The Parental Rights Amendment has been consistently coming up and I decided to look more into it to see it was just another political overreaction or if the issue actually has legs. Well, it may have legs larger than Arnold’s, as there does seem to be enough reason to be concerned. After hearing of this story in Detroit, MI, I figured it was time to get a post going. A Detroit woman shot at a Child Protective Service worker and police escort, as they were there to take the child because they did not feel she was getting the child adequate medical attention.

You can read the details here: http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2011/03/25/tense-stand-off-in-police-situation/

While I am NOT endorsing the mother’s actions without knowing all of the facts, I will say that it raises my eyebrows. A loving parent, could have their child taken, if the government does not feel they are acting in the best interest of the child. While this isn’t completely new, the current “courting” between the U.S. and the U.N. could give the government even more power, and the parents less. You see, if the United States adopted the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child treaty for this country, it could be used as law for all parents in the United States.

So what you say?

Well, remember it would only take a court decision using this treaty to back its decision, to set precedent for other court decisions. According to some, some judges are already beginning to refer to this treaty in their court decisions.

So what you say?

If you are a homeschooling parent, you already are aware of the fact that the government could take away this right if they were to deem homeschooling as unfit for your children.

If your child has been diagnosed as having some disorder (e.g. ADHD) and the school feels that it is in the best interest of your child to be put on medications that you do not approve of, what would you do? You would like to seek an alternative, but what would you do if it gets noted that you refused treatment and you were not looking out for the best interest of your child?

I personally know of a case where a family decided that the cancer treatment their loved one was receiving was just too much to bare. They sought alternative forms of therapy, much of which is not “approved” by Western doctors. Had this been their child instead of an adult, they’d like been jailed if the doctor did not approve of the outside medical attention.

You can read more about the issue and efforts to get the Constitution amended at: http://www.parentalrights.org/

There was a documentary on the issue that was aired on various networks in early March, the trailer is below.

Take a look at the issue for yourself and decide, is this something we should fear or embrace as a parent?