Parental Rights under Siege

Dear Defenders of the Family,

Did you know that your parental rights are being stripped away on an ongoing basis? This is a significant threat to families, and I will outline below how it is happening on state and national levels.

At the National Level

In Texas, Governor Rick Perry signed an executive order requiring preteen girls to receive the HPV vaccine. The vaccine may very well be good, but to make a vaccine mandatory, taking the decision making out of the hands of the parents, is a major cause for concern. This is not an airborne virus that can be spread easily in a group setting; it is sexually transmitted. We need to protect the constitutional rights of parents to make medical decisions affecting their children's health.

Since 2003, New Hampshire has had a parental notification law on the books requiring at least one parent to be informed 48 hours before their minor daughter has an abortion. Now the state legislature is trying to repeal the law, insisting that the government—not moms or dads—should be the ultimate authority on matters that affect children's health.

Last week, a federal judge dismissed Massachusetts parents' claim that they are the final arbitrators of what their children are taught at school. Judge Mark Wolf stated in the ruling that schools are “entitled to teach anything that is reasonably related to the goals of preparing students to become engaged and productive citizens.” The issue in question is whether or not the schools should be allowed to teach students from books that validate and promote homosexual behavior. Evidently this court believes that once your student steps onto campus, you as the parent have checked your parental rights at the door.

At the State Level

Last week, the Arizona House Health Committee narrowly passed HB 2641. This bill requires a pregnant minor to prove to a superior court judge by clear and convincing evidence that she is sufficiently mature to give informed consent to an abortion without consulting her parent or guardian. We support this bill as it helps strengthen the parental rights position. A similar bill passed last year, but was vetoed by Gov. Napolitano. This year's bill was written to address the governor's objections.

SB 1050, the Parental Rights bill that we reported on in our January newsletter, is no longer a Parental Bill of Rights but has been changed to a No Child Left Behind bill. This important bill would have helped protect our parental rights within the schools allowing parent access to all teaching material and tests. It appears though this will not happen this legislative session.

Arizona parents are once again being challenged by anti-school choice advocates.  Parents are responsible for educating their children, but groups like the ACLU believe that government-run schools and those that run them know better. A recent lawsuit filed in superior court is challenging the new disabled and foster child grant program. These two programs were signed into law last year as an attempt to allow more educational options and choices for special needs children and their families. Parents from all over the state testified that their children's special needs cannot always be met by local public schools. Parents want to be able to find the program that best suits their child's needs.

FYI, there is a school in my local area that included the following quote in a newsletter: “Parents requesting to visit a classroom during the school day will need to make arrangements with the teacher and principal at least 24 hours in advance.” Barring significant disruption to a class, I as a parent have a right and an obligation to be aware of what is happening with my student. If there is a problem involving my child, giving notice and waiting 24 hours is not the best scenario for allowing me to know what a situation really is.

The roles of mother and father are being diminished in our society and we need to be vigilant in protecting our parental rights. We will do our best to keep you informed of ways that you can make a difference in the policy-making process. It is the duty of each one of us to be aware, watch and educate ourselves as to what is happening in the schools, in our community and in our nation.

Best regards,

Marilyn Crittenden, President

United Families Arizona

SAME-SEX ATTRACTION: A SERIOUS PROBLEM CHALLENGING OUR FAMILIES TODAY

Please join United Families Arizona in a frank and important discussion regarding the Causes, Symptoms and Healing of Same-Sex Attraction. We are fortunate to have Floyd Godfrey, director of Family Strategies & Coaching as the featured speaker. This important event is open to the community and will be held Tuesday, March 27 at 7 p.m. in the Heritage Academy Auditorium. For more information, please contact Nancy Salmon, UFA Community Outreach Director at (602) 618-5555.

CONSTITUTION CLASS SPONSORED BY UNITED FAMILIES ARIZONA

We'd like to extend a special invitation to you and your family to attend the class, “Discover the Making of America,” on Saturday, April 14 at The Heritage Academy. You'll hear unforgettable stories and learn about the exciting history of the United States of America. This is a great opportunity and we'd love for you to join us!

UFA Newsletter Archive