For almost 100 years, the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized the traditional role of parents in directing the care, custody, and control of their minor children. In Wisconsin v. Yoder, the Court declared that parental rights have been “established beyond debate as an enduring American tradition.” 406 US 205, 232 (1972) 

Despite this, many government actors and agencies today are working overtime to substitute a parent’s decisions with the government worker’s own view of what is best for a given child. From schools to hospitals to child welfare investigators, “experts” think they know what’s best for your child better than you do.

And while this has been going on for decades, we have all become painfully aware of it since the recent pandemic, when many learned for the first time just how much power the government wants to have over our children.

Yet, every child is unique; no one knows or loves a child better than his or her own parents. Mom or Dad, you are the expert on your child.

The Solution: The Parental Rights Amendment

The following has been proposed in Congress as House Joint Resolution 38:

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

SECTION 2
The parental right 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.

What You Can Do

Right now, you can encourage your U.S. representative to sign on as a cosponsor to HJRes. 38. Here’s how you can help:

  1. Find your representative’s contact information here.
  2. 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 Annie Clark in Rep. Debbie Lesko’s office to sign on as a cosponsor of the Parental Rights Amendment, House Joint Resolution 38

Your message can simply be something like this:

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 Annie Clark in Rep. Debbie Lesko’s office and sign on as a cosponsor of HJRes. 38, the Parental Rights Amendment. Please sign on to cosponsor this vital safeguard for my children and for America’s families.

You can also download a one-page factsheet about the Amendment to print or share online.

Parental Rights board members and state volunteers with Representative Debbie Lesko (AZ), sponsor of the Parental Rights Amendment, photo credit Representative Debbie Lesko's office.

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