ParentalRights.org supports a Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and parental rights legislation at the state and federal level. 1
Michael Farris, a homeschooling advocate, founded ParentalRights.org in 2009 to oppose the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 2009. 2
Background
ParentalRights.org is a conservative-leaning parents advocacy group that supports a Parental Rights Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It also supports parental rights legislation at the state and federal level. 1
ParentalRights.org describes itself as a group of concerned parents and citizens that care about children and contends parental rights are slipping away. 1
The organization says children need to be “raised and represented by parents who love them, not by disconnected government officials.” 1
ParentalRights.org is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit which advocates policy. The Parental Rights Foundation is a sister 501(c)(3) nonprofit that engages in research and education. The foundation publishes academic research papers and sometimes submits amicus briefs in individual court cases in defense of parental rights. 3
History
Michael Farris formerly led the Christian legal group, Alliance Defending Freedom, and founded the Home School Legal Defense Association as well as Patrick Henry College, helped found ParentalRights.org. 4 5
Farris and other conservatives opposed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 2009. Farris had a website, ParentalRights.org, that said under the convention “Parents would no longer be able to administer reasonable spankings to their children.” It continued: “A child’s ‘right to be heard’ would allow him (or her) to seek governmental review of every parental decision with which the child disagreed” and “Children would have the ability to choose their own religion while parents would only have the authority to give their children advice about religion.” 2
Advocacy
ParentalRights’ proposed parental rights amendment states, “The liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children is a fundamental right,” and that no international treaty or law could supersede it. 4
U.S. Representative Debbie Lesko (R-AZ) introduced a proposed parental rights amendment to the U.S. Constitution in Congress in October 2022, with the support of ParentalRights.org. 6
Planned Parenthood, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and the Human Rights Campaign have spoken out against a parental rights amendment. 7
ParentalRights.org says its polling (conducted by Zogby) showed the 93.6 percent of Americans strongly agreed or somewhat agreed with the statement, “In general, parents have the constitutional right to make decisions for their children without government interference unless there is proof of abuse or neglect. Do you agree or disagree with this view of parental rights?” 8
ParentalRights.org says 15 states have statutes that define and protect parental rights; they are West Virginia, Michigan, Texas, Colorado, Nevada, Virginia, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arizona, Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Utah, Florida, Montana, and Georgia. 9
ParentalRights.org says 32 states have courts that protect parental rights through “strict scrutiny” because of state law or court precedent. “Strict scrutiny” requires that any law infringing a fundamental right to be narrowly tailored to serve a compelling governmental interest by the least restrictive means. These states put parental rights in a similar category with freedom of speech and freedom of religion. 9
Leadership
William Estrada is the president of ParentalRights.org. In November of 2021, he was selected by the board of ParentalRights.org to be the first full-time president of both ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation. He previously worked in the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Before that, he was a lawyer for the Home School Legal Defense Fund. He is a member of the U.S. Supreme Court bar, the California bar, and the District of Columbia bar. 3
James Mason, an attorney, is the chairman of the board for ParentalRights.org. He is the vice president of litigation and development at the Homeschool Legal Defense Association. He stepped down as the president of the Parental Rights Foundation in November 2021. He is a U.S. Navy veteran and served during Operation Desert Storm. 3
Michael Ramey is the executive director for ParentalRights.org. He is also the director of communications and research, and a member of the board. Ramey has worked 13 years in church ministry before joining the staff of ParentalRights.org. 3
Shaun Alexander is the vice president of ParentalRights.org. A former football player for the University of Alabama, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Washington Redskins, he was voted MVP of the National Football League for the 2005 season in which he led the league in rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and points scored. He helped the Seahawks achieve their first Super Bowl appearance in Super Bowl XL, which they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers. 3
Maggie McKneely is the government affairs liaison for ParentalRights.org. She was previously a legislative aide for the Family Foundation of Virginia. She was also previously the Tom and Kipp Gutshall Fellow at the Media Research Center. 3
References
- “ParentalRights.org.” LinkedIn. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/parental-rights-3a47a913/
- Collier, Andie. “Parental rights: The new wedge issue.” Politico. April 8, 2009. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://www.politico.com/story/2009/04/parental-rights-the-new-wedge-issue-021041
- “About.” ParentalRights.org. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://parentalrights.org/about/
- Grant, Melissa Gira. “Texas Attorney General Laying Groundwork to Separate Trans Kids from Families.” The New Republic. February 23, 2022. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://newrepublic.com/article/165462/texass-attorney-general-laying-groundwork-separate-trans-kids-families
- Joyce, Kathryn. “”Parental rights” started on the Christian fringe — now it’s the GOP’s winning issue.” Salon. January 12, 2022. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://www.salon.com/2022/01/12/parental-rights-started-on-the-christian-fringe–now-its-the-gops-winning-issue/
- Foley, Ryan. “Parental Rights Amendment introduced in Congress amid ‘grassroots groundswell.’” Christian Post. October 21, 2022. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://www.christianpost.com/news/parental-rights-amendment-introduced-amid-grassroots-groundswell.html
- Press Release. “ParentalRights.org: Planned Parenthood Attacks the Parental Rights Amendment.” February 11, 2011. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/parentalrightsorg-planned-parenthood-attacks-the-parental-rights-amendment-115899439.html
- Estrada, Will. “Support for Parental Rights Polls Off the Charts.” Chalk Board Review. June 1, 2022. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://chalkboardreview.com/parents-rights-polls-off-the-charts/
- “States.” ParentalRights.org. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://parentalrights.org/states/