for Tomorrow

Wed, 29 Jun 2022 15:42:00 GMT

As we approach Independence Day on July 4, we are mindful of the principles on which our nation was founded. In so many ways, the work to secure those principles is still ongoing.

As a nationwide organization, we are proud to stand with you—this July 4 and always— in protecting the liberty of all parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their minor children.

As someone who is deeply committed to this mission, you know as we do that the best way to protect the safety of our precious children is by empowering parents. And we are thrilled that, according to our recent nationwide survey , the overwhelming majority of Americans join us in supporting parental rights!

May your Independence Day celebration this year be safe and joyous!

Sincerely,
The Parental Rights Foundation Team

Our Interview with the New York Times

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 15:22:00 GMT

On Thursday, June 16, the New York Times’ First Person podcast featured Parental Rights Foundation’s president, on an episode entitled “Will Estrada and the Long Roots of Parental Rights.”

For the roughly 45-minute episode, host Lulu Garcia-Navarro explored the seemingly sudden emergence of parental rights as a political movement, one that has fueled election upsets, school board debates, and so much passionate interaction. But she started at the beginning, with Estrada’s own background as a homeschooled child of a public-school teacher.

We encourage you to listen to the podcast. At its heart, Will was able to take the central message of what parental rights means to a nationwide audience: “It really means much more than homeschooling. It means much more than education. It means the right I have in the United States to raise my children as I see fit. And that’s going to look very differently for almost everyone in a country as big and diverse as ours. It means so much to so many people. But it really comes down to, ‘I get to have the freedom to love my child, to raise my child, to protect my child, to care for my child, until that time when my child is an adult, and goes on and makes his or her own decisions.’ ”

As one of our dedicated supporters, you know this well. You know that parental rights is neither a conservative issue nor a progressive issue, but an issue that engages every one of us. As an organization, we strive to keep our focus on this vital common ground: parents know and love their children best .

Will did an excellent job in presenting this message with just the right balance in the New York Times .

We believe strongly that we need to take the message of protecting children by empowering parents to every corner of our great nation, whether that’s in the New York Times as Will did in this podcast, or Daily Signa l , or Chalk Board Review , or anywhere in between. With your help, we are expanding our advocacy for parental rights in the public square across our nation. We know that we will win the battles ahead with this message, because parental rights are universal.

Thank you for standing with us as we gain momentum together as parents for the important battles ahead.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Executive Director

Major Update on S.B. 866, Vaccine Consent for Minors

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 13:08:00 GMT

We have been updating you about a bill that threatens parental rights, Senate Bill 866 .

On June 16, due to the concerns raised by hundreds of thousands of California parents, grandparents, and concerned citizens like you, the California Assembly amended SB 866 to raise the age of children who can “consent” to vaccines without parental involvement from 12 to 15 .

This is a major development for three reasons. First, there is a significant difference in maturity between a 12-year-old and a 15-year-old. At the very least, this amendment takes 12-, 13-, and 14-year-olds “off the table.” Second, this is the first real sign that passage of the bill may not be guaranteed . Third, this shows that supporters of SB 866 realize after the Parental Rights Foundation’s recent win in federal court against a similar law in the District of Columbia that SB 866 is on shaky legal grounds.

Despite this amendment, one important problem remains: a 15-year-old is not an 18-year-old. A 15-year-old, while more mature than a 12-year-old, is still a child, both in the eyes of the law and in simple maturity.

And that’s why we ask that you continue to call your legislators and share your thoughts on SB 866 with them.

Take Action

You can call or email your Assemblyman and share your thoughts about the amended version of SB 866 with him or her. Because this bill can come for a vote literally at any moment, there is no time to delay!

Background and Talking Points

SB 866, Vaccine Consent for Minors, as amended, allows 15-year-olds to consent to vaccinations without a parent’s input, knowledge, or support. It will open the door for peer pressure and coercion, rather than wisdom, caution, and knowledge of one’s family medical history, to drive children’s health.

Introduced in the Senate by Senators Pan and Wiener, the bill has already passed the California Senate. If it passes the Assembly, it will go to Governor Newsom’s desk.

Regardless of where one stands on vaccines, removing parents from major decisions in a child’s life is certain to have negative consequences . The Supreme Court of the United States has upheld the vital role that parents play in making these decisions which children, by virtue of simply being children, are not yet ready to make.

S.B. 866 treats children as adults. A minor child may not know his or her medical history. A minor child may consent to an immunization, and then suffer an adverse reaction, and a parent who does not know that the child was immunized may miss warning signs and be unable to get the child to the hospital in time . A parent who does not know that their child received an immunization at school may have their family pediatrician administer the same immunization, resulting in potential harm due to multiple and unnecessary doses.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents in California. We should be heartened by this recent amendment to SB 866 and redouble our efforts to protect children by preserving parental rights in California.

Here’s What We’re Up Against

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 16:07:00 GMT

As you read this email, parents in California are in the fight of their life to protect their children and to defend parental rights. You see, a dangerous bill, Senate Bill 866, may come up for a vote at any time in the California Assembly—its final hurdle in the legislature, as it already passed the California Senate.

S.B. 866, Vaccine Consent for Minors, would force California children as young as 12 to make major medical decisions without a parent’s input, knowledge, or support. It will open the door for peer pressure and coercion, rather than wisdom, caution, and knowledge of one’s family medical history, to drive children’s health.

If you live in California, you know the stakes, and have seen our action alerts and online advertising campaign against this bill. But if you live in one of the other 49 states (or a territory), I’d ask you to continue reading, because some of your own state’s elected officials likely share the philosophy behind this California bill.

At ParentalRights.org, we’re not against childhood immunizations. We have a simple, yet powerful, belief: you, the parent, who know and love your child the best, should make those decisions. Not me. Not elected officials. And certainly not unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats.

They’re Not Alone

California is not alone in trying to remove parents from the primary role of caring for their children. In 2020, the District of Columbia’s Council passed the Minor Consent to Vaccination Act Amendment of 2020, a bill that not only forced children as young as 11 to make decisions regarding vaccination without parental input, knowledge, or support, but also mandated that parents be kept in the dark. Our legal and charitable arm, the Parental Rights Foundation, filed suit against DC’s Minor Consent Act, and on March 18, 2022, a federal district court judge issued a preliminary injunction against the act. For the time being, parental rights have been preserved in the District of Columbia.

Opponents of parental rights would like nothing more than to try to pass similar legislation in your state and replicate the attacks we’re seeing in California and the District of Columbia . It’s only your dedication to your fundamental right as parents to raise your children that has kept this from already happening elsewhere.

In California, we are conducting a major campaign to try to stop S.B. 866. We (and numerous other allied organizations) are urging concerned parents to call their state elected officials. We’re spending money on digital advertising to try to reach more concerned parents. If the legislature ignores California parents and passes S.B. 866, we’ll urge California Governor Gavin Newsom to veto this bill. And if all levels of California’s elected officials ignore parents, their constituents, and our constitutional rights and make S.B. 866 law in California, we will file a federal lawsuit on behalf of parents, just as we did against the District of Columbia.

The Battle to Protect Children

All of this is expensive. We know that now is not a good time to ask for money, given the financial and economic hardships facing so many of us. We understand if you are unable to support us financially right now. Your family comes first.

But if you do have the ability to help us fight for parental rights in California and elsewhere, we ask for your support. We promise to use your money wisely and carefully. We believe that this fight against S.B. 866 is important enough. And that’s why we’re in this battle.

Laws removing parents from their children’s health care decisions, whether for vaccines or any other treatment, force children to make adult decisions, whether they’re ready or not (and most are not). Parents, not young children, should decide health care decisions, such as vaccine administration. A minor child may not know his or her medical history. A minor child may consent to an immunization, and then suffer an adverse reaction, and a parent who does not know that the child was immunized may miss warning signs and be unable to get the child to the hospital in time. Or a parent may not know that their child received an immunization at school, and have their family pediatrician administer the same immunization, resulting in potential harm due to multiple and unnecessary doses.

The Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” And an attack on parental rights—whether by the DC Council or the California legislature—is a threat to our sacred right as parents.

Thank you for standing with us in this nationwide fight to protect our children by empowering parents.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org

The post Here’s What We’re Up Against appeared first on Parental Rights .

Senate Committee Postpones Vote on Fundamental Parental Rights Bill

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 13:06:00 GMT

We wanted to let you know that the Senate State Government Committee has postponed today’s 12:30 PM vote on S.B. 996 , the Parental Rights Protection Act .

While we are disappointed about this development, we are hopeful that this is just a temporary pause. We continue to talk with senators and their staff. We will let you know immediately as soon as S.B. 996 is scheduled for a vote.

We wanted to let you know immediately, as we had heard that many of you were planning on attending the vote today at the Pennsylvania Capitol.

During this pause, we encourage you to continue to call your Pennsylvania legislators and urge them to support S.B. 996 to strengthening the right of parents to direct the education, upbringing, and care of their children.

Background

Please contact your senator and urge him or her to support S.B. 996. You can find their contact information here .

Your message can be as simple as the following:

If you send an email to your Pennsylvania senator, you can also send them the link to our letter in support of S.B. 996, available here .

Thank you for standing with us in the battle to protect our children by empowering parents!

“Please vote in favor of S.B. 996 to enshrine into Pennsylvania law that parental rights are a fundamental right. This common-sense bill will take the U.S. Supreme Court’s precedent from the last 100 years and put it into the text of Pennsylvania law, thereby protecting the constitutional rights of all Pennsylvania families.”

Calls Needed as Key Committee Considers Fundamental Parental Rights Bill on Tuesday!

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 14:17:00 GMT

We’re excited to announce that S.B. 996 , the Parental Rights Protection Act, will receive a vote in the Senate State Government Committee on Tuesday, June 14, at 12:30 PM!

Please contact the senators on the State Government Committee and urge them to vote in favor of S.B. 996. You can find the names and contact information of the 11 senators on this committee here: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/cteeInfo/Index.cfm?CteeBody=S&Code=41

Your message can be as simple as the following:

If you wish to attend the committee vote , it will be held in the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg in Hearing Room 1 of the North Office Building. You can also watch the livestream on the Committee’s webpage at https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/cteeInfo/Index.cfm?CteeBody=S&Code=41

Thank you for standing with us in the battle to protect our children by empowering parents!

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org

Urgent: Call California Assembly to Halt Bill That Endangers Children

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 17:49:00 GMT

A dangerous bill, Senate Bill 866 , may come up for a vote at any time in the California Assembly, its final hurdle in the legislature.

SB 866, Vaccine Consent for Minors, would force children as young as 12 to make major medical decisions without a parent’s input, knowledge, or support. It will open the door for peer pressure and coercion, rather than wisdom, caution, and knowledge of one’s family medical history, to drive children’s health.

Introduced in the Senate by Sens. Pan and Wiener, the bill has already passed that chamber, and then passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee on a 6-4 vote last week. If it passes the Assembly on this upcoming vote, it will go to the governor’s desk.

Regardless of where one stands on vaccines, removing parents from major decisions in a child’s life is certain to have negative consequences. The Supreme Court of the United States has already upheld the vital role that parents play in making these decisions for which children, by virtue of simply being children, are not yet ready to make.

But Senators Pan and Wiener are not concerned about that. Their bill is poised to ignore parents’ rights and children’s needs.

Take Action

Take a moment right now to call or email your Assemblyman and urge him or her to vote “No” on SB 866 . (Because this bill can come for a vote literally at any moment, there is no time to delay!)

Your message can be as simple as the following (but in your own words):

Explanation and Talking Points

S.B. 866 is another attack on parental rights. It treats children as adults, when their parents, not young children, should decide health care decisions, such as vaccine administration.

And it endangers children. A minor child may not know his or her medical history. A minor child may consent to an immunization, and then suffer an adverse reaction, and if the parent does not know that the child was immunized, may miss warning signs and be unable to get the child to the hospital in time. Or, a parent may not know that their child received an immunization at school, and have their family pediatrician administer the same immunization, resulting in potential harm due to multiple and unnecessary doses.

The Parental Rights Foundation recently won a preliminary injunction in federal district court against a similar law in the District of Columbia . We encourage you to read our story about our lawsuit , and to read the federal judge’s memorandum opinion . We believe this victory is more evidence that S.B. 866 should be rejected by the California legislature.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by empowering parents in California! We encourage you to forward this email to several of your friends. We can win this battle for our children and for parental rights if all of us parents stand together.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org

“Please vote “No” on S.B. 866, Vaccine Consent for Minors. This bill threatens parental rights and endangers children. Parents are a child’s greatest advocate and protection when it comes to making health care decisions, including immunizations. Children should not be forced to make irreversible medical decisions on their own.”

Survey: Voters Overwhelmingly Support Parents’ Rights

Tue, 31 May 2022 16:55:00 GMT

The Parental Rights Foundation, working with Heart and Mind Strategies, recently asked the following question of a national audience: “In general, parents have the constitutional right to make decisions for their children without government interference unless there is proof of abuse or neglect. Do you agree or disagree with this view of parental rights?”

Overall, 83% of Americans agree with the statement above, and 51% strongly agree, according to the survey. Only 10% disagree, with just 3% strongly disagreeing. And only 6% are not sure.

Among Republicans, 90% support the statement, with 64% strongly supportive. Among Democrats, 83% support, with 44% strongly supportive. And among Independents, 78% support, with 47% strongly supportive.

Both Trump voters (91% agree, 65% strongly agree) and Biden voters (84% agree, 44% strongly agree) are supportive.

Support is strong across ethnicity: Whites 85% agree, 53% strongly agree. Blacks 75% agree, 49% strongly agree. Asians 76% agree, 36% strongly agree. Hispanics 85% agree, 53% strongly agree.

Support is strong across additional demographics surveyed as well, including education, religion, age, employment status, household income, and region.

“Parental rights are truly universal,” said Will Estrada, President of the Parental Rights Foundation. “As we saw when Governor Youngkin won election in Virginia last year in a state that President Biden had won handily, as we saw this spring when parents in San Francisco voted their radical school board members out of office, and now as we see in this incredible survey, parental rights cut across party lines, ethnic lines, and gender lines.”

“Americans overwhelmingly agree that parents have the right to make decisions for their children,” said Bruce Blakeman, Senior Vice President at Heart and Mind Strategies, who conducted the survey. “It’s about as close to unanimity as you can get on an issue with Americans. These results show that any candidate who opposes parents’ rights does so at their own peril. This survey quantifies across the country what happened in the Virginia governor’s race last year.”

“Moms and dads love their children, raise their children, spend sleepless nights concerned for their children. Parental rights truly means protecting our precious children by empowering parents. That’s the heart of what this survey shows,” said Estrada.

The entire survey can be viewed online at

ParentalRightsFoundation.org/poll2022 .

Building a Legal Bulwark to Defend Families

Thu, 26 May 2022 15:59:00 GMT

There is no question that the battle over parental rights is heating up. While parents have won electoral and legislative victories across the nation in recent months, those who think government bureaucrats, and not parents, should decide how our children are raised, educated, and nurtured, are not meekly surrendering.

The fight over the heart and soul of our children is just beginning.

To that end, and thanks to your financial support in the past, the Parental Rights Foundation is building the capacity to fight for parents and children in our nation’s state and federal courts. Already, we have been active in litigation (including our on-going lawsuit against the District of Columbia in federal court , and our on-going lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Virginia in state court ) and in filing amicus briefs with courts around the nation.

Weighing in on Parental Rights

Amicus briefs (literally “ amicus curiae ” which is Latin for “ friend of the court ”) allow us to bring our scholarship and research to support parents in courts. While we are not a party to these lawsuits, when we hear of cases that will impact constitutional protections for families in the future, either for good or bad, we file amicus briefs to urge courts to respect the fundamental right of parents to direct the education, upbringing, and care of their precious children.

We filed one of our amicus briefs with the federal appeals court for the 10 ^th Circuit, arguing that strip searches of minor children by CPS investigators are harmful to children. We filed another brief with the federal appeals court for the 9 ^th Circuit, arguing that the U.S. Constitution’s protection of parental rights as a fundamental right should extend to any interference by the government into a fit and loving parent’s care of their child. And we filed another recent amicus brief with the Texas Supreme Court , arguing that (in the context of a visitation dispute) Texas should not override a parent’s decisions over who spends time with his minor child unless there is evidence of parental unfitness.

Now we’re expanding our legal reach . Our team is currently working on another amicus brief on a grandparent visitation case pending before the Texas Supreme Court regarding the standard of evidence that must be shown regarding parental unfitness. We have been approached by numerous organizations and individuals about helping in other cases. And we know that even more parental rights cases are headed to the courts in the coming months.

Training a New Generation

So, we’re looking to expand our legal team to meet the increasing need to protect children by empowering parents. And along with additional staff, we also know that today’s law school students are tomorrow’s lawyers, prosecutors, and judges.

With that in mind, we have recently started, for the first time ever, a Parental Rights Foundation legal internship program. We sent our legal intern announcements to numerous law schools across the nation, and we’re pleased to announce that two exceptional law school students have been accepted and have already begun research projects supporting our work to defend, protect, and advance the God-given right of parents to nurture and care for their children.

Our internships benefit law school students by providing them with opportunities to be directly mentored by our team of dedicated lawyers and legal scholars so that they better understand the importance of our legal system’s protections for parental rights. And our internship program benefits families by training these law students, the lawyers and judges of tomorrow, in the importance of protecting parental rights.

We’ll introduce you to our interns in coming weeks. If you know an exceptionally sharp and dedicated law school student who may be interested in interning with our office in the fall semester, please have them email us with their interest and resume to info@parentalrights.org . These internships are remote, so an intern can participate from literally anywhere in the country. We hope, as funding increases, that we can one day soon expand these internships into a legal fellowship program.

Thank you for standing with us. Because of your support, I am excited about the future of parental rights. If you’d like to donate a one-time or recurring monthly tax-deductible gift of any amount to help us expand our legal work, please click here .

New Hampshire: One More Push Needed!

Mon, 23 May 2022 14:05:00 GMT

Last week, your calls made the difference . After the Committee of Conference initially killed H.B. 1431, the Parents’ Bill of Rights, the same committee reversed itself and approved the bill! This is unprecedented – and it is because you and so many parents like you stepped up and called your legislators and made your voices heard.

Now we need one more push. The New Hampshire House and Senate will hold a final vote this week on H.B. 1431, the Parents’ Bill of Rights.

Please call your New Hampshire Representative and New Hampshire State Senator and ask them, respectfully but firmly, to stand with moms and dads and children across the state by voting in favor of H.B. 1431, the Parents’ Bill of Rights.

Your message can be as simple as the following:

Then, please do one other thing: Please forward this email to as many of your friends and family members in New Hampshire as you can.

Large, national organizations with millions of dollars in revenue are pressuring your New Hampshire legislators and Governor Sununu to kill this bill, arguing that government employees in public schools know your child better than you do , and that they – not parents – should make the final decision of what goes on in the classroom with your own child. This is a fundamental battle over whether parents or government employees are in charge.

We cannot match these organizations’ money. But what we lack in funds, we can make up in standing together. Parents love their children, raise their children, spend sleepless nights concerned for their children, and must not then be cut out from some of the most important decisions concerning their children’s very identity and future. Please forward this email to your friends and family members in New Hampshire and ask them to also call their legislators with this message in support of H.B. 1431, the Parents’ Bill of Rights.

You can read our letter of support for H.B. 1431 here . Thank you for standing up to protect children by empowering parents!

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org

Please vote to support H.B. 1431, the Parents’ Bill of Rights. This bill will enshrine into New Hampshire law that parental rights are a fundamental right, as the U.S. Supreme Court has held for the past 100 years. Additionally, H.B. 1431 will protect children in New Hampshire’s public schools by allowing parents to know what is going on and make critical decisions with their own children in their local public school. Passage of this bill into law will make New Hampshire the 16th state in the nation to protect parental rights as a fundamental right in the state code. Children need their parents, and this bill will ensure that New Hampshire parents are able to support and care for their children, not be cut out of the loop.

Urgent: Calls needed THIS MORNING to save Parents’ Bill of Rights

Thu, 19 May 2022 13:08:00 GMT

Please call your NH Representative and NH State Senator this morning to save HB 1431 , the Parents’ Bill of Rights.

This excellent bill, which establishes the fundamental right of parents in New Hampshire state law, has already passed the New Hampshire House and Senate. However, disagreements over which version to send to the Governor are threatening passage . The conference committee is meeting at 9 am to find a path forward, and news reports stating the bill is dead are not accurate as of this moment.

ParentalRights.org supports both the House and Senate version. Either one will provide significant protections for parents and children in New Hampshire law , and either one will make New Hampshire the 16th state in the nation to protect parental rights as a fundamental right in state law.

Please call you legislators as soon as possible and tell them the following message:

Please, if you are seeing this in time, don’t hesitate to call now . So many of you fellow New Hampshire citizens will not see this email until it is too late—They are counting on you!

Thank you for standing up to protect children by empowering parents!

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President
ParentalRights.org

“I urge you to support the Parents’ Bill of Rights. Either the House or Senate version will significantly increase the protection of children and families in state law. Please work with your colleagues in the legislature to ensure that a final bill protecting parental rights is sent to the Governor’s desk.”

Keep the Victories Coming

Wed, 18 May 2022 15:16:00 GMT

Victor Booth (pictured with his family) won a preliminary injunction against DC’s Minor Consent to Vaccination bill on March 18, 2022.

Victor Booth had every reason to be concerned for his children. As a father, he knew their medical history and the risks an unnecessary vaccine could mean to them personally. And as a Christian, he was concerned about what he lets his kids put into their bodies, which he believes to be temples of God. Mostly, he just wanted to keep them safe.

But he also knew that a recently enacted DC law would let his 11-year-old son consent to a vaccine without his consent or even his knowledge. There is a clinic in his son’s school that would administer the shot. And there was pressure from every direction—teachers, counselors, and peers—driving the young man to go along with everyone else.

It would now fall to the boy, without his father’s help or support, to stand up to the pressure—or to cave to it—regardless of what might be best for his conscience or his health.

And it should never have been like this.

“The liberty interest at issue in this case—the interest of parents in the care, custody, and control of their children—is perhaps the oldest of the fundamental liberty interests recognized by this Court” [emphasis added] .

So said the US Supreme Court in its 2000 decision, Troxel v. Granville. The Court then spent several paragraphs discussing all the cases establishing parental rights as a fundamental right, from Meyer v. Nebraska in 1923 , to Pierce v. Society of Sisters in 1925, to Wisconsin v. Yoder in 1972, and concluded: “In light of this extensive precedent, it cannot now be doubted that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment protects the fundamental right of parents to make decisions concerning the care, custody, and control of their children ” [emphasis added] .

That is the strong legal foundation that has long been the norm in our nation. So, what would happen with bureaucrats now trampling that foundation?

This is what Victor was facing in our nation’s capital, the District of Columbia. In late 2020, the DC Council approved a law allowing children as young as eleven to consent to vaccination without their parent’s knowledge or consent. What’s more, the law prohibits medical providers, school personnel, and even insurance companies from letting the parents know the child received a vaccine.

This law was called the Minor Consent for Vaccinations Act Amendment of 2020 (“Minor Consent Act”). And it doesn’t take a rocket scientist (or a lawyer) to know that DC’s law violates the fundamental right of parents to make decisions concerning the care of their children: in consultation with their trusted pediatrician, some parents will choose vaccines, and others will wait, or choose to skip certain vaccines, or even all of them. And that is their God-given right, protected by our Constitution. DC’s Minor Consent Act sought to replace parents with bureaucrats pressuring children behind their parent’s backs. We had to act to defend families.

With your generous support , the Parental Rights Foundation was able to file suit against the law in federal court and to file for an injunction to halt the law until that lawsuit can be decided.

And in a tremendous win for parents and children and for the rule of law, on Friday, March 18, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia issued a preliminary injunction against DC’s Minor Consent Act.

US district court judge Trever McFadden was assigned to our case, and his careful analysis in the preliminary injunction will have ramifications across the nation.

We want to tell you about this case because it sums up the work that we are doing across the nation to protect the fundamental right of parents to direct the care of their children. We know that other states (most notably California) are considering similar laws, and with our preliminary injunction in hand, and with your financial support, we will see those states in federal court if they dare to come between parents and their children.

On behalf of our client Victor Booth and other parents, we argued (in part) that DC’s Minor Consent Act violates the right of parents to make medical decisions for their own children , and that it violates Victor’s freedom of religion by creating different rules against parents who have a religious exemption than against parents with a medical exemption for their child.

Rolf Hazlehurst with Children’s Health Defense served as our co-counsel and argued the case because the judge had indicated his interest in whether the DC law had been preempted by the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, an area of law in which Hazlehurst is an expert.

“I learned about the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 the hard way when my son suffered a severe brain injury as a result of vaccine injury,” Hazlehurst told us. “ Hazlehurst v. HHS was the second test case in the Omnibus Autism Proceeding and was at the center of Bruesewitz v. Wyeth , the US Supreme Court case that interpreted the NCVIA to grant vaccine manufactures immunity from liability.”

“ DC’s ordinance required doctors to deceive parents, ” said Parental Rights Foundation Chairman Jim Mason, who was our lead counsel in the case for the Booth family. “This decision says that’s not okay.”

Jim Mason was referring to this line in Judge McFadden’s decision :

The preliminary injunction halts the District of Columbia from carrying out the law until the lawsuit can be heard and concluded. To grant a preliminary injunction, the court had to find that Victor Booth and the other parents had standing and that they showed “a likelihood of success on the merits.” (That is, our arguments have a decent chance of winning.)

“The district court saw through the fiction that children as young as 11 were ‘mature’ enough to make their own medical decisions,” Jim Mason told me later.

When Judge McFadden issued the preliminary injunction against DC, it sent a powerful signal. Not only has the law been halted, thereby protecting countless children in DC from making uninformed medical decisions without the benefit of their parent’s knowledge, wisdom, and experience, but also it demonstrates that, in the court’s judgment, our clients have at least a good chance of winning when the lawsuit is decided.

It is not a guarantee, but it is a very good sign. You see, winning a preliminary injunction at this stage sends a clear message across the nation. We’re incredibly excited for our clients and for children being protected in the District of Columbia. But we also know that legislators in several other states are trying to pass their own versions of this legislation. This ruling sends a clear message that the Parental Rights Foundation and our allies will not stand idly by as parental rights are stripped away . If any other state tries to do an end run around parents like the DC Council did, the Parental Rights Foundation and our allies will see them in court. And we will win.

We’re looking at you, California. You see , California’s Senate Bill 866 , championed by California state senators Scott Wiener and Richard Pan, would allow children as young as 12 to grant legally binding consent to vaccination without the benefit of parental guidance. As of the writing of this letter, S.B. 866 is currently pending before the California Senate’s Judiciary Committee. And we know that several other states are considering similar legislation.

But we need your help. We will not be able to fulfill that promise to “see them in court” without your continued support. Could you take a moment right now to make your most generous gift to the Parental Rights Foundation to support this ongoing effort?

While the preliminary injunction against DC’s Minor Consent Act is promising news, and while it provides us with a powerful legal argument against similar laws across the nation, it is not the final court decision. That will come only after additional briefings and, likely, additional oral arguments.

The final ruling could take months—which is one of the reasons for an injunction in the first place. You see, if we had not received the preliminary injunction, children in our nation’s capital would still be in danger of harm without their parents’ knowledge and protection. And our nation’s constitutional guarantee that parents—not bureaucrats—direct the care of children would have been threatened.

With your support, we will meet the additional challenges that lie ahead in winning this lawsuit, and we will prepare to make similar stands in California or wherever else this threat to children arises.

Can I count on you today to chip in $15, $55, or even $155 to protect children like those in DC and California from being robbed of their parents’ protections under the law?

Thank you for standing with us in this effort to protect children by preserving the protective parental role. We celebrate this preliminary injunction victory together, knowing we could not have done it without you.

And together we look forward to many more wins in the future!

Sincerely,

William A. Estrada, Esq.

President
Parental Rights Foundation

PS—While we are excited about this victory in winning a preliminary injunction to halt DC’s law and protect children like Victor Booths’ sons, we know there are still many challenges ahead. We celebrate, but other families are counting on us to keep the victories coming. Will you take a moment today to invest in the next victory , and the one after that? We can only keep fighting—and keep winning!—with your continued support.

“[T]he MCA [Minor Consent Act] encourages children to deceive their parents. Once a child has gone behind her parents’ backs to get a vaccine, what is she supposed to do if she has a negative reaction? Some childre

Helping Your Children Grow, with John Rosemond

Tue, 17 May 2022 16:00:00 GMT

This week, we talk with John Rosemond, a parenting expert who has worked with families, children, and parents since 1971. His parenting advice column is published in over 225 newspapers across the country, and he’s the author of over 15 books on parenting. John is also a Parental Rights Foundation board member.

In this episode, John sits down with Will Estrada to discuss good parenting techniques, current parental rights issues, and what parents can do to help their children grow into strong, independent adults.

California Bill Test

Wed, 11 May 2022 17:23:00 GMT

We need your help to stop S.B. 866 , a bill that authorizes 12 year old children to consent to immunizations without their parents knowing about it or giving their consent . This bill has been introduced by California State Senators Scott Wiener and Richard Pan, coauthored by Senator Josh Newman, and coauthored in the California State Assembly by Buffy Wicks, Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Laura Friedman, Evan Low, Phil Ting, and Akilah Weber.

S.B. 866 is scheduled to be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee tomorrow, Thursday, May 5 . You can see more about this scheduled hearing here .

Please call or email (or both!) your California State Senator and ask him or her to oppose S.B. 866. Your message can be as simple as the following:

S.B. 866 is another attack on parental rights. It treats children as adults, when their parents, not young children, should decide health care decisions, such as vaccine administration. And it endangers children . A minor child may not know his or her medical history. A minor child may consent to an immunization, and then suffer an adverse reaction, and if the parent does not know that the child was immunized, may miss warning signs and be unable to get the child to the hospital in time. Or, a parent may not know that their child received an immunization at school, and have their family pediatrician administer the same immunization, resulting in potential harm due to multiple and unnecessary doses.

The Parental Rights Foundation recently won a preliminary injunction in federal district court against a similar law in the District of Columbia . We encourage you to read our story about our lawsuit , and to read the federal judge’s memorandum opinion . We believe this victory is more evidence that S.B. 866 should be rejected by the California legislature.

We encourage you to forward this email to several of your friends. We can win this battle for our children and for parental rights if all of us parents stand together.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President
ParentalRights.org

Please oppose S.B. 866, a bill which allows minors to consent to vaccinations. This bill threatens parental rights and endangers children. Parents are a child’s greatest advocate and protection when it comes to making health care decisions, including immunizations. Children should not be forced to make irreversible medical decisions on their own.

Georgia Sets an Example for the Whole Nation

Wed, 04 May 2022 14:35:00 GMT

I’ve got Georgia on my mind.

On April 28, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signed into law House Bill 1178, the Parents’ Bill of Rights. [ParentalRights.org supported this bill with statewide grassroots efforts and this letter of support to lawmakers.]

This is a big deal. In addition to providing Georgia parents with strong legal protections to ensure that they are able to (1) know what their children are learning in public schools and (2) be involved in their children’s education, the Georgia Parents’ Bill of Rights boldly adds the following into Georgia state law:

“No state or local government entity, governing body, or any officer, employee, or agent thereof may infringe on the fundamental right of a parent to direct the upbringing and education of his or her minor child without demonstrating that such action is reasonable and necessary to achieve a compelling state interest and that such action is narrowly tailored and is not otherwise served by less restrictive means.”

Georgia is now the 15th state in the nation to protect parental rights as a fundamental right in state code.

“Fundamental rights” is the legal term in our nation for those God-given rights that are the most precious and that receive the strongest protections by our nation’s laws. And the language in the Georgia Parents’ Bill of Rights about “a compelling state interest” that is “narrowly tailored” and “not otherwise served by less restrictive means” is known in legal circles as “strict scrutiny.” This language ensures that any governmental action that could infringe on the fundamental right of a parent to direct the upbringing and education of his or her child will face “strict scrutiny. ” This is a very high bar for the government. An example of government action that would meet this high legal bar is law enforcements’ removal of a child from a home for physical abuse by a caregiver.

The passage into law of the Georgia Parents’ Bill of Rights is significant for another reason: it is a major legislative win for parents who have been ignored by the education establishment. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic shut down public schools in the spring of 2020 and pulled back the curtain on what children were learning (or not learning), we have seen deepening frustration from parents across the nation. And as parents were ignored by the education establishment, this frustration built. It helped propel Governor Glenn Youngkin to victory in Virginia in November 2021. It led to the ouster of three school board members in deep-blue San Francisco earlier this year. But legislative wins have been elusive.

That started to change when Florida, where ParentalRights.org already helped pass a law in 2021 enshrining “the fundamental rights of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, health care, and mental health of his or her minor child,” built on that success this year by passing H.B. 1557, “Parental Rights in Education.” But even though this was a major win for Florida parents, Florida seemed to be an outlier in heeding the cries by parents who had been ignored by the education establishment. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers had recently vetoed a bill in Wisconsin that would have also enshrined parental rights as a fundamental right. The South Dakota Senate Judiciary Committee killed a fundamental parental rights bill , even though the bill had earlier passed the South Dakota House of Representatives by a bipartisan vote of 63–5. A fundamental parental rights bill was killed by a Colorado House Committee . Other bills championed by parents were stalled or weakened across the nation.

All of this has come despite the growing evidence that parental rights have wide bipartisan support. For example, a recent NPR/Marist poll showed that Independents, Latinos, and, significantly, households with children under the age of 18 are inclined to vote Republican in wide margins. I don’t think this is necessarily because these individuals now identify as Republicans. But I think it is the Glenn Youngkin effect again: parents are frustrated that their concerns relating to their own children’s education is being ignored. And at this juncture, it appears that only Republican candidates and elected officials are listening to them.

That is why Georgia’s successful passage into law of the Parents’ Bill of Rights was so significant. It shows that Florida is not an outlier. It shows that parents are winning, and that the tide may be turning.

After Georgia, we are watching New Hampshire. House Bill 1431, which creates a parental bill of rights, has already passed the New Hampshire House and recently passed the New Hampshire Senate . In Missouri, House Bill 1858, which provides curriculum transparency to parents of children in Missouri public schools, has also passed the Missouri House, and is poised to pass the Missouri Senate. Other curriculum transparency bills are moving across the nation.

Georgia shows us that elected officials are starting to listen to parents. It shows that parents are winning . And it should remind us, yet again, that parental rights are bipartisan . Elected officials across the political spectrum should sit up, take notice, and support the right of parents in the education of their precious children.

Thank you for standing with us and making victories like this one in Georgia possible!

Sincerely,

Will Estrada
President

Urgent Action Needed to Stop Dangerous California Bill

Wed, 04 May 2022 13:51:00 GMT

S.B. 866 is scheduled to be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee tomorrow, Thursday, May 5 . You can see more about this scheduled hearing here .

Please call or email (or both!) your California State Senator and ask him or her to oppose S.B. 866. Your message can be as simple as the following:

The Parental Rights Foundation recently won a preliminary injunction in federal district court against a similar law in the District of Columbia . We encourage you to read our story about our lawsuit , and to read the federal judge’s memorandum opinion . We believe this victory is more evidence that S.B. 866 should be rejected by the California legislature.

We encourage you to forward this email to several of your friends. We can win this battle for our children and for parental rights if all of us parents stand together.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President
ParentalRights.org

“Please oppose S.B. 866, a bill which allows minors to consent to vaccinations. This bill threatens parental rights and endangers children. Parents are a child’s greatest advocate and protection when it comes to making health care decisions, including immunizations. Children should not be forced to make irreversible medical decisions on their own.”

Call NJ School Board to Delay Worrisome Standards

Tue, 03 May 2022 19:04:00 GMT

The 2020 New Jersey Learning Standards are currently scheduled to be implemented in September, 2022. However, the standards, especially in the area of Comprehensive Health and Physical Education, are very concerning to many parents. Even Governor Murphy has acknowledged the concerns being expressed by New Jersey parents.

Right now, parents are reaching out to the State Board of Education with their thoughts on what their children should learn in this critical subject in New Jersey public schools.

In light of this, we want to make you aware that this is happening and encourage you, if you wish, to weigh in with an email to the state school board by Wednesday, May 4 .

With so much discussion over what children should be learning in public schools, it is vital that parents’ voices be heard. To ensure that every parent has a chance to be heard, we suggest urging the state school board to delay the implementation of the standards for another six months for public and parent review and input.

Please consider emailing the state school board at stateboardoffice@doe.nj.gov with a message such as the following. We encourage you to put it into your own words, so it comes from your heart:

Thank you for taking the time to make your voice heard. Together as concerned parents, we can make the schools better for our children.

Sincerely,

Victoria Jakelsky
NJ State Coordinator for ParentalRights.org
Email: NJParentalRights@outlook.com

Dear State School Board Member,

I am writing to urge you to delay implementation of the 2020 New Jersey Learning Standards, especially the Comprehensive Health and Physical Education standards, to review and amend the standards based on further public and parent review and input.

Even Governor Murphy has acknowledged the high level of concern. This must be addressed, and the material and mandates removed or mitigated to protect children, and to ensure that the views of families from across the political, religious, and cultural spectrums are respected.

Acting Commissioner of Education Angelica Allen-McMillan tried to explain that “the NJ [Department of Education] does not review, approve, or actively endorse instructional materials,” but this does not match the reality that the DOE website includes links to divisive curriculum materials, and that local schools are telling parents the curriculum choice is out of their control—that they have to teach the materials provided by the NJDOE.

During the June 2020 State School Board vote, four State School Board Members voted against the material in Comprehensive Health and Physical Education, stating that it was not appropriate. It only passed based on assurances that parents could opt their children out of objectionable content, or content that is not age appropriate. But such parental opt-out is not currently guaranteed.

Transparency AND parental notification and consent must be required . Respecting family values and parental rights is paramount.

Please respect the vital role of New Jersey parents in their children’s education by postponing the implementation date, gathering parental input, and amending the standards to honor the voices of all New Jersey parents.

Respectfully,

Winning Defense: Stopping Bad Bills across the Nation

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 14:57:00 GMT

We talk a lot about good bills that we’re working on across the nation: legislation like our Parents’ Bill of Rights and fundamental parental rights bills that will strengthen the right of parents to raise, educate, and care for their children.

But thanks to your support of ParentalRights.org, we also work aggressively to stop bad bills that would erode the rights that we hold dear.

Sometimes our work is overtly public, like the recent action alert we sent out nationwide, urging you to call your US Representative and two US Senators to oppose language that would create a federal database of college students and college graduates. (And now that Congress has returned from their Easter and Passover recess, we urge you to call your federal representatives again!)

But sometimes our work is behind the scenes . Just a few hours before I stopped to write you this update, I was on a lengthy Zoom meeting with my colleagues from HSLDA and MACHE , as well as others in the state of Minnesota, to try to stop a MN bill that would have allowed social workers to interview children at school, without telling their parents, if the social worker thought it necessary . This violates the US Constitution’s Fourth Amendment. But without our work behind the scenes, this could have easily passed. I’m pleased to tell you that the dangerous language was stripped out of the bill, and we’re monitoring it so that it is not put back in during the legislative process.

Another bill we defeated through behind-the-scenes work was a dangerous curriculum transparency bill in Ohio that inexplicably would have required private schools and homeschools to publish their curriculum . We’re all for curriculum transparency for public schools, which are funded through our taxpayer dollars. Parents should know what their children are being taught in public schools. But private schools and homeschools should be free from governmental mandates requiring them to disclose their curriculum. That’s a fight worth having.

And, we were able to defeat a dangerous grandparent visitation bill in West Virginia that would have stripped rights away from parents. I know firsthand the incredible blessing that grandparents can be in their children’s life. My wife recently lost her dad to a heart attack, and her mom to COVID-19. Their passing has left a hole in our family and in our kids’ lives that will not be filled on this side of eternity. I’m grateful to still have my mom and dad with us, and to see the love that they have for their grandkids, my two boys. But not all grandparents are like these, and we must never forget that state law must protect parental rights . I’m glad that the West Virginia legislature recognized its duty under the Constitutions of the state of West Virginia and of the United States, and that this bill has been stopped for this year.

These highlights are just a sampling of how ParentalRights.org protects your God-given right to raise your children by standing against dangerous legislation. Much of the credit must go to our dedicated volunteers and supporters in all 50 states who are the boots on the ground in our efforts . Without them—and you—I can say with confidence that we would not be celebrating these victories right now.

Gratefully yours,

Will Estrada

President
ParentalRights.org

Action Alert: Urge Your State Senator to Support Reasonable Childhood Independence Bill

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 14:31:00 GMT

We’re excited to let you know that S. 288 , a good bill introduced by Senators Wes Climer, Greg Hembree, and Josh Kimbrell, is moving in the South Carolina Senate Judiciary Committee! S. 288 will protect innocent families from being caught up in child neglect investigations.

S. 288 amends South Carolina law to clarify that a loving and caring parent who allows his or her child to engage in “independent activities” will not be considered to have neglected the child.

S. 288 enjoys broad bipartisan support from advocacy groups across the political spectrum, including ParentalRights.org, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) (whose model bill South Carolina’s legislation mirrors), Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), and Let Grow.

Please contact your state senator and ask him or her to support S. 288. You can call or email (or both!) your senator with a message as simple as the following:

“Please support S. 288 to provide children with reasonable independence. At a time when it seems that government is encroaching more and more on loving parents and their ability to care for and raise their children, S. 288 provides freedom to parents to let their children grow and thrive, freeing South Carolina’s Department of Social Services to focus attention on children who are truly in danger of abuse or neglect.”

Thank you for standing with us for parental rights and freedom.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org

If you decide to email your state senator, feel free to link to the letter that we sent to the sponsors of S. 288.

Call Now to Protect Parental Rights and Children in Missouri Public Schools

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 15:15:00 GMT

Calls are needed today to support H.B. 1858 , the Parents’ Bill of Rights , that has been working its way through the Missouri House of Representatives since it was prefiled on December 7, 2021. ParentalRights.org, and our allies at Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) and Families for Home Education (FHE) have been working behind the scenes to strengthen the language. Thanks to the hard work of our friends at Families for Home Education, ParentalRights.org strongly supports the perfected version of the bill .

If passed into law, H.B. 1858, the Parents’ Bill of Rights, will do the following:

Reiterate in Missouri State Code that parents have the “right to enroll the parent’s minor child in a public school or, as an alternative to public education, a private school, including a religious school, a home education program, or other available options, as authorized by law.”
Give parents the right to know what their children are being taught in public schools;
Give parents the right to visit their children during the school day;
Protect the privacy and biometric data of children;
Require school board meetings regarding curriculum, school safety, and student issues to be held in public and allow for public comments;
Prohibit school districts from requiring parents to sign nondisclosure agreements before viewing public school curricula;
And provide numerous additional protections to parents and their children in public schools.

ParentalRights.org strongly supports this bill. It was placed on the Missouri House of Representatives’ Informal Third Reading Calendar on April 14 and could be voted on by the full House in the coming days.

Please call your Missouri State Representative today and urge him or her to support H.B. 1858 . Your message can be as simple as the following:

If passed into law, H.B. 1858 will allow Missouri to join the growing number of states across the nation that ensure that parents are able to be involved in their children’s public schools and know what is being taught in the classroom.

Thank you for standing with us for parental rights!

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President
ParentalRights.org

“Please support H.B. 1858, the Parents’ Bill of Rights. This critical bill will protect children and families by strengthening parental rights. Additionally, it will allow parents of public school students to be involved in their children’s education, and will protect children’s personal information and data.”

Call Congress Now to Stop Creation of Massive Government Database

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 15:47:00 GMT

Congress is poised to eliminate a long-standing federal law that prohibits the creation of a national database of students, and then create a massive federal database of college students, college graduates, and every single new college graduate employed in the private and public sector.

Simply called “College Transparency,” this massive expansion of big government, supported by big-tech and big-data companies, was quietly inserted into the House-passed version of the America COMPETES Act, a bill that was originally introduced to help the United States compete with Communist China. The Senate wisely did not include this language when it passed its own version of the America COMPETES Act. The dueling versions of this bill will now be resolved by a conference committee.

The bill is ostensibly intended to help college-bound students determine if their favored college major is likely to provide them with a good return on investment. Supporters say the bill will accomplish this by tracking every college student, their field of study, their demographics, and then how much they make when they find a job after college graduation.

However, ParentalRights.org has long stood against mandatory data collection, tracking, and repositories of student data. Parents—not schools, bureaucrats, massive multi-national companies, or the federal government—should decide what information is collected about their children. This is why we worked with our allies in the education field over a decade ago to oppose state and federal K-12 student databases (and private databases like inBloom) when the Common Core State Standards Initiative was being fought across the nation.

And this is why we were proud to back Florida’s Parental Bill of Rights last year, which included strong parental protections on biometric data collection of K-12 students . After Florida’s bill passed, it became a model for Parental Bills of Rights all across the nation, and we have testified in favor of many of these bills across the states.

We must not see all of those victories lost by the creation of a new federal database that simply defeats all of our attempts to protect student privacy by collecting the data once students go to college and into careers after that.

ParentalRights.org sent a letter to members of the House and Senate Conference Committee on Tuesday, April 12, urging them to oppose “College Transparency.” We encourage you to read the letter to see just how dangerous this proposal is.

Then, please call your US representative and both of your US senators. You can find who represents you and their phone number by clicking here .

Here is a suggested message:

Thank you for standing with us to protect student privacy and to oppose national databases on student information. Parents and students, not the federal government, should decide what information they share.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada
President, ParentalRights.org

The post Call Congress Now to Stop Creation of Massive Government Database appeared first on Parental Rights .

Action Alert: Contact Critical Senate Committee Now in Support of Parental Rights

Thu, 07 Apr 2022 16:38:00 GMT

On Tuesday, the New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on two good bills, H.B. 1612 to protect families from false reports of child abuse and neglect, and H.B. 1431, the Parents’ Bill of Rights .

Attorney Mike Donnelly, senior counsel with Home School Legal Defense Association, attended the hearing on behalf of ParentalRights.org and presented powerful and compelling testimony to the committee in favor of both bills. You can watch the entire hearing here . Mike Donnelly testifies in favor of the Parents’ Bill of Rights (H.B. 1431) at 1:54:00, and in favor of H.B. 1612 starting at 2:49:44.

As the Senate Judiciary Committee considers whether to support these two bills, we ask that you email all the members of the committee and respectfully ask them to support these two bills. Importantly, we support Senator Bob Guida’s amendment to the Parents’ Bill of Rights (H.B. 1431) to restore protections for parental rights regarding medical decisions of their minor children . This good language was in the original bill introduced in the New Hampshire House but was taken out during final passage. Putting this language back into the Parents’ Bill of Rights will further strengthen family freedom when it comes to medical decisions.

You can email all the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee by visiting the Committee page here and clicking “Email Entire Committee.”

Here is a suggested email, but we encourage you to add in your own words, share personal anecdotes, and make changes so it comes from your heart:

You can read our letter of support for H.B. 1431 here , and our letter of support for H.B. 1612 here .

Thank you for protecting children by standing with us for freedom.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President
ParentalRights.org

Dear Members of the New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee:

I ask that you support H.B. 1612 and H.B. 1431. Both of these bills have already passed the New Hampshire House of Representatives, and both of these bills will protect children and families in New Hampshire.

H.B. 1612 will add in more accountability to the reporting of child abuse and neglect in New Hampshire. It will set in place safeguards to help protect innocent children and families from going through the trauma of an unnecessary governmental child abuse or neglect investigation by making it harder for bad actors to file false reports of abuse and neglect. Additionally, H.B. 1612 will create penalties for false reports of child abuse, further protecting innocent children and families. This bill will help to keep bad actors from weaponizing the system against innocent families.

H.B. 1431, the Parents’ Bill of Rights, will enshrine into New Hampshire law that parental rights are a fundamental right, as the U.S. Supreme Court has held for the past 100 years. Additionally, H.B. 1431 will protect parents and children in New Hampshire’s public schools by allowing parents to make critical decisions regarding their own children. Passage of this bill into law will make New Hampshire the 15th state in the nation to protect parental rights as a fundamental right in the state code. In addition to asking that you support H.B. 1431, I respectfully request that you accept Senator Bob Guida’s amendment to restore protections for parental rights when it comes to medical decisions for their minor children.

Let Our Podcast Inspire and Empower You

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 17:37:00 GMT

Are you:

A fan of podcasts?
Not a podcast listener, but curious about the hype?
Someone who thought a podcast was a type of fishing lure?

Wherever you find yourself when it comes to podcasts, the Parental Rights Foundation has you covered! You see, for the past three years, the Parental Rights Foundation has hosted our very own podcast, the EPPiC Broadcast: Empowering Parents, Protecting Children . Our podcast features personal stories, breaking news, and insightful commentary from experts across the political and demographic spectrum.

Most episodes are around 45 minutes long (no three-hour podcasts here!) and will provide encouragement and information on the issues surrounding family and parental rights. Our episodes are great to listen to as you commute, clean the house, mow the lawn, or just to have on in the background during your day.

Many of our podcast interviews are hosted by our long-time executive director, Michael Ramey. Others are hosted by our chairman of the board and former president, Jim Mason. And several this year are hosted by yours truly.

For example, last week I interviewed New Hampshire Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut .You won’t want to miss this wide-ranging interview, as we discussed Frank’s history as a homeschool dad, his passion for education freedom , and his thoughts on the state of public education across the country.

I also recently interviewed Rachel Barkley , a young mom much like you, who was diagnosed with a severe illness that ultimately left her paralyzed just days after delivering her first child . Rachel’s story and her passion for life inspires me, and she shared what it is like parenting with a disability.

Another person I recently interviewed is Jey Rajaraman , an attorney who has dedicated her life to fighting injustice from state child welfare agencies . In a system known for tearing families apart, Jey has been on the front lines holding families together.

And a few weeks ago, I interviewed Ian Prior , another attorney and a dad in my home of Loudoun County, Virginia. Ian helped lead a parent revolt due to major problems in our local public school, and he shared stories and advice on how parents across the nation can fight to take back their own public schools.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. I am confident you will find something in our podcast library that is truly meaningful for you and your family and friends.

We are grateful to our many financial supporters to the Parental Rights Foundation whose invaluable support has enabled us to build this library, as well as to the experts who have tackled the issues of parental and family rights with us.

I hope these episodes are inspiring to you! As always, you can subscribe to our podcast on Spotify , Apple Podcasts , or Google Podcasts , or just visit our podcast page and listen from your computer or mobile device.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President
Parental Rights Foundation

An Education Commissioner’s Perspective, with Frank Edelblut

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 17:32:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Frank Edelblut, New Hampshire’s Education Commissioner since 2017. An accountant and entrepreneur and a former member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, Edelblut now administers the state’s Department of Education.

Frank tells us about his work representing the interests of New Hampshire’s parents and taxpayers in the public school system and how he has helped make education more accessible to low income families.

Defending Families from CPS, with Jey Rajaraman

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 17:31:00 GMT

This week we talk with Jey Rajaraman, who served the last 15 years as chief counsel and supervising attorney at Legal Services of New Jersey’s Family Representation project. She has recently joined former Children’s Bureau chiefs Jerry Milner and David Kelly at Family Integrity & Justice Works. Jey tells us about her work in providing legal support to families before a removal into foster care is needed.

Parenting with a Disability, with Rachel Barkley

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 17:30:00 GMT

This week, we talk with Rachel Barkley, an experienced coalition- and community-builder at the state and local level, and a spinal cord tumor survivor and mom. Rachel tells us about her work promoting policies that promote personal freedom and human dignity, and about parenting her children while quadriplegic.

In this episode, Rachel shares her professional experience in the policy-making world, and her personal experience in parenting with a disability. Rachel also hosts a podcast with her husband at instagram.com/wearethebarkleys/ .

This episode is hosted by Will Estrada, president of the Parental Rights Foundation and ParentalRights.org!

A School Board Member’s Perspective, with Willie Deutsch

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 17:29:00 GMT

This week, we’re talking with Willie Deutsch, who served for four years on the school board of Prince William County, Virginia. A parent himself, Willie focused on making parents’ voices heard in the local school system. Hear about how he worked to pass parent-focused policies and what it’s like to serve on a school board, plus tips for parents looking to engage with their local school board and advice for those interested in running for local school boards themselves.

This episode is hosted by Will Estrada, president of the Parental Rights Foundation and ParentalRights.org!

Parental Rights and Public Schools, with Ian Prior

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 17:28:00 GMT

This week, we’re talking with Ian Prior, founder of Fight for Schools , an organization of concerned parents dedicated to protecting parental rights in the public school system of Loudoun County, Virginia. Ian explains how he came to be involved in the parental rights movement and the work his organization has done and is currently doing on behalf of parents in the local schools.

This episode is hosted by Will Estrada, president of the Parental Rights Foundation and ParentalRights.org!

Talking with Parental Rights Foundation President Will Estrada

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 17:27:00 GMT

In the final installment of our anniversary series, we’re celebrating 15 years of ParentalRights.org by talking with Will Estrada, president of ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation!

Will began his career with Home School Legal Defense Association and has served in the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He shares why parental rights matter to him and how his journey led him to helm ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation.

Urgent Calls Needed to Support Good Curriculum Transparency Bill in Delaware

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 15:31:00 GMT

We are excited to let you know that H.B. 326 , a bill to provide curriculum transparency to Delaware families who have children in public schools, will be heard in committee on Wednesday, April 6.

H.B. 326 has been introduced by primary sponsor Representative Charles Postles and by additional sponsors Senators Bryant Richardson and David Wilson. H.B. 326 is cosponsored by Representatives Ruth Briggs King, Richard Collins, Ronald Gray, Michael Ramone, Daniel Short, Jesse Vanderwende, and Lyndon Yearick, and by Senators Colin Bonini, Gerald Hocker, and Brian Pettyjohn.

H.B. 326 provides numerous curriculum transparency provisions to parents of students in Delaware public and charter schools , establishes strong provisions ensuring that parents can be involved in their children’s education in the public schools, and includes a provision stating “any citizen denied access to information as provided in this act may bring suit within 45 days of such denial.”

Passage of H.B. 326 into law will provide Delaware parents with strong protections of their right to direct the education of their children in Delaware public schools. Our friends at the Delaware Family Policy Council also support H.B. 326 and had this to say about the bill: “Parental involvement in their child’s education is non-negotiable. HB 326 would ensure that parents have full access to the policies, teachers, and curricula of their child’s public or charter school.”

The House Education Committee will hold a hearing on H.B. 326 on Wednesday, April 6, at 3:00 PM . You can find out more information, including how to testify in person, via phone, or provide written testimony via email, by visiting the Committee website here.

We encourage you to contact your Delaware Representative and Senator , as well as the members of the House Education Committee, in support of H.B. 326. You can find your legislator’s contact information here .

Your message in support of H.B. 326 can be as simple as the following:

Thank you for standing with us for parental rights in Delaware! Please consider forwarding this email to a couple of friends. Let’s stand together to protect children by empowering parents!

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org

I urge you to support H.B. 326 to provide Delaware parents with opportunities to be involved in their children’s education in public schools, and to provide them with information about what their children are being taught. This commonsense bill will help improve public education by engaging parents in their children’s public schools and will protect the fundamental right of parents to direct the education of their children.

Urgent Action Needed: NH Senate Committee to Hear 2 Critical Bills

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 19:49:00 GMT

We’re excited to let you know that two critical bills will be heard by the New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, April 5, at 1:45 PM, Room 100 of the State House. We encourage you to contact the Senate Judiciary Committee in support of these bills, and to come testify in person if you are able.

The Senate Judiciary Committee will hear H.B. 1612 , a bill that will begin to change New Hampshire’s child abuse and neglect reporting laws from anonymous to confidential . H.B. 1612 will also create penalties for someone who knowingly makes a false report of child abuse. H.B. 1612 previously passed the New Hampshire House of Representatives by a vote of 175-161.

The Senate Judiciary Committee will also hear H.B. 1431, the Parents’ Bill of Rights . This bill will enshrine into New Hampshire law that parental rights are a fundamental right , will strengthen New Hampshire’s curriculum transparency provisions for parents of children in New Hampshire public schools, and will provide additional protections for families in New Hampshire.

Home School Legal Defense Association attorney Michael Donnelly will be on hand on behalf of ParentalRights.org to testify in favor of both bills.

We encourage you to email all the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee by visiting the Committee page here and clicking “Email Entire Committee.” We also encourage you to consider coming to the State House in Concord on Tuesday , April 5, to testify in person in favor of these two bills.

Here is a suggested email, but we encourage you to add in your own words, share personal anecdotes, and make changes so it comes from your heart:

Thank you for standing with us for freedom.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President

ParentalRights.org

Dear Members of the New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee:

You can read our letter of support for H.B. 1431 here , and our letter of support for H.B. 1612 here .

2010 Zogby Poll

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 21:25:00 GMT

A Zogby poll in 2010 asked a survey of likely American voters: In general, parents have the constitutional right to make decisions for their children without government interference unless there is proof of abuse or neglect. Do you agree or disagree with this view of parental rights?

The overwhelming majority—93.6%—either strongly agreed or somewhat agreed with this statement.

By party affiliation:

Democrat: 92.4%
Republican: 97.5%
Independent: 90.8%

By gender:

Male: 95.1%
Female: 92.3%

By race:

White: 93.1%
Hispanic: 95.5%
African-American: 96.6%
Asian: 91.8%
Other: 90.8%

By religion:

Catholic: 94.8%
Protestant: 94.1%
Jewish: 80.8%
Other/None: 92.6%

By income:

<$25K: 92.7%
$25K-$35K: 95.4%
$35K-$50K: 97.5%
$50K-$75K: 89.6%
$75K-$100K: 94.9%
$100K+: 93.4%

See the entire poll data here.

Work is underway to gain an updated understanding of the current American mindset. But these numbers, even if a little dated, paint a clear picture of a country that is not the least divided on what the proper role of parents should be in the lives of their children—and that government interference is generally not wanted or needed.

Regardless of religion, political party, ethnicity, or any other factor that this poll could identify, Americans are united on this : unless there is proof of abuse or neglect, parents, not government, have the right to make decisions for their children.

Anonymous Reporting to Child Abuse Hotlines

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 20:16:00 GMT

More than 40 of the 50 states allow anonymous calls to their child abuse hotlines. This opens the door for less-than-honest people to weaponize the child protection system against innocent families with whom they may have a beef—be it a contentious ex, a nosey neighbor, or a relative who simply thinks they know better than mom or dad.

Every year, roughly 83% of all child welfare investigations are closed as unfounded or unsubstantiated, and that number is even higher among cases that begin with an anonymous call . That’s a lot of resources being wasted chasing ghosts while children who are actually abused are being overlooked.

By replacing anonymous reporting with confidential reporting, we can save the lives of those children and save thousands of children in innocent families from the trauma of an unwarranted investigation.

Toward that end, we engage in grassroots efforts to promote bills similar to this model , presented by the Parental Rights Foundation and approved by the American Legislative Exchange Council.

Together we can protect children from unnecessary investigations and streamline the system to find and protect more children in need of services, as well.

We Need Your Help

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 15:37:00 GMT

Photo: Pennsylvania Coordinator and Parental Rights Foundation board members Vickie and Paul Suarez at an event inside the Pennsylvania Capitol in Harrisburg in February 2022.

Fifteen years.

Because of you and your generosity, our parent organization, ParentalRights.org, has existed for 15 years with a single mission: to protect children by empowering parents. And that’s the same purpose that we have championed with our charitable arm, the Parental Rights Foundation, since 2014.

When Mike Farris, Mike Smith, Jim Mason, and other concerned attorneys gathered a board and founded ParentalRights.org in February of 2007, the world was a very different place. Tech giants like Facebook and Amazon were just becoming popular with the general public. Twitter wasn’t even a year old, and few people used it. A Texan named George W. Bush was president.

But some things are the same: The importance of parents. The love that a mom and a dad have for their children. The critical importance of ensuring that parents—not bureaucrats—retain their God-given freedom to raise, educate, and care for their children.

ParentalRights.org has been the public face of our work—yours and mine—to protect children by empowering parents over the past 15 years. But both the public policy efforts and the behind-the-scenes work of our charitable arm, the Parental Rights Foundation, are what keep our organization up and running.

And all our success, under either organization, has been possible only because of your partnership and generosity.

Our fiscal year ends on March 31, and we’ve had a great year. But in order to take our efforts of protecting children by empowering parents to the next level this coming year, we need your help now to finish this year strong!

It’s a simple part of “doing business”: we can only budget in fiscal year 2023 what we have reason to believe we’ll be able to raise, based on fiscal year 2022. So, the better we do this month, the more work we’ll be able to budget and plan for in the coming year. Our board needs to know the organization has your support to do more in the year ahead.

We’ve all seen the videos of ordinary moms and dads standing up to the bureaucrats in their local school boards. Their energy, passion, and determination to speak out for their children inspires me. We need to make sure we have their backs as we work to advance legislation and research, and as we serve as a nationwide voice for parents in the public square. And this is exactly what your generous donation today can empower for the year ahead.

We have a huge mandate: speaking out for the rights of parents with children in public schools, private schools, homeschools, charter schools, parents whose kids are not yet school age, parents whose kids have graduated, and people who do not have children of their own, but who recognize the critical importance of this fundamental freedom.

Here’s what your tax-deductible gifts to the Parental Rights Foundation have already accomplished in fiscal year 2022:

Securing a preliminary injunction in our lawsuit to halt DC’s Minor Consent to Vaccination Amendment Act, which ordered doctors, schools, and insurance providers to keep secrets from parents about their minor child’s health records and medical care.

Supporting our work with the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) to officially endorse our model bill enshrining parental rights as a fundamental right in state legislation. Fourteen states—West Virginia, Kansas, Michigan, Texas, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, Virginia, Oklahoma, Idaho, Wyoming, Florida, and Montana—already have these laws. Legislators across the nation are introducing bills to put this model policy into effect in their state laws. Our president, Will Estrada, was even asked to testify before the legislatures of South Dakota and Colorado on the importance of protecting parental rights as a fundamental right in state code.

Supporting our work with ALEC to protect innocent families and parents in abuse and neglect investigations by promoting state laws that replace anonymous reporting of abuse and neglect with confidential reporting , and encouraging state laws that protect due process rights before a parent is put on a central registry of abuse and neglect. Will Estrada met with a group of New Hampshire policymakers in Concord, New Hampshire on February 15 about the importance of eliminating anonymous reporting of child abuse and neglect, in order to protect innocent families from having the system weaponized against them. You can see some of our research made possible by your generosity at www.ParentalRightsFoundation.org/disproporionality. This is the information Will relied upon when he talked with these leaders in New Hampshire.

Supporting our work to protect innocent families and parents by promoting state laws that specify that reasonable parenting decisions are not neglect . This model legislation was introduced by a bi-partisan coalition of legislators in Colorado, Nebraska, and South Carolina just this year, and Colorado’s bill that is based on the model legislation we support has already unanimously passed the Colorado House of Representatives.

Supporting state legislation that provides curriculum transparency so that parents know what their children are being taught in public schools.

Equipping and motivating parents as they exercise their First Amendment rights to urge their legislators to protect parental rights. Will Estrada spoke recently at a rally at the Capitol in Harrisburg, PA about the importance of parents and children being grassroots ambassadors to their elected officials.

Providing research to support parental rights and legislation that protects parental rights.

Serving as a voice for parents in the public square . In the past two months, we have written two op-eds that were published in national outlets supporting parental rights, one in the Daily Signal and the other for Town Hall .

When ParentalRights.org first opened its doors in 2007, we had one mission: to protect the fundamental right of parents by passing a federal Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. That work hasn’t stopped.

However, DC is broken. Call it what you will—“our nation’s capital,” “the most powerful city on earth,” “a future 51 ^st state,” “the Swamp”— there is no question our DC political process (both in Congress and in the White House) is dysfunctional . Instead of protecting our fundamental freedoms, it seems that many of our elected officials are more intent on acquiring power, prestige, and money for themselves. While we continue to work to reintroduce a federal Parental Rights Amendment, we know this is a battle that may take a generation, and parental rights are just too important to wait on DC.

That’s why a lot of our work—for now—has shifted to the states.

As we celebrate 15 years of protecting children by empowering parents, and as we look ahead to the next 15 years, one thing remains the same: we would not exist if it were not for your generosity, your partnership with us.

As we set our budget and our priorities for our next year, can I count on you to stand with us, and alongside parents across these United States , with your most generous gift today of $5, $35, or even $125?

Together we can set the stage to make 2022 “the Year of the Parent” and fiscal year 2023 the greatest yet for the vital mission of the Parental Rights Foundation.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey

Executive Director

Central Registers without Due Process

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 15:53:00 GMT

Federal law requires each state to maintain a “central registry of child abusers,” but the law does not provide any guidelines for how names are to be added to or kept off the list. As a result, most states fail to provide any sort of “due process” to keep the names of innocent parents off that list.

Every year, thousands of innocent parents across the country find themselves listed as “child abusers,” though they have never abused or neglected a child. This is because, in most states, a child services supervisor or even an investigator can put a name on the list with no trial, no hearing, no judgment against the parent, and no system of review.

As one might expect, roughly 75% of those who appeal this listing come out of the appellate hearing—their first hearing on the matter—with a ruling in their favor and their names are removed from the registry.

But what does it say about the accuracy of the registry if 75% of those who appeal never belonged on it in the first place?

These lists are used in background checks; having one’s name listed can be a death sentence to one’s career and livelihood. And that’s to say nothing of one’s dreams of fostering or adopting children or, in some cases, of being reunited with their own children.

In a nation founded on the principle of “innocent until proven guilty,” this lack of due process is an affront to our sense of justice—and it should be!

Thus, we work to pass legislation in the states, like this model presented by the Parental Rights Foundation and adopted by the American Legislative Exchange Council, to require due process before a name can be added to a child abuse register.

Registers can serve a purpose, but only if they are accurate and reliable . There is no benefit from hurting innocent families. Registries that indiscriminately undermine a parent’s career threaten innocent children (and their families) with poverty and additional hardships.

Together we can protect children by preserving innocent parents’ right to find and retain jobs in their chosen career fields.

Racial Discrimination in Child Welfare

Fri, 25 Mar 2022 15:52:00 GMT

Child abuse is a problem that can occur in any ethnic or economic demographic.

So why, nationally, do we see African-American children subjected to child welfare investigations at a rate 1.5 times their proportion in the general population? (African-American children make up about 14% of the total U.S. child population, but 21% of the maltreatment population.)

And why is this disproportionality even higher for Native American children?

Many, including a report of the Government Accountability Office, attribute this phenomenon to racial bias : the system is set up to expect and find abuse among minority families where other families might receive more latitude.

From a legal standpoint, the problem might be framed thus: if the System has enough free rein to apply racial bias in making decision that can adversely affect children, then the System has too much free rein . On the other hand, if the System must respect the proper role of innocent parents in the lives of their own children, even when investigators might disagree with a fit parent’s reasonable decisions, then there will be no room for racial bias to be a factor.

The solution: respect the rights of all fit parents , regardless of ethnicity or skin color (or any other factor).

To this end, we work at the grassroots level to pass laws that preserve and respect the right of fit parents to make the best decisions for their own children , including decisions that might grant their child a reasonable level of independence for their age.

Together we are protecting minority children by empowering all parents, including theirs . Because family unity is not a privilege for some; it’s a fundamental right for all.

District Court Grants Injunction against DC Minor Consent Act

Thu, 24 Mar 2022 19:30:00 GMT

March 23, 2022, Washington, D.C.—

In a tremendous win for parents , the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on Friday issued a preliminary injunction against DC’s Minor Consent for Vaccinations Act Amendment of 2020 (MCVA) . This is the latest decision in the Parental Rights Foundation’s case against this dangerous law.

Passed by the DC Council, the MCVA would allow any child aged 11 years or older to consent to vaccination without their parent’s knowledge or consent. What’s more, the law prohibits medical providers, school personnel, and even insurance companies from letting the parents know the child received a vaccine.

The Parental Rights Foundation, in cooperation with Children’s Health Defense, filed suit against the law in district court and filed for an injunction to halt the law until that lawsuit can be decided. The plaintiffs won the injunction relief on Friday.

“Required to Deceive Parents”

On behalf of client Victor Booth and other parents, the Foundation argued (in part) that the law violates the right of parents to make medical decisions for their own children, and that it violates Mr. Booth’s freedom of religion by creating different rules against parents who have a religious exemption than against parents with a medical exemption for their child.

Rolf Hazlehurst with Children’s Health Defense served as co-counsel and argued the case because the judge had indicated his interest in whether the DC law had been preempted by the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, an area of law in which Hazlehurst is an expert.

“I learned about the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 the hard way when my son suffered a severe brain injury as a result of vaccine injury,” the attorney said. “ Hazlehurst v. HHS was the second test case in the Omnibus Autism Proceeding and was at the center of Bruesewitz v. Wyeth , the US Supreme Court case that interpreted the NCVIA to grant vaccine manufactures immunity from liability.”

“ DC’s ordinance required doctors to deceive parents, ” said Parental Rights Foundation Chairman Jim Mason, one of the lawyers in the case for Booth. “ This decision says that’s not okay. ”

The injunction halts the District of Columbia from carrying out the law until the lawsuit can be heard and concluded. To grant an injunction, the court had to find that the parents had standing and that they showed “a likelihood of success on the merits”—indicating that the court thinks there’s a decent chance the parents will win their case based on the arguments presented.

“The district court saw through the fiction that children as young as 11 were ‘mature’ enough to make their own medical decisions,” Mason added.

Sending a Signal

This is wonderful news not only because it halts the law, protecting countless children in DC from making uninformed medical decisions without the benefit of their parent’s knowledge, wisdom, and experience, but also because it demonstrates that, in the court’s judgment, the parents have at least a good chance of winning when the lawsuit is decided.

It is not a guarantee, but it is a very good sign.

“ Winning a preliminary injunction at this stage sends a clear message across the nation, ” said Will Estrada, President of the Parental Rights Foundation. “We are excited for our clients and for children being protected in the District of Columbia. But we also know that legislators in several other states are trying to pass their own versions of this legislation. Friday’s ruling sends a clear message that the Parental Rights Foundation and our allies will not stand idly by as parental rights are stripped away . If any other state tries to do an end run around parents like the DC Council did, the Parental Rights Foundation and our allies will see them in court. And we will win.”

One of the efforts Estrada alludes to is California’s Senate Bill 866 , championed by Sens. Wiener and Pan, which would allow children as young as 12 to grant legally binding consent to vaccination without the benefit of parental guidance.

Additional Challenges Ahead

“ With the support of our faithful donors and other concerned parents across the country, we will meet the additional challenges that lie ahead in winning this lawsuit, and we will prepare to make similar stands in California or wherever else this threat to children arises,” Estrada declared.

Those wishing to support the effort may do so at parentalrightsfoundation.org/donate .

While the injunction is promising news, it is not the final court decision. That will come only after additional briefings and, likely, additional oral arguments. The final ruling could take months—which is one of the reasons for an injunction in the first place. (Without the injunction, DC children would still be in danger of harm without their parents’ knowledge and protection until the case is decided.)

Breaking: District Court Grants Injunction against DC Minor Consent Act

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 17:43:00 GMT

In a tremendous win for parents , the United States District Court for the District of Columbia on Friday issued a preliminary injunction against DC’s Minor Consent for Vaccinations Act Amendment of 2020 (MCVA) . This is the latest decision in the Parental Rights Foundation’s case against this dangerous law.

With your generous support, the Parental Rights Foundation was able to file suit against the law in district court and to file for an injunction to halt the law until that lawsuit can be decided. We won the injunction relief on Friday.

“Required to Deceive Parents”

On behalf of our client Victor Booth and other parents, we argued (in part) that the law violates the right of parents to make medical decisions for their own children, and that it violates Mr. Booth’s freedom of religion by creating different rules against parents who have a religious exemption than against parents with a medical exemption for their child.

“I learned about the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 the hard way when my son suffered a severe brain injury as a result of vaccine injury,” the attorney said. “ Hazlehurst v. HHS was the second test case in the Omnibus Autism Proceeding and was at the center of Bruesewitz v. Wyeth , the US Supreme Court case that interpreted the NCVIA to grant vaccine manufactures immunity from liability.”

“DC’s ordinance required doctors to deceive parents,” said Parental Rights Foundation Chairman Jim Mason, one of the lawyers in the case for Booth. “This decision says that’s not okay.”

The injunction halts the District of Columbia from carrying out the law until the lawsuit can be heard and concluded. To grant an injunction, the court had to find that the parents had standing and that they showed “a likelihood of success on the merits.” (That is, their arguments have a decent chance of winning.)

“The district court saw through the fiction that children as young as 11 were ‘mature’ enough to make their own medical decisions,” Mason added.

Sending a Signal

This is wonderful news not only because it halts the law, protecting countless children in DC from making uninformed medical decisions without the benefit of their parent’s knowledge, wisdom, and experience, but also because it demonstrates that, in the court’s judgment, our clients have at least a good chance of winning when the lawsuit is decided.

It is not a guarantee, but it is a very good sign.

“Winning a preliminary injunction at this stage sends a clear message across the nation,” said Will Estrada, President of the Parental Rights Foundation. “We are excited for our clients and for children being protected in the District of Columbia. But we also know that legislators in several other states are trying to pass their own versions of this legislation. Friday’s ruling sends a clear message that the Parental Rights Foundation and our allies will not stand idly by as parental rights are stripped away. If any other state tries to do an end run around parents like the DC Council did, the Parental Rights Foundation and our allies will see them in court. And we will win.”

Additional Challenges Ahead

But we will not be able to fulfill that promise to “see them in court” without your continued support. Could you take a moment right now to make your most generous gift to the Parental Rights Foundation to support this ongoing effort?

While the injunction is promising news, it is not the final court decision. That will come only after additional briefings and, likely, additional oral arguments. The final ruling could take months—which is one of the reasons for an injunction in the first place. (Without the injunction, that is time DC children would still be in danger of harm without their parents’ knowledge and protection.)

With your support, we will meet the additional challenges that lie ahead in winning this lawsuit, and we will prepare to make similar stands in California or wherever else this threat to children arises.

Can I count on you today to chip in whatever you are able to protect children like those in DC and California who are being robbed of their parents’ protections under the law?

Thank you for standing with us in this effort to protect children by preserving the protective parental role. We celebrate this victory together, knowing we could not have done it without you!

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey
Executive Director

The post Breaking: District Court Grants Injunction against DC Minor Consent Act appeared first on Parental Rights Foundation .

Parents’ Efforts Around the Country Starting to Pay Off!

Thu, 17 Mar 2022 14:44:00 GMT

Across the nation, some state legislatures are starting to adjourn for the year. Others have reached cross-over day, where bills have to pass from one chamber to another or they’re dead for the year. Still other legislatures remain in full swing.

All this year, ordinary moms and dads like you, with your energy and passion, have been making your voices heard to our elected officials—and it’s exciting to see how it has paid off! While enacting laws (especially good laws!) can generally take years and multiple legislative sessions, we have seen some victories already this year.

Parental Rights Bills

First, numerous states have introduced bills to enshrine fundamental parental rights . While 14 states already have these laws on the books (WV, KS, MI, TX, UT, CO, AZ, NV, VA, OK, ID, WY, FL, and MT), numerous states are working toward joining them, or are taking steps to bolster existing laws protecting these rights. Many of these bills also include curriculum transparency provisions so that parents of children in public schools can know what their children are learning:

Colorado: While Colorado already has codified as public policy that parental rights are fundamental (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-22-107[1](a)[III]), a new bill has been introduced to make it even more clear and strengthen this existing law. House Bill 22-1236, The Parent’s Bill Of Rights , will give teeth to current law by stating: “The state, any political subdivision of the state, or any other governmental entity or institution shall not infringe upon the fundamental right of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, and health care of the parent’s minor child without demonstrating that the compelling governmental interest, as applied to the minor child involved, is of the highest order, is narrowly tailored, and cannot be accomplished in a less restrictive manner.” H.B. 22-1236 will be heard in committee on Wednesday, March 23, and Will Estrada is currently scheduled to testify in favor of the bill.
Florida: Last year, ParentalRights.org spearheaded the introduction and passage of one of the strongest parental rights bills in the nation. It was codified at Fla. Stat. § 1014.03 and has served as a model across the nation. This year, legislators introduced House Bill 1557, Parental Rights in Education , to provide additional protections to children in public schools. H.B. 1557 has passed the Florida legislature and is currently pending before Governor Ron DeSantis.
Georgia: House Bill 1178, the Parents’ Bill of Rights , recently passed the House on a 98–68 vote and is now pending in the Senate.
Hawaii: House Bill 2295, The Parental Bill of Rights , has been introduced and is pending in committee.
Kansas: While Kansas protected parental rights as a fundamental right in 1996 ( see Kan. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 38-141(2)(b) and Kan. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 60-5305(a)(1)), Senate Bill 496, The Parents’ Bill of Rights , would strengthen existing state law. The Senate Committee on Education has recommended that the bill be passed.
Michigan: While Michigan has protected parental rights as a fundamental right since 1996 (Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 380.10), a new bill, House Bill 5703 , would require text to be posted at school board meetings and in school district offices to remind elected officials of their duty to respect the rights of parents. H.B. 5703 has passed the Michigan House by a vote of 106–85 and is pending in the Senate Education Committee.
Minnesota: House File 3444, The Parent’s Bill of Rights , and a companion bill in the Senate, Senate File 3064 , have been introduced to protect parental rights as a fundamental right. Both bills are currently pending in committee.
Missouri: House Bill 1858 , the Parents’ Bill of Rights Act, has passed out of its first committee on a 15–6 vote, and is currently pending before a second committee.
New Hampshire: House Bill 1431, The Parents’ Bill of Rights , passed the New Hampshire House on March 15, 2022, on a 181–157 vote and is now pending in the Senate.
Pennsylvania: Senate Bill 996, The Parental Rights Protection Act , has been introduced and is pending in committee.
Rhode Island: House Bill 7138, The Parents Bill of Rights Act , was introduced, but was held in committee for further study.
South Dakota: House Bill 1246 , to establish the fundamental right of a parent, was introduced in the House. Our president, Will Estrada, testified before the House Judiciary Committee, and the bill unanimously passed out of committee. It then passed the House on a 63–5 vote. However, despite such a strong showing in the House, the Senate Judiciary Committee unfortunately killed the bill for this session.
Wisconsin: Assembly Bill 963 , a parental rights bill, has passed both the Assembly (by a vote of 60–34) and Senate (by a vote of 19–12) and has been transmitted to Governor Tony Evers.

Other Positive Legislation

Second, ParentalRights.org works on legislation to protect innocent families from the trauma of unnecessary CPS investigations. In New Hampshire, House Bill 1612 , which would replace anonymous reporting of child abuse and neglect with confidential reporting , passed the House on March 15 on a 175–161 vote and is pending in the Senate.

Third, ParentalRights.org works on legislation to clarify that reasonable parental decisions that help children gain reasonable independence should not be considered child neglect . We are working with numerous allied organizations in three states to advance these bills. In Colorado, House Bill 22-1090 has unanimously passed the Colorado legislature and is awaiting signature into law by Governor Jared Polis. In Nebraska, Legislative Bill 1000 already went through a legislative hearing in the Judiciary Committee and is pending a vote. And in South Carolina, Senate Bill 288 has been introduced and is pending in committee.

Halting Bad Legislation, Too

Fourth, ParentalRights.org works to oppose dangerous legislation. We are pleased to report that a dangerous grandparent visitation bill in West Virginia that would have stripped parental rights from the law has died in committee. While we recognize the incredible role that loving grandparents and great-grandparents play in their grandchildren’s lives, not every situation is ideal, and state law must respect the decisions of fit parents. And a dangerous curriculum transparency bill in Ohio that inexplicably requires private and homeschools to publish their curriculum has stalled and is going nowhere.

These victories are because moms, dads, grandparents, and other champions of parental rights across the nation have read our action alerts, picked up the phone, called your state legislators, or otherwise put in the time and effort to shape the laws of our nation. Together, we are hard at work in state legislatures across the nation to support these efforts, and the results have been incredible!

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey

Executive Director
ParentalRights.org

Action Alert: Call to Support Colorado Parents’ Bill of Rights

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 18:38:00 GMT

We are excited to let you know that Colorado State Representative Tonya Van Beber has introduced H.B. 22-1236 , The Parent’s Bill of Rights, to protect children in Colorado!

Representative Van Beber was joined by the following cosponsors: State Senator Don Coram, and State Representatives Richard Holtorf, Stephanie Luck, Mike Lynch, Patrick Neville, Rod Pelton, Andres Pico, Kim Ransom, and Janice Rich.

While Colorado already has codified as public policy in the state that parental rights are fundamental (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-22-107(1)(a)(III), enacted in 2003), H.B. 22-1236 will give teeth to Colorado’s existing law by stating: “The state, any political subdivision of the state, or any other governmental entity or institution shall not infringe upon the fundamental right of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, and health care of the parent’s minor child without demonstrating that the compelling governmental interest, as applied to the minor child involved, is of the highest order, is narrowly tailored, and cannot be accomplished in a less restrictive manner.” In addition, the bill would also do the following:

Protect the parents’ right to “direct the upbringing, education, and health care” of their child;
Protect the parents’ right to “make health care decisions” for their child;
Allow parents to protect their children’s privacy in public schools, as well as opt their child out of school data collection or certain school classes; and
Provide a host of additional protections for families in Colorado.

H.B. 22-1236 has been scheduled to be heard before the Colorado House Health & Insurance Committee on Wednesday, March 23, at 1:30 PM.

Please call or email (or both!) your Colorado State Representative and ask him or her to support H.B. 22-1236.

Your message can be as simple as:

If you decide to email your State Representative, feel free to link to the letter of support that we sent to the sponsor and cosponsors of H.B. 22-1236.

Thank you for standing with us to protect parental rights.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org

“Please support H.B. 22-1236, the Parent’s Bill of Rights. This critical and timely bill will strengthen existing Colorado law that parental rights are a fundamental right, as the U.S. Supreme Court has held for the past 100 years. Additionally, H.B. 22-1236 will protect the right of parents to make critical decisions regarding the education, health care, and upbringing of their own children, and to protect their children’s privacy in Colorado’s public schools.”

Action Alert: Call your Minnesota State Legislators to Pass the Parents’ Bill of Rights

Fri, 11 Mar 2022 17:19:00 GMT

We are excited to let you know that Minnesota State Senators Andrew Matthews, Bruce Anderson, Paul Gazelka, Michelle Benson, and Mark Koran have introduced S.F. 3064 to protect parental rights in Minnesota! A companion bill, H.F. 3444 , has been introduced in the Minnesota House.

S.F. 3064 and H.F. 3444 will enshrine into Minnesota law that parental rights are a fundamental right . In addition, these bills would also do the following:

Protect children by preserving the right of parents to have “informed consent in making health care decisions for the minor child including the choice of health care team and the right to accept or decline biological, pharmaceutical, and supplemental interventions in coordination with the selected health care team;”
Protect the right of parents to direct the education and upbringing of the parents’ child;
Ensure that parents are able to protect their children’s privacy, including personally identifiable information and biometric data, in public schools; and
Provide a host of additional protections for families in Minnesota.

If S.F. 3064 or H.F. 3444 were to be enacted into law, Minnesota would join fourteen other states in the nation that already have similar laws protecting parental rights as a fundamental right.

Please call or email (or both!) your Minnesota State Senator and your Minnesota State Representative and ask them to support S.F. No. 3064 in the Senate and H.F. 3444 in the House. You can find your legislators here .

Your message can be as simple as:

“Please support S.F. No. 3064/H.F. 3444, the Parents’ Bill of Rights. These critical and timely bills will enshrine into Minnesota law that parental rights are a fundamental right, as the U.S. Supreme Court has held for the past 100 years. Additionally, S.F. No. 3064 and H.F. 3444 will protect children by preserving the right of parents to make critical decisions regarding the education, health care, and upbringing of their own children , and to protect their children’s privacy in Minnesota’s public schools.”

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by preserving parental rights.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org

Georgia House of Representatives Passes Parents’ Bill of Rights!

Thu, 10 Mar 2022 20:15:00 GMT

We are excited to let you know that H.B. 1178 , the Parents’ Bill of Rights, has passed the Georgia State House of Representatives! H.B. 1178 passed 98-68, and you can see how your legislator voted here .

If the Georgia State Senate passes H.B. 1178 and it is signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp, it will enshrine into Georgia law that parental rights are a fundamental right. H.B. 1178 would also do the following:

provide curriculum transparency to parents of children in Georgia public schools,
allow parents to protect their children’s privacy in public schools,
allow parents to opt their children out of certain public-school classes, and
provide a host of additional protections for families in Georgia.

If H.B. 1178 were enacted into law, Georgia would join fourteen other states in the nation that already have similar laws protecting children and families by recognizing parental rights as a fundamental right.

Please call or email (or both!) your Georgia State Senator and ask him or her to support H.B. 1178.

Your message can be as simple as:

“Please support H.B. 1178, the Parents’ Bill of Rights. This critical and timely bill will enshrine into Georgia law that parental rights are a fundamental right, as the U.S. Supreme Court has held for the past 100 years. Additionally, H.B. 1178 will protect parents and children in Georgia’s public schools, allowing parents to make critical decisions regarding their own children.”

If you send an email to your Georgia State Senator, please feel free to link to the letter that we sent in support of H.B. 1178 .

Thank you for standing with us to protect parental rights.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President

ParentalRights.org

Big News in Our Federal Lawsuit Against DC’s Minor Consent Act

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 15:28:00 GMT

Last Thursday, March 3, US District Judge Trevor McFadden heard oral arguments in the Parental Rights Foundation’s suit to end the DC Minor Consent Act.

The law, passed in late 2020, forces DC children as young as 11 years to make their own decisions regarding vaccinations by making the child’s own consent legally binding, without the consent, advice, or even knowledge of the child’s parent. To protect these children, the Parental Rights Foundation—with your support—immediately filed suit last year to halt the law.

And now we are seeking your support again to help us continue this important effort.

“ Elementary school students are simply not mature enough to make this kind of irreversible, long-term decision, ” explains Parental Rights Foundation chairman James Mason, the lead attorney on our suit. “That’s why they rely on their parents to guide them.”

The March 3 hearing combined oral arguments from two related cases, each representing a set of parents taking issue with the DC law and its potential to harm their children.

Attorney Aaron Sere argued on behalf of one set of clients, while Attorney Rolf Hazlehurst of the Children’s Defense Fund, our co-counsel, argued on behalf of our clients, Victor Booth and Jane Hollowell.

Hazlehurst, who has has a long history with National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program cases, was especially invaluable in answering one particular line of questions by the judge, related to how the D.C. law conflicts with the provisions of that federal law. For instance, Hazlehurst noted that while federal law requires that information sheets on any vaccine be provided to the parents of the child receiving the vaccine, the DC law ignores that requirement and calls for an alternative information sheet to be provided directly to the child.

After all, providing an information sheet would clue the parent in to the decision their child faces regarding vaccination—something the DC Council made clear they do not want.

DC’s District Attorney seemed uncomfortable trying to explain away such provisions of the law that clearly intend to keep parents in the dark about their child’s vaccination status.

At the end of the day, the case for our clients comes down to whether the court will grant the parents “standing.” That is, do parents concerned for their child’s welfare have grounds to sue before any physical damage is done? (We answer in the affirmative : a parent’s fundamental constitutional rights are already violated when the government compels their child to make a choice he isn’t ready for , regardless of what choice the child then makes. You can see our brief here . )

“We believe parental rights are fundamental and should be respected and upheld,” Chairman Mason explained. “ But the most important thing in this case is that the parents win , on whatever valid argument the court will accept, so that they can protect their children from the dangerous consequences of this kind of legislation.”

“This kind of legislation” may actually be a key phrase, as lawmakers in California, Washington, and possibly other states are already attempting to pass similar laws this legislative session. Votes this spring could put laws into place as early as this summer that, like the DC statute, rob children of the wisdom and guidance that loving parents can provide.

That’s why your support is so vital: this DC lawsuit may be only the first in a series to combat these laws around the nation.

Can I count on your support today to keep our children safe by keeping their parents in the loop about important health care decisions? Your investment of $15, $35, or even $95 would mean so much. Even a gift of $5 will empower us to continue to stand with parents in protecting their children from this sort of government intrusion.

Even if vaccine reactions are rare, it is absolutely vital that parents recognize immediately what is going on when they occur. And they can’t do that if they don’t know their child has been vaccinated.

In short, our effort will literally save children’s lives .

Will you stand with us by making your best investment to the Parental Rights Foundation today?

Thank you for partnering with us to protect children by empowering parents through this and any future lawsuits against such laws.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada, President

Urgent Action Needed to Protect Parental Rights in Iowa

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 16:26:00 GMT

We are excited to let you know about a good bill that is moving through the Iowa State Senate, S.F. 2335. This bill will protect children by requiring documented consent by a parent or guardian before the immunization or vaccination of a minor.

This bill is important because we are fighting bills across the nation, and even a law recently passed by the District of Columbia , allowing minors to “consent” to vaccinations without their parents even knowing about it. Such bills force children to take on adult responsibilities by robbing them of their loving parents’ wisdom in major health care decisions , such as vaccine administration.

And they endanger children. A minor child may not know his or her medical history. A minor child could suffer an adverse reaction, and if the parent does not know that the child was immunized, they may miss warning signs and be unable to get the child to the hospital in time. Or, a parent may not know that their child received an immunization at school, and have their family pediatrician administer the same immunization, resulting in potential harm due to multiple and unnecessary doses.

S.F. 2335 will safeguard Iowa families against all of these dangers.

S.F. 2335 passed out of the Human Services Committee by an 8-5 vote on February 17 , and is currently pending on the Iowa State Senate Floor.

Please call or email (or both!) your Iowa State Senator and ask him or her to support S.F. 2335. Your message can be as simple as the following:

Thank you for standing with us to protect parental rights and the safety of our precious children.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org

“Please support S.F. 2335, a bill which requires parental consent before a minor receives a vaccination or immunizations. This bill protects parental rights and protects children. Parents are a child’s greatest advocate and protection when it comes to making health care decisions, including immunizations and vaccinations, for their own children.”

Exciting Event in Miami for Hispanic Parents!

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 15:39:00 GMT

En español abajo .

We wanted to let you know about an event in Miami that may be of interest to you or someone you may know. Some of our friends, including Home School Legal Defense Association, are sponsoring Florida’s first-ever Hispanic Homeschooling Conference. It will be held in Miami on April 1 and 2. This will be an event for the whole family, with all sessions provided in Spanish.

Topics will include how to get started with homeschooling, cognitive development in children, preparation for college, the bilingual world of the Hispanic family, and much more. There will be events for children, and tickets cost $38 per person and $65 per family.

If you or someone you know may be interested, you can visit the webpage for this event at https://www.transitioneducation.net/conferencia2022 .

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President

Parental Rights Foundation

¡Un evento emocionante en Miami para los padres hispanos!

Queremos invitarle a un evento en Miami que podría ser de interés para usted o para alguien a quien conozca. Algunos de nuestros amigos, incluso HSLDA, están patrocinando la primera conferencia hispana de la educación en hogar en la Florida. Se llevará a cabo en Miami el 1 y 2 de abril. Será un evento para toda la familia, con todas las sesiones en español.

Los temas incluirán cómo empezar con la educación en hogar, el desarrollo cognitivo en los niños, la preparación para la universidad, el mundo bilingüe de la familia hispana, y mucho más. Habrá eventos para niños y las entradas cuestan $38 por persona o $65 por familia.

Si usted o alguien que usted conoce tiene interés, visite la página web para este evento en https://www.transitioneducation.net/conferencia2022 .

Atentamente,

Will Estrada

Presidente

Parental Rights Foundation

Action Alert: Two Critical Bills to Receive Vote in New Hampshire House Committee on March 1!

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 17:00:00 GMT

We’re excited to let you know that two important bills will be heard in executive session in the New Hampshire House of Representatives’ Children and Family Law Committee on Tuesday, March 1.

The Committee will vote on H.B. 1612 , a bill that will change New Hampshire’s child abuse and neglect reporting laws from anonymous to confidential. This critical bill will protect innocent children and families from going through the trauma of an unnecessary governmental investigation and will ensure that the Division of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) can focus on investigating true instances of child abuse and neglect. The bill will also create penalties for someone who knowingly makes a false report of child abuse.

The Committee will also vote on H.B. 1431 , the Parents’ Bill of Rights, which will

enshrine into New Hampshire law that parental rights are a fundamental right,
provide curriculum transparency to parents of children in New Hampshire public schools, and
provide additional protections for families in New Hampshire.

We encourage you to email all the members of the House Children and Family Law Committee by sending an email to CFL@leg.state.nh.us

Here is a suggested email, but we encourage you to add in your own words, share personal anecdotes, and make changes so it comes from your heart:

Dear Members of the New Hampshire House Children and Family Law Committee:

As one of your constituents, I ask that you support H.B. 1612 and H.B. 1431. Both of these bills will protect children and families in New Hampshire.

H.B. 1612 will change New Hampshire’s reporting of child abuse and neglect from anonymous to confidential. It will protect innocent children and families from going through the trauma of an unnecessary governmental child abuse or neglect investigation. Instead of pursuing false reports, New Hampshire’s Division for Children, Youth and Families will now be able to focus on investigating true instances of child abuse and neglect. Finally, H.B. 1612 will create penalties for false reports of child abuse, further protecting innocent children and families. This bill will keep bad actors from weaponizing the system against innocent families.

You can read our letter of support for H.B. 1431 here and our letter of support for H.B. 1612 here .

Thank you for standing with us for freedom.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President
ParentalRights.org

Parental Rights in Florida, with Patti Sullivan and Adriana Gonzales

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 17:40:00 GMT

In the third week of February, we’re celebrating the 15th anniversary of ParentalRights.org by talking with two volunteer State Coordinators!

This week, Michael talks with Adriana Gonzales, former Florida State Coordinator for ParentalRights.org, and her successor, Patti Sullivan, now a long-time advocate for families and parental rights.

Adriana and Patti share how they’ve worked to pass parental rights legislation over the years, including the recent Florida Parents Bill of Rights that was signed into law in 2021.

This episode is dedicated in memory of Treon G., Leroy B., Robert M., and Barbara D., parental rights heroes who have passed in this first 15 years.

Joining the Parental Rights Movement, with Shaun Alexander and Ethan Demme

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 17:37:00 GMT

Welcome to week two of our celebration of 15 years of ParentalRights.org!

This week, Michael talks with Shaun Alexander, 2005 NFL MVP and Vice President of the Parental Rights Foundation, and Ethan Demme, CEO of Demme Learning and former chairman of the Parental Rights Foundation Board.

Shaun and Ethan share why protecting parental rights is important to them, and how they came to join ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation.

15 Years of Parental Rights, with Michael Farris

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 17:27:00 GMT

In this first episode of our fourth season, we talk with Michael Farris, founding president of ParentalRights.org and currently the president and CEO of Alliance Defending Freedom . This month, ParentalRights.org is celebrating its 15th anniversary! To celebrate, we’re interviewing key figures from our organization’s history, beginning with our founding president.

Michael explains to us why he founded ParentalRights.org, and why the mission of the organization remains so important today.

Video Celebrates 15 Years of ParentalRights.org

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 17:14:00 GMT

This month, we are celebrating 15 years of ParentalRights.org. Today we are proud to release a 3-minute video commemorating the event.

You can find the video on YouTube here .

We invite you to take just 3 minutes to watch the video and share it with your family and friends. The more people who watch it, the further it climbs in YouTube’s algorithm, leading to even more people seeing it and joining our effort to protect children by empowering parents.

We have a lot to celebrate over these 15 years, as the video quickly explains. So, help yourself to some good news and spread the cheer with this quick video celebration .

We are also commemorating this milestone with four special episodes of the EPPiC Broadcast podcast. Episode three, featuring state volunteer coordinators, is out now!

PRO President Appears on Family Policy Podcast

ParentalRights.org (and Parental Rights Foundation) president Will Estrada was recently the featured guest on “Family Policy Matters,” the podcast of the North Carolina Family Policy Council.

“We are seeing parents from across the political spectrum advance the notion that they should be in charge of their children’s education, upbringing, and care,” says Estrada. Click here to read more about Will’s guest stint and to listen to the episode, “The Fight for Parental Rights.”

Urgent Action Alert to Stop Dangerous California Bill

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 15:25:00 GMT

We need your help to stop S.B. 866 , a bill that authorizes 12-year-old children to consent to immunizations without their parents knowing about it or giving their consent. This bill has been introduced by California State Senators Scott Wiener and Richard Pan, coauthored by Senator Josh Newman, and coauthored in the California State Assembly by Buffy Wicks, Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, Laura Friedman, Evan Low, Phil Ting, and Akilah Weber.

S.B. 866 is another attack on our families. It forces children to take on adult responsibilities by robbing them of their loving parents’ wisdom in major health care decisions, such as vaccine administration.

And it endangers children . A minor child may not know his or her medical history. A minor child could suffer an adverse reaction, and if the parent does not know that the child was immunized, they may miss warning signs and be unable to get the child to the hospital in time. Or, a parent may not know that their child received an immunization at school, and have their family pediatrician administer the same immunization, resulting in potential harm due to multiple and unnecessary doses.

Please call or email (or both!) your California State Senator and ask him or her to oppo se S.B. 866. Your message can be as simple as the following:

We encourage you to forward this email to several of your friends. We can win this battle for parental rights if all of us as parents stand together. The Parental Rights Foundation is litigating in federal court a similar law recently passed in the District of Columbia, and you can read our arguments against that law here .

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org

Action Alert: Contact your South Dakota State Senator to Support Parental Rights!

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 14:52:00 GMT

Thanks to YOUR phone calls and emails, last week the South Dakota State House of Representatives passed South Dakota State Representative Sue Peterson’s parental rights bill, H.B. 1246 , by an overwhelming vote of 63-5!

H.B. 1246 is now pending before the South Dakota State Senate Judiciary Committee , and a vote could come as early as Thursday, February 24.

Please email your South Dakota State Senator as soon as possible today and ask him or her to support H.B. 1246.

Your message can be as simple as:

When you email your State Senator, please feel free to link to the letter that we sent in support of H.B. 1246.

We strongly support this bill. If H.B. 1246 were to be passed into law, it would enshrine into South Dakota law that parental rights are a fundamental right. This is the exact type of legislation that is ParentalRights.org’s top priority to pass into law.

If H.B. 1246 were to be enacted into law, South Dakota would join fourteen other states in the nation that already have similar laws protecting parental rights as a fundamental right.

Thank you for standing with us to protect parental rights.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org

“Please support H.B. 1246, An Act to establish the fundamental right of a parent. This critical and timely bill passed the South Dakota House of Representatives by an overwhelming vote of 63-5 and will enshrine into South Dakota law that parental rights are a fundamental right, as the U.S. Supreme Court has held for the past 100 years. H.B. 1246 will protect parents and children in South Dakota, allowing parents to make critical decisions regarding their own children.”

Action Alert: Submit Public Comments to Support Reasonable Childhood Independence Bill

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 14:33:00 GMT

We’re excited to let you know that Senators Ben Hansen (R – District 16), Justin Wayne (D – District 13), and Terrell McKinney (D – District 11) have introduced L.B. 1000 , a bill that protects innocent families from being caught up in child neglect investigations.

L.B. 1000 has been scheduled for a Judiciary Committee hearing on March 3, and we need your help. Please visit https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=46901 and click on the text box that says “Submit Comments Online for LB1000.” We encourage you to do this and share any stories you may have of personal issues you have had with reasonable parenting decisions being treated as neglect, reasonable parenting decisions you have been too scared to do based on a fear that someone would hotline you for neglect, or any other reason for why you support this bill.

For background, L.B. 1000 amends Nebraska law to clarify that a parent who allows his or her child to engage in “independent activities” will not be considered to have neglected the child , unless there is evidence of obvious danger that any reasonable parent would not – and should not — ignore. L.B. 1000 enjoys broad bipartisan support from advocacy groups across the political spectrum, including ParentalRights.org, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) (whose model bill Nebraska’s legislation mirrors), Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), Americans for Prosperity (AFP), Nebraska Appleseed, 50Can, Let Grow, and several Nebraska-based child advocacy groups.

At a time when it seems that government is encroaching more and more on loving parents and their ability to care for and raise their children, L.B. 1000 protects the freedom of parents to let their children grow and thrive , freeing Nebraska’s Division of Children and Family Services to focus attention on children who are truly in danger of abuse or neglect.

You can see the letter of support that we sent to the sponsors of L.B. 1000 here .

Thank you for standing with us for parental rights and freedom.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada
President, ParentalRights.org

Wins for Parents Across the Country

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 22:29:00 GMT

On Tuesday night, parents in San Francisco stunned the nation when they recalled three of their school board members in a landslide. This election result in San Francisco vindicated our argument just a few weeks ago that parental rights are bipartisan .

While ParentalRights.org was not involved in the San Francisco recall, we are proud of our supporters and parents in San Francisco who sent this strong message that our public schools should be focused on providing the best education for our children. And we have had some significant victories ourselves, as well!

First, in South Dakota, our president, Will Estrada, testified last week in favor of House Bill 1246, to protect parental rights as a fundamental right. You can listen to the sponsor of the bill, Representative Sue Peterson, and Will Estrada testify in favor of the bill here , starting at 3:30. The bill passed the House Judiciary Committee unanimously, and on Tuesday passed the South Dakota House of Representatives in overwhelming fashion, 63-5! It now goes to the South Dakota Senate for consideration. We will be working with the sponsor and our friends in the South Dakota Senate to pass it there and send it to South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem for her signature.

Passage of H.B. 1246 into law will make South Dakota the 15th state in the nation to protect parental rights as a fundamental right in state code.

Second, Will Estrada testified this week before New Hampshire’s House Children and Family Law Committee in favor of House Bill 1612 , a bill that will change reporting of child abuse and neglect from anonymous to confidential. In addition to Will, Representative James Spillane and numerous New Hampshire parents also testified in favor of the bill. You can read more about the importance of this bill here and listen to our podcast discussing this issue, airing on March 1 .

Third, we are working with a coalition of Colorado organizations from across the political spectrum to support House Bill 22-1090 , “Reasonable Independence for Children.” This bill will protect innocent families by changing Colorado’s neglect laws to specify that certain parental decisions are not neglect. H.B. 22-1090 unanimously passed out of committee on February 11 and is currently pending on the House floor. Thank you to all of our Colorado supporters who contacted your representatives in support of this important bill!

These victories are just the beginning. It’s because of you and your support that we are able to fight alongside parents all across the nation. Stay tuned for more exciting updates as this “Year of the Parent” legislative season continues!

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey

Executive Director

Reasonable Independence

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 22:23:00 GMT

View the model as adopted by the American Legislative Exchange Council.

A “Reasonable Independence” bill (formerly “Free Range Parenting”) is simple common sense.

This model clearly excludes from a state’s definition of “neglect” a host of reasonable decisions any parent could make to allow their child to grow in independence and responsibility.

Decisions like allowing your child to ride a bike to the local playground or to their school, or leaving your child in the car for a couple of minutes on a comfortable day while you dash into the store to get breakfast should not put families at risk of the trauma of separation.

In fact, it is generally the parent who best knows how much responsibility and freedom their child is ready for. Any decision a parent makes based on that knowledge should be protected from the contrary opinion of a nosey neighbor or judgmental passerby.

Decisions that any reasonable parent would not have made, because its dangers are obvious, are not affected by this bill and can still lead to state involvement and investigation.

The aim is not to protect child abusers, but to protect the vast majority of parents who love and care for their children, including those who want their children to grow up more independent and self-reliant.

This model, drafted by a bipartisan coalition of lawyers and family defenders and adopted by ALEC, is ready to be modified to address these issues in your state.

Additional Information:

Listen to EPPiC Broadcast episodes about this model:

Action Alert: Call Now to Protect Families and Children from Unnecessary Investigations!

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 14:54:00 GMT

We’re excited to let you know that a bipartisan coalition of New Hampshire representatives have introduced H.B. 1612 , a bill that will change New Hampshire’s child abuse and neglect reporting laws from anonymous to confidential. This critical bill will protect innocent children and families from going through the trauma of an unnecessary governmental investigation and will ensure that DCYF can focus on investigating true instances of child abuse and neglect. The bill will also create penalties for someone who knowingly makes a false report of child abuse.

H.B. 1612 will be heard before the New Hampshire State House of Representatives Children and Family Law Committee tomorrow, February 15, at 10:30 AM . Our President, Will Estrada, is flying to Concord to testify in favor of the bill.

Please contact your New Hampshire representative and ask him or her to support H.B. 1612. You can call or email (or both!) your representative with a message as simple as the following:

If you decide to email your representative, feel free to link to the letter that we sent to one of the sponsors of H.B. 1612.

We are grateful for H.B. 1612’s sponsors, Representatives James Spillane, Terry Roy, Alan Bershtein, Alicia Lekas, Ellen Read, and Senator Kevin Avard, for introducing this critical piece of legislation. This legislation is based on a model bill that the Parental Rights Foundation shepherded through the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) a few years ago.

Thank you for standing with us for freedom.

Sincerely,

Michael Ramey

Executive Director, ParentalRights.org

“Please cosponsor and vote for H.B. 1612. This critical and bipartisan bill will protect innocent children and families from going through the trauma of an unnecessary governmental child abuse or neglect investigation. Instead of pursuing false reports, New Hampshire’s Division for Children, Youth and Families will now be able to focus on investigating true instances of child abuse and neglect. Finally, H.B. 1612 will create penalties for false reports of child abuse, further protecting innocent children and families.”

Call Now to Protect Parental Rights and Children in Missouri Public Schools

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 14:46:00 GMT

Calls are needed today to support H.B. 1858 , a Parents’ Bill of Rights that has been introduced in the Missouri House of Representatives. H.B. 1858 is scheduled for a committee hearing in the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee this Tuesday, February 15, at 8 AM.

If passed into law, H.B. 1858, the Parents’ Bill of Rights, will do the following:

Give parents the right to know what their children are being taught in public schools;
Give parents the right to visit their children during the school day;
Protect the privacy and biometric data of children;
Require school board meetings regarding curriculum, school safety, and student issues to be held in public and allow for public comments;
Prohibit school districts from requiring parents to sign nondisclosure agreements before viewing public school curricula;
And provide additional protections to parents and their children in public schools.

ParentalRights.org strongly supports this bill. Please call your Missouri State Representative today and urge him or her to support H.B. 1858. Your message can be as simple as the following:

Thank you for standing with us for parental rights!

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org

“Please support H.B. 1858, the Parents’ Bill of Rights. This critical bill will allow parents of public school students to be involved in their children’s education, and will protect children’s personal information and data.”

Action Alert: Call your Georgia State Legislators to Enact Parents’ Bill of Rights

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 16:18:00 GMT

We are excited to let you know that not one, but two parental rights bills have been introduced in the Georgia State House of Representatives!

H.B. 1158 and H.B. 1178 would both enshrine into Georgia law that parental rights are a fundamental right. Either bill would also do the following:

provide curriculum transparency to parents of children in Georgia public schools,
allow parents to protect their children’s privacy in public schools,
allow parents to opt their children out of certain public-school classes, and
provide a host of additional protections for families in Georgia.

While both bills protect parental rights as fundamental, H.B. 1158 is the stronger bill, because it specifically authorizes parents to direct the “health care” of their minor children. It also includes allows parents to exempt their minor children from immunizations.

If either H.B. 1158 or H.B. 1178 were to be enacted into law, Georgia would join fourteen other states in the nation that already have similar laws protecting parental rights as a fundamental right.

Please call or email (or both!) your Georgia State Representative , and ask him or her to support H.B. 1158 and H.B. 1178.

Your message can be as simple as:

“Please support H.B. 1158 and H.B. 1178, the Parents’ Bill of Rights. These two critical and timely bills will enshrine into Georgia law that parental rights are a fundamental right, as the U.S. Supreme Court has held for the past 100 years. Additionally, H.B. 1158 and H.B. 1178 will protect parents and children in Georgia’s public schools, allowing parents to make critical decisions regarding their own children.”

If you send an email to your Georgia legislators, please feel free to link to the letter that we sent in support of H.B. 1158 and the letter that we sent in support of H.B. 1178.

Thank you for standing with us to protect parental rights.

Action Alert: Call your Hawaii State Representatives to Enact Parents’ Bill of Rights

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 15:53:00 GMT

We are excited to let you know that Hawaii Representative Gene Ward has introduced H.B. 2295 to enact a Parents’ Bill of Rights.

We strongly support this bill. If H.B. 2295 were to be passed into law, it would:

enshrine into Hawaii law that parental rights are a fundamental right,
provide curriculum transparency to parents of children in Hawaii public schools,
allow parents to protect their children’s privacy in public schools,
allow parents to opt their children out of certain public-school classes, and
provide a host of additional protections for families in Hawaii.

If H.B. 2295 were to be enacted into law, Hawaii would join fourteen other states in the nation that already have similar laws protecting parental rights as a fundamental right.

Please call or email (or both!) your Hawaii State Representative and ask him or her to support H.B. 2295.

Your message can be as simple as:

“Please support H.B. 2295, the Parents’ Bill of Rights. This critical and timely bill will enshrine into Hawaii law that parental rights are a fundamental right, as the U.S. Supreme Court has held for the past 100 years. And H.B. 2295 will protect parents and children in Hawaii’s public schools, allowing parents to make critical decisions regarding their own children.”

If you send an email to your Hawaii State Representative, please feel free to link to the letter that we sent in support of H.B. 2295.

Thank you for standing with us to protect parental rights.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org

Action Alert: Call your South Dakota State Representative to Support Parental Rights!

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 14:49:00 GMT

We are excited to let you know that South Dakota State Rep. Sue Peterson has introduced HB 1246 , an act to establish the fundamental rights of a parent!

We strongly support this bill. If HB 1246 were to be passed into law, it would enshrine into South Dakota law that parental rights are a fundamental right. This exact type of legislation is ParentalRights.org’s top priority.

If HB 1246 were to be enacted into law, South Dakota would join fourteen other states in the nation that already have similar laws protecting parental rights as a fundamental right.

Please call or email your South Dakota Representative as soon as possible and ask him or her to support HB 1246. This bill will be heard on the House Floor on Monday, February 14.

Your message can be as simple as:

When you send an email to your Representatives, please feel free to link to the letter that we sent in support of HB 1246.

Thank you for standing with us to protect parental rights.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada
President, ParentalRights.org

“Please support HB 1246, An Act to establish the fundamental right of a parent. This critical and timely bill will enshrine into South Dakota law that parental rights are a fundamental right, as the U.S. Supreme Court has held for the past 100 years. HB 1246 will protect parents and children in South Dakota, allowing parents to make critical decisions regarding their own children.”

Action Alert: Call your Rhode Island State Representative to Enact Parents’ Bill of Rights

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 17:35:00 GMT

We are excited to let you know that Rhode Island State Representative Patricia Morgan has introduced H. 7138 , to bill to Enact a Parents’ Bill of Rights.

We strongly support this bill. If H. 7138 were to be passed into law, it would:

enshrine into Rhode Island law that parental rights are a fundamental right,
provide curriculum transparency to parents of children in Rhode Island public schools,
allow parents to protect their children’s privacy in public schools,
allow parents to opt their children out of certain public-school classes, and
provide a host of additional protections for families in Rhode Island.

If H. 7138 were to be enacted into law, Rhode Island would join twelve other states in the nation that already have similar laws protecting parental rights as a fundamental right.

Please call or email (or both!) your Rhode Island State Representative and ask him or her to support H. 7138.

Your message can be as simple as:

“Please support H. 7138, the Parents’ Bill of Rights. This critical and timely bill will enshrine into Rhode Island law that parental rights are a fundamental right, as the U.S. Supreme Court has held for the past 100 years. And H. 7138 will protect parents and children in Rhode Island’s public schools, allowing parents to make critical decisions regarding their own children.”

If you send an email to your Rhode Island State Representative, please feel free to link to the letter that we sent in support of H. 7138.

Thank you for standing with us to protect parental rights.

Action Alert: Call your New Hampshire State Legislators to Enact Parents’ Bill of Rights

Thu, 10 Feb 2022 15:18:00 GMT

We are excited to let you know that a coalition of New Hampshire State Representatives and one New Hampshire State Senator has introduced H.B. 1431, the Parents’ Bill of Rights !

We strongly support this bill. If H.B. 1431 were to be passed into law, it would:

enshrine into New Hampshire law that parental rights are a fundamental right,
provide curriculum transparency to parents of children in New Hampshire public schools,
allow parents to protect their children’s privacy in public schools,
allow parents to opt their children out of certain public-school classes, and
provide a host of additional protections for families in New Hampshire.

If H.B. 1431 were to be enacted into law, New Hampshire would join fourteen other states in the nation that already have similar laws protecting parental rights as a fundamental right.

Please call or email (or both!) your New Hampshire State Representative and State Senator , and ask them to support H.B. 1431.

Your message can be as simple as:

“Please support H.B. 1431, the Parents’ Bill of Rights. This critical and timely bill will enshrine into New Hampshire law that parental rights are a fundamental right, as the U.S. Supreme Court has held for the past 100 years. And H.B. 1431 will protect parents and children in New Hampshire’s public schools, allowing parents to make critical decisions regarding their own children.”

If you send an email to your New Hampshire legislators, please feel free to link to the letter that we sent in support of H.B. 1431 .

Thank you for standing with us to protect parental rights.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada

President, ParentalRights.org

Should the U.S. “Make Raising Your Own Children Illegal?”

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 15:19:00 GMT

“If California is ever going to achieve true equity, the state must require parents to give away their children . … My solution—making raising your own children illegal —is simple…”

So said Joe Matthews, a columnist for the Ventura County Star, in an opinion piece published on January 13, 2022. His opinion piece was republished a few days later in the San Francisco Chronicle, amplifying this extreme position. (Read my response to his shocking article here .)

Today’s threats to parental rights aren’t coming from the United Nations, since treaties require a two-thirds vote in the Senate to be ratified (although we must always be vigilant to dangerous international treaties that would replace our nation’s history of parental rights as a fundamental right with the nebulous “best interests of the child” standard).

Today’s threats to parental rights also aren’t necessarily coming from the courts (although the Parental Rights Foundation and our allies are vigorously fighting in state and federal courts to protect parental rights).

No, many of today’s threats to parental rights are coming from academics trying to reshape our cultural worldview around their own distorted vision of the family. And through their attempts to reshape our nation’s cultural worldview, they hope to—in time—reshape the legal and political landscape in a way that forever destroys parental rights.

These academics include Professor James Dwyer from William and Mary University, who famously said parental rights are given by the government, conferred through a birth certificate . And, of course, what government gives, government can take away—or even withhold in the first place.

There’s also Elizabeth Bartholet of Harvard University, who opined that homeschooling (and most private schools) should be illegal so that all children receive the same brand of education, the inculcation of one uniform worldview. (That would, of course, be the worldview held by Bartholet herself, and Dwyer, and—apparently—Joe Matthews, as well.)

Seizing the Moment

Clearly, our work is cut out for us . This is no time to rest. Rather, we have decided to seize the moment and work across the nation to introduce and pass state fundamental parental rights statutes.

In December of last year, I flew out to San Diego for the annual conference for the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). We’ve been working with ALEC and the state legislators and outside groups there to get this language approved as a model bill:

The language in Section 1 comes straight from the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Troxel v Granville , 530 U.S. 57, 65 (2000): “ The liberty interest at issue in this case— the interest of parents in the care, custody, and control of their children —is perhaps the oldest of the fundamental liberty interests recognized by this Court” (bolding added). In that Troxel decision, the Supreme Court cites a long line of seminal cases, including Meyer v. Nebraska (1923), Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925), and Wisconsin v. Yoder (1972), that have consistently recognized parental rights as fundamental rights. And now we’re working to enshrine this judicial precedent in state legislation across the nation to provide an extra level of protection to the fundamental right of loving parents—not bureaucrats or academics—to direct the nurture, education, care, custody, and control of their children.

I’m pleased to tell you this model parental rights bill was accepted unanimously. And then the real work began.

Working with our state parental rights coordinators and state legislators, we started introducing the model parental rights bill in state legislatures in the past few weeks. We followed the model that we used in Florida last year, when Florida passed their incredibly strong state parents’ bill of rights.

Permit me a moment to highlight three states where these efforts are already underway.

First, our model parental rights bill has been introduced in Pennsylvania . On January 4, Senators Doug Mastriano, Kristin Phillips-Hill, Judy Ward, and Michele Brooks introduced the parental rights statute, S.B. 996 , following our model legislation. We’re working with them and with parents from across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to get the bill scheduled for a committee hearing and a vote. This is our year to see it passed into law.

Our model parental rights statute has also been introduced in South Dakota . H.B. 1246 was introduced by Representatives Sue Peterson, Aaron Aylward, and Carl Perry, and Senator Jessica Castleberry on January 27, 2022. It is being heard in the House Judiciary Committee today, February 9, and our president, Will Estrada, is presenting testimony in that hearing to support this bill that protects fundamental parental rights.

Finally, our model parental rights statute has been introduced in New Hampshire . On January 5, H.B. 1431 was introduced by Representatives Paul Terry, Jeffrey Greeson, John Potucek, Richard Littlefield, Gregg Hough, Mark Alliegro, Aidan Ankarberg, Dawn Johnson, Norman Silber, and Melissa Blasek, and Senator Bob Giuda. Not only does it protect parental rights, but New Hampshire’s H.B. 1431 also includes strong curriculum transparency provisions, in addition to protecting the fundamental right of parents.

But these are not all; the list goes on and on.

Historic Opportunity for Parental Rights

We are seeing a level of interest in parental rights issues that is unparalleled in our 15-year history. Last year, we were successful in passing the Florida Parents’ Bill of Rights. But this year, we’re looking at multiple states passing parental rights legislation. And that presents a powerful opportunity!

But the reason we are able to rise to this challenge and seize the moment as the only nationwide organization solely devoted to advancing, defending, and protecting the rights of parents, is because of your partnership and generosity.

Will you stand with us at this critical moment for parental rights? Will you stand with the moms and dads who spent last year speaking out at school board meetings, and who are now working to advance this promising, pro-family, and pro-freedom legislation?

We have a crucial need to increase our staff to support moms and dads in all 50 states. But we can only grow through your support.

Will you take a moment today to send your best gift of $25, $60, or even $100 to expand our reach into additional states with the family-protecting security of a fundamental parental rights statute?

Your partnership will make all the difference in this vital effort nationwide.

Thank you for standing with us to protect children by defending the rights of parents in every possible state!

Sincerely,

William A. Estrada, Esq.

President
ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation

PS: In addition to our focus on state parental rights bills, we’re also working to reform state CPS laws to protect innocent parents and children, insert due process in child abuse and neglect investigations, advance curriculum transparency bills so parents know what is being taught in their public schools, and reintroduce our federal Parental Rights Amendment to the US Constitution. In addition to our legislative work, we have our ongoing litigation in state and federal courts to protect parental rights. And we’ve been publishing op-eds in news outlets around the country to advocate for parental rights in the public square. We’ll have more updates about all of this work in future letters!

Section 1. The liberty interest of a parent in the nurture, education, care, custody, and control of the parent’s child is a fundamental right recognized by the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of ___________.

15 Years of Protecting Parental Rights—Together!

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 17:11:00 GMT

The month of February marks the 15-year anniversary of ParentalRights.org. Because of you and your generosity—with financial support, grassroots action, volunteering, calling or emailing your state and federal legislators, and more—we as an organization can celebrate 15 years of protecting children by empowering parents.

It’s been a team effort, and we’re just getting started.

Over the month of February, we’ll be marking the milestone. But the best way we can mark our 15th anniversary is by doing even more to fight for and defend the right of loving parents to raise, educate, and nurture their children.

And that’s what we’ve been doing. January has been one of our busiest months ever.

At the federal level, we worked with US Senator James Lankford (OK) on a resolution that he released for National School Choice Week . We applaud Senator Lankford for his leadership for school choice and parental rights in education.

We are working with state legislators in four states that introduced fundamental parental rights bills based on our model : Missouri , New Hampshire , Pennsylvania , and South Dakota . (We’re about to add Rhode Island and Hawaii to this list!) If these states were to pass their fundamental parental rights bills, it would bring to eighteen the number of states across the nation that protect parental rights as a fundamental right in state law!

We sent letters of support to state legislators in three states that introduced legislation to protect parents from facing child neglect investigations simply for allowing their children to have reasonable independence: Colorado , Nebraska , and South Carolina . We’re joined in this effort by organizations across the political spectrum, including Lenore Skenazy’s fantastic organization, Let Grow .

We sent a letter of support to state legislators in New Hampshire who introduced legislation to change reporting of abuse or neglect from anonymous to confidential , to protect innocent families from unnecessary and potentially traumatic government investigations.

We are working with the ACLU of Pennsylvania to oppose a dangerous bill that will threaten Pennsylvania parents with involuntary drug or alcohol testing in the course of certain abuse or neglect investigations.

We are opposing a dangerous bill in West Virginia that removes current protections for parents from state law in the context of grandparent-visitation controversies.

We stood up for the right of private educational institutions to be free of government mandates by sending a letter to a legislator in Ohio who introduced a curriculum transparency bill that would have applied to private and homeschools. And our Parental Rights Foundation joined with a coalition of organizations from across the political spectrum in urging the State of Texas to rescind guidelines that make it harder for families to have support during abuse or neglect investigations.

At the same time, we’re stepping up our efforts to defend parental rights in the public square. We were able to publish op-eds responding to attacks on parental rights in The Daily Signal and in TownHall .

Yes, we’re excited about our 15th anniversary. But the stakes are just too high to rest on our laurels. We’re just getting started . And from the bottom of my heart, thank you for standing with us as we work to protect children by empowering parents.

Sincerely yours,

Will Estrada
President, ParentalRights.org

Join us in Harrisburg on Tuesday, February 8 to support new Fundamental Parental Rights Bill!

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 15:28:00 GMT

We’re excited to announce that Pennsylvania Senators Doug Mastriano, Kristin Phillips-Hill, Judy Ward, and Michele Brooks have introduced S.B. 996 to protect parental rights. S.B. 996 will protect parental rights in Pennsylvania law, strengthening the right of parents to direct the education, upbringing, and care of their children. And it will allow Pennsylvania to join the twelve other states in the nation that already have a similar law on their books.

Our new President, Will Estrada, and one of our Board Members, Vickie Suarez, are joining families from across Pennsylvania on Tuesday, February 8, at the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg, and will speak about parental rights and the importance of S.B. 996. We encourage you to attend, hear from Will Estrada and Vickie Suarez and other speakers on parental rights issues in Pennsylvania, and then visit your elected officials in person to urge them to support S.B. 996. You can click here to see a schedule of events on Tuesday, February 8.

If you cannot make it to the Pennsylvania Capitol on Tuesday, you can still help! Please contact your Pennsylvania senator and ask him or her to support S.B. 996 to enshrine into Pennsylvania law that parental rights are a fundamental right. If you send your senator an email using the online contact form, feel free to link to our letter we sent in support of S.B. 996. Your message can be as simple as:

“Please support S.B. 996 to enshrine into Pennsylvania law that parental rights are a fundamental right. This common-sense bill will take the U.S. Supreme Court’s precedent from the last 100 years and put it into the text of Pennsylvania law, thereby protecting the constitutional rights of Pennsylvania families.”

Thank you for standing with us to fight for parental rights. We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday, February 8!

Michael Ramey

Executive Director

ParentalRights.org

Action Alert: Ask Your State Legislators to Support Reasonable Childhood Independence Bill

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 19:58:00 GMT

We’re excited to let you know that a bipartisan coalition, Representatives Mary Young and Kim Ransom, and Senators Janet Buckner and Jim Smallwood, have introduced H.B. 22-1090 , a bill that protects innocent families from being caught up in child neglect investigations.

H.B. 22-1090 amends Colorado law to clarify that a loving and caring parent who allows his or her child to engage in “independent activities” will not be considered to have neglected the child.

H.B. 22-1090 enjoys broad bipartisan support from advocacy groups across the political spectrum, including ParentalRights.org, the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) (whose model bill Colorado’s legislation mirrors), Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), Let Grow, Elephant Circle, and several Colorado-based child and family advocacy groups.

Please contact both your senator and representative and ask them to support H.B. 22-1090. You can call or email (or both!) your senator and representative with a message as simple as the following:

“Please support H.B. 22-1090 to provide children with reasonable independence. At a time when it seems that government is encroaching more and more on loving parents and their ability to care for and raise their children, H.B. 22-1090 provides freedom to parents to let their children grow and thrive, freeing the Colorado Department of Human Services’ Division of Child Welfare to focus attention on children who are truly in danger of abuse or neglect.”

If you decide to email your representative and senator, feel free to link to the letter that we sent to the sponsors of H.B. 22-1090.

Thank you for standing with us for parental rights and freedom.

Sincerely,

Will Estrada
President, ParentalRights.org