It is important not only to homechooling, but for all parents in choosing what they think best for their children. It is important especially in this election year. It was not too long ago when a former First Lady, now a candidate for the Presidency, was pushing very hard to have the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child made a binding Treaty in the U.S.. The treaty would have ended the opportunity for legal home education in the United States. It would have taken away much more than that, as regards the family.
We fought that fight once; we will fight it again.
To those who have been homeschooling for more than 10 years, this is no surprise. We remember well the days and the legal battle. To those who are new to homeschooling, it is time for you to enter the battle. The threats have been minimal over the past 5 years and many families have become complacent. That time is over.
Please forward this message.
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February 7, 2008
Dear HSLDA Members and Friends:
I am writing to you today about obtaining permanent protection for our rights as parents. For nearly 25 years, HSLDA has focused on defending the right of parents to home educate their children. We have met with great success in this effort, and we have seen God's hand of blessing on thousands of families as the homeschooling movement has progressed.
After all, this movement was built upon the firm belief that parents possess a God-given right to direct the upbringing and education of their children. And I know that you'll agree with me in saying when that right is under fire, we must do whatever we can to protect it.
Parental Rights are in Jeopardy
A "perfect storm" that could literally demolish the rights we value so deeply is approaching on the horizon. If these threats persist, we could soon be looking at the demolition of the parental role, and an upsurge of government intrusion in family life.
Even though parental rights are recognized as a fundamental right under current Supreme Court doctrine, there are two threats to the recognition of this principle.
The Threat from the Federal Courts
Today an increasing number of Supreme Court justices refuse to recognize that parental rights are a fundamental right. In the 2000 case of Troxel v. Granville, only four of the nine Supreme Court justices expressly agreed that the Constitution "protects the fundamental right of parents to make decisions concerning the care, custody, and control of their children." Two of these justices—then-Chief Justice William Rehnquist and Justice Sandra Day O'Connor—have since left the Court.
Even Justice Antonin Scalia, a noted conservative, holds that parental rights are not judicially enforceable at all until there is a specific parental rights provision in the Constitution.
The Threat of International Law
Even as the recognition of parental rights is fading within the federal courts, international law which diminishes parental authority is approaching possible ratification. The growing use of international law in American courts offers a frightening glimpse into the future. If the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) becomes binding on this country, then parental rights as we know them will be erased. This international treaty provides for the government to define what is in the "best interests of the child," supplanting the parent as the ultimate decision maker.
Moreover, if the UNCRC is ratified, all state laws which recognize the right to homeschool will be superseded by international law if international tribunals or American courts think that such education is not in the "best interest of the child." We would do well to remember the example of Germany on this point.
There is Only One Solution
I am convinced that there is only one solution to this attack on the child-parent relationship: We must amend the Constitution to permanently secure the rights of parents. The Parental Rights Amendment is the only way to protect and preserve the rights of parents to make key decisions for their children, as well as to direct their upbringing and education.
The only way that we can accomplish this goal is to gain the nationwide support of millions of parents like you. We need to raise our voices to safeguard the child-parent relationship. And we need to be organized and vocal so that Congress will listen.
It's the Battle of Our Lifetime
The battle for parental rights will be the fight of our lifetime. That's why I am turning to you for support as we launch this vital campaign.
The process of amending the Constitution is both long and challenging. Our goal is to have a substantial number of Congressional co-sponsors before the Parental Rights Amendment is even introduced. Ultimately the amendment requires final approval of two-thirds of both the House and the Senate. Once passed by Congress, the amendment must then be ratified by three-fourths of the states.
We Need a Groundswell of Support
As you can see, passing the Parental Rights Amendment is not going to be easy. But it is completely possible. If we can find 10,000 people within each congressional district who are willing to contact their congressmen and senators on this issue, then we can gain a favorable response from most members of Congress. We are referring to these individuals as Citizen Co-sponsors. Our goal is to find 10,000 Citizen Co-sponsors in at least 80% of the congressional districts in the country. While this number may seem daunting, it is clearly attainable. In fact, if each HSLDA member recruits 40 people to become Citizen Co-sponsors by signing the petition, we will reach this goal.
The bottom line is this: we need a groundswell of support and activism from our HSLDA members. That's why I am asking you to do two things right away.
1. Join ParentalRights.org
You can become a Citizen Co-Sponsor simply by signing the petition for parental rights on ParentalRights.org.
But I am asking you to take this one step further.
I am challenging you to join the campaign. With a gift of $25 or more, you can become a member of ParentalRights.org. There are two reasons why we urgently need your financial support. The first and most obvious reason is that building the infrastructure to secure a Constitutional amendment requires a substantial amount of money. Second, under existing federal law we can only send detailed information about the political implications of this effort to dues-paying members. Therefore certain communications will only be given to our dues-paying members rather than those who have only signed the petition.
2. Get your friends and neighbors involved
I'm asking you to enlist your friends and family to visit ParentalRights.org, and encourage them to join the campaign. Our user-friendly Tell a Friend application enables you to upload email addresses from your address book, and easily inform friends of the importance of the campaign. Growth is essential during the early stages of this effort, and that support needs to start now.
We need grassroots support from dedicated parents in all 50 states to ensure the smooth passage of the amendment. I firmly believe that the homeschooling movement is the key to victory in this massive effort. We've come a long way in the last 25 years… but there is so much more ahead.
I'm challenging you to join the fight today.
Sincerely,
Michael P. FarrisChairman, Home School Legal Defense AssociationPresident, ParentalRights.org
The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of:
Home School Legal Defense Association • P.O. Box 3000 • Purcellville, Virginia 20134-9000Phone: (540) 338-5600 • Fax: (540) 338-2733 • Email: info@hslda.orgWeb: http://www.hslda.org
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