Category Archives: Parental Rights

March 2022 Newsletter

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Fundamental Rights of Parents Incrementally Weakened

In 1968 parental authority over their children’s healthcare was destroyed in Georgia when the Family Planning Act was changed as follows: “Persons to whom agencies may offer services. Any one or more of the following classifications: married, a parent of at least one child, pregnant, or requesting such services.” Result: (a) marital status became irrelevant and (b) minors could receive confidential family planning services, contraception and abortion.

By 1985, 17 years later, page 69 of a 397-page U.S. report listed Georgia as one of six states where adolescents are served without parental consent. The report’s Table 7 – “State-by-State Comments Concerning Selected Federal, State and Local Programs” – reported Georgia Public Health Department policy toward minors: “Teens seeking services are considered emancipated minors, and are offered a full range of services without parental notification or consent, which is perceived as a major barrier to services. Parental involvement is encouraged.”

In the spring of 1986, extensive telephone research was done to ascertain whether or not state and local departments, agencies, school systems, and/or staff could be held liable for the adverse effects of contraceptives given to minors.

Local Board of Education Q & A
Q. Are teachers liable in any way for what they teach or the outcome of that teaching?
A. No, as Jong as they teach within school system policies and are not teaching outside course information. Call the attorney for the local Board of Education.
Q. If you gave a minor an IUD, would you get the child to sign a waiver?
A. Oh, yeah, they could sign a waiver.

Attorney for a Local Board of Education Q & A
Q. Are schools accountable for the information taught students?
A. No. The school is not accountable for abortion information or contraceptive information. But, the person in the medical facility who counseled the student would be responsible. The·person giving the information is not liable. But, in my opinion, the person giving the contraceptives is liable. However, the caller was reminded that government entities enjoy government immunity. Suggestion was made to call the medical services.

County Solicitor’s Office Q & A
Q. Is the county liable for any adverse reaction to abortions or contraceptives recommended or administered to minors in its teen services?
A. H-m-m-m, this question has never been asked before. We are employed by the state and don’t give out any information. But, given our state laws, the parents would be responsible for their children.

The passage of H.B. 1058 in 2016 further weakened parental authority over a minor child that tested positive for AIDS. Previous law mandated that a parent or guardian “shall” be notified. In 2016 “shall” was replaced with “may,” which allows, but does not require, notification.

  • To read current legislation in the Georgia General Assembly in regards to the children and the rights of parents, please click here.

March 2021 Newsletter

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ACTION NEEDED! Con Con Bills Passed Senate!

S.R. 28 Requests Congress to Call Article V Constitutional Convention introduced January 28th by Senator Bill Cowsert would (a) limit terms for Representatives in the U.S. House and U.S. Senators. (b) It claims continuing application status until at least two-thirds of the 50 states apply on the same subject. It (c) suggests that Article V Constitutional Conventions can be limited by legislation. However, this bill, inadvertently, indicates otherwise with the latter part of this statement: “the General Assembly of Georgia insists that the convention be solely limited to strict consideration of the subject matter contained in this resolution and that the U.S. Congress enact a severe criminal penalty for persons who violate the finite scope of the call.” The underlined words indicate the probability that con con delegates may stray into other issues. It passed the Senate 34-20 on February 22nd and went to the House Rules Committee.

ACTION – Oppose. Since the Rules Committee has 37 members, please call Representatives Richard Smith Ch., 656-5141; V-Ch., Hatchett, 656-5025; Jasperse, Sec., 656-7153; Democrats Beverly, 656-5058; Drenner, 656-0202, and Holcomb, 656-6372, plus Republicans Ballinger, 656-7153; Kelley, 656-5024; and Carson, 656-7855.

S.R. 29 Application for an Article V Convention of States (COS) introduced January 28th by Senator Ben Cowsert requests that Congress pass a COS limited to passing a balanced budget amendment. The Senate passed it 34-20 February 22nd and it‟s in the House Rules Committee. The explanation of S.R. 28 also pertains to S.R. 29, which passed the Senate 34-20 on February 22nd, as well. Both S.R. 28 and S. R. 29 are in the House Rules Committee.

ACTION – Oppose. The Rules Committee has 37 members, please call the few members listed above under S.R. 28.

  • To read the rest of this newsletter in PDF format, please click here.

August 11, 2017 Radio Commentary

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Parent Power Resurfacing

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, August 11, 2017 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler

It was over a year ago on January 14, 2016 when Representative Kevin Tanner and five other representatives introduced H.B. 739 that passed, overwhelmingly, with only three representatives and eight senators voting against it.  The governor signed it into law on May 3rd of last year, but nothing changed in 2016, because H.B. 739 allowed a year for educators to get ready to put it in place.  So, several things became effective July 1st of this year.

First: The State Board of Education is no longer required to appoint a committee to examine school curriculum, although board members may choose to do so.

With that change, the power to review and approve curriculum content and supplementary material shifted from the state to the local level, where local boards of education must provide an opportunity for public comment and parental input before any instructional material is adopted.

No. 2: The local school board must post in a prominent place on its website and make available for public review a list of proposed instructional material, complete with version or edition or ID number, plus any required State guidelines and the course number where the material will be used. Continue reading →