Article by Rivka Seeman

The liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children is a fundamental right.

There is a long precedent of respect for parental rights in the United States but there is also a troubling history of challenges to those rights which do not always end in the parents’ favor. From before a baby is even born the battle for medical freedom begins. Does a pregnant Mom have the right to decline a flu shot if she has questions about whether it’s what’s best for her baby? Can parents decline the hep-B shot at birth? Can a mother choose to nurse even if the hospital is pushing formula?

As long as the parent assumes that their doctor is steering them in the right direction on all matters, they may not question whether they’re free to disagree. It can even be a relief to be in someone else’s hands. Being a first-time parent is scary and it’s natural to fall back on the authority of those who are expected to have all the answers.

That all changes, however, the first time a parent questions whether their child’s pediatrician is giving them the best advice. Good people agree that the child’s best interests should be driving decisions regarding their care. The question then becomes, who is best equipped to look out for a child’s best interest? That would be the very same people who make daily sacrifices for their child’s well-being, who would resolutely give up their lives for them, and who are motivated to spend countless hours researching what’s best for them. In the vast majority of cases, those people are the child’s parents. The default position should be that parents are empowered to make medical decisions for their children, with guidance from professionals they trust, until the children are mature enough to make those decisions for themselves.

Thanks to people like you, who speak up, politicians are beginning to take action. U.S. Congresswoman, Debbie Lesko, (AZ) is sponsoring the Parental Rights Amendment. The Parental Rights Amendment will empower parents to look out for their child’s best interests- regarding their education, their health care, and their upbringing. Parents who believe in doing their own research and who sometimes come to conclusions that differ from the views of those in power should absolutely support this amendment. The Parental Rights Amendment will enshrine in the Constitution a parent’s right to protect their children from harm.

Currently, Congress is in recess and our representatives are returning to their home states. Representative Debbie Lesko (AZ) will be introducing this amendment when Congress returns to session in Washington D.C. at the beginning of March. It will be helpful to the success of the amendment to have representatives from other states sign on as cosponsors of the amendment. The Parental Rights Foundation is asking concerned citizens to reach out to their representatives in Congress this week and next, before they return to Washington D.C., and ask them to cosponsor this amendment.

• Call your U.S. Representative and ask him or her to sign on as an original sponsor of the Parental Rights Amendment.
  • Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121
  • Ask to be connected to your Representative
  • Tell the staffer why you support the Parental Rights Amendment, and that they can find more information by talking with Annie Clark in Representative Debbie Lesko's office.
• Find your U.S. Representatives here. Once you find your U.S. Representative, you will be able to go to their webpage to contact them by email, find the contact information to their local office, and find an online form to request an in-person meeting. Do this today to get the meeting on their agenda.
• Learn more about visiting your Congressional Representative here.
• Bring a small group of like-minded people with you if you can, but if not, attend the meeting alone. All you need is that same passion that you use to protect your children every day.
• Go to https://www.momsacrossamerica.com/find_friends to connect with supporters of Moms Across America from your state. Post on the local Facebook group and find friends to approach your representative together.
• Educate your friends - tell them why the Parental Rights Amendment is important to you.

If you haven’t done so before, this is your chance to be part of the legislative process and ultimately, part of history.

Learn about The Amendment Process through a short video.