Parents Rights

The subject of parental rights can appear to be an unnecessary discussion, for of course, a parent has authority over her child. Or does she? I’d like to take a closer look at this. But not today.

I apologize, but I’m going to have to work on updating this Parents Rights post next week. We have family things to attend to all weekend, and I won’t be back to blogging until Tuesday, July 29 or so. I think I’m supposed to host the Homesteading Carnival on Monday, so I have to see how I’ll manage that away from my home computer.

At any rate, here are some of the issues I’d like to examine:

1. Parental rights in education: What happens when a family’s firmly held religious beliefs conflict with State curriculum, and students are not permitted to be excused? Are parents allowed adequate input into their child’s curriculum/education, especially for special needs children? Is there reason for concern about encroaching government involvement in oversight of private schools or homeschools?

2. Government intrusion as a threat to parental rights: the balance between government protection against child abuse and infringement on parental authority over child-raising. Also, a look at some egregious Child Protective Services cases of children injudiciously and erroneously removed from parents.

3. Is a Parental Rights Amendment necessary? Can parents rest assured that their authority to control the education and upbringing of their children is covered under the “inalienable rights” mentioned in the Declaration of Independence? Or is an explicit Parental Rights Amendment vital, and what are the problems with the language of the current Parental Rights Amendment being attempted?

4. International Law: Is the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child truly in the best interests of the child (not yet ratified by the U.S.)? Should the burden of proof be upon the parent to prove they are good parents, or upon the State to consider a parent fit unless proven otherwise?

If you have any thoughts on these issues I’ll be covering, please let me know. If there’s a particular matter/case you’d like me to address, leave me a comment here. This post is going to take some thought and research, so please bear with me. We’ve had a week full of birthdays, and are heading over the mountain for more family time.

Enjoy the last weekend of July!! I love July and I’m sad to see it go…

Technorati Tags: Parental Rights Amendment, parental rights, UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, education, homeschool