Issue Position: Parental Rights

Issue Position

Parents play one of the most important roles in the lives of their children. This vital relationship should positively impact a child's physical, mental, and emotional well-being for their entire life. The child-parent relationship influences a person's future happiness, ability to interface in society and to become a productive citizen.

"The hallmark of [the parental] relationship is the readily observable fact that this special adult is not interchangeable with others."

Dr. Jack Shonkoff
Board-certified pediatrician
Harvard Graduate School of Education

Across the country, there are instances of judges denying the vital role of parents in the lives of their children by placing government into a "parental" role in a child's life. This is a dangerous precedent resulting in child-parent relationships being severed by removals that cause unnecessary pain to both children and their parents.

A thirteen-year-old boy in Washington State was removed from his parents after complaining to school counselors that his parents took him to church too often. His school counselors had encouraged him to call Child Protective Services with his complaint, which led to his subsequent removal and placement in foster care. It was only after the parents agreed to a judge's requirement of less-frequent church attendance that they were able to recover their son.

The right of parents to maintain a strong involvement in their children's lives has been continually upheld by Supreme Court doctrine. It is deeply valued by millions of American families.

I oppose any legislation that will interfere in the child-parent relationship through unreasonable government intrusion.

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