Court—Parental
Control Unconstitutional
By
Sue Stidham
Wake
up Parents! Wake up Christians!
Wake up Voters!
Be
vigilant; take note of what is happening all around us. This case concerns
increasing control over our children. The following is the most drastic step in
governmental control over what God has given us.
“The
9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals—already infamous for ruling the Pledge of
Allegiance unconstitutional in 2002— has outdone itself by ruling Wednesday [Nov
1] that parents have no right to challenge what their children are taught in
public school sex-education classes.” This report was picked up from the
U.S. Newswire and reported by Focus on the Family Action Director Carrie Gordon
Earll. (11/03/05)
Earll
called the decision “perhaps the most abhorrent example of judicial tyranny in
American history.”
This
ruling led by activist Judge Stephen Reinhardt stems from a lawsuit filed by
parents in the Palmdale, California school district. The suit was
brought about due to a ‘survey on sex’ given to 1st, 3rd, and 5th graders
without parental notification or consent. The survey contained some very
invasive and explicit questions which I will not print in this
newsletter.
Though
notification was presented concerning a survey, the ‘sexual’ questions and
explicit content was inserted after parents signed consent forms.
The
questions reportedly upset many of the little children who went home telling
their parents of the survey. Mat Staver in a Citizen Link article
commented, “Understand, these are 7-year-old children that are being asked
intrusive and controversial and inappropriate questions about sexual behavior.”
“Once you drop your kids off, you have severed all of your parental rights until
you pick them up.”
Tony
Perkins of the Family Research Council says “in this ruling the Ninth U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals showed ‘nothing but contempt,’ not only for parental
rights but for “a child’s right to be a child’.”
In
upholding a lower court ruling against the parents, Circuit Judge Reinhardt said
“no such specific right can be found in the deep roots of the nation’s history
and tradition or implied in the concept of ordered liberty.” (Reports AP writer
David Kravets)
Focus’
Earll writes the exact wording of the ruling
reads:
“What
the court did here is declare parenthood unconstitutional,” Earll said. “It’s
long been the liberal view that it takes a village to raise a child—but never
before have the ‘villagers’ been elevated, as a matter of law, above mothers and
fathers.”
“Every
parent in America should shudder at this
decision — liberal or conservative, Republican or
Democrat.”
Our
children, regardless of any man made declarations, belong first to God then to
their parents. Psalm 127:3 says “Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a
reward from him.”
God
requires parents to train their children in a God-centered way.
“These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress
them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk
along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” Deuteronomy
6:6-7
The
father is primarily responsible for child training as told in Ephesians 6:4
“Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the
training and instruction of the Lord.”
“Train
a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from
it.” (Proverbs 22:6)
The
Bible contains many verses pertaining to parenting, children, and our ultimate
authority. In none of these verses can we find that Caesar is to have the sole
authority over our children’s education, sexual or otherwise. (Especially 1st
graders)
It
seems to have bypassed the educational and judicial ‘powers that be’, that sex
is first of all to be enjoyed and practiced only in the holy union of marriage
between a husband and wife. All else, at any age, with any other partner is
adultery — a sin for which there will be judgment.
Please,
get involved in your children’s protection, education, and
training.
Resources:
The Bible; Agapepress.org; focusaction.org; Christianitytoday.com Fox News
Channel