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A positive instrument for parents to use to defend their values and protect their children
FAMILIES HAVE RIGHTS!! and PARENTS must be allowed to exercise those rights . . Clearly, the time has come for parents to assert their rights to protect their family values from the elements in society that threaten them. Big government has demonstrated a tendency to facilitate the self interest groups who see our school children as a captive audience . This expansion into the family role has allowed too many "professionals" to take it upon themselves to decide what our children "need". For too long, parents have tried to prevent ill-conceived programs and activities detrimental to their children from coming into the schools -- without much success. Programs are implemented and parents may be informed in some cases that they can "opt out". The opting out process, however, is an offensive and intimidating one, especially for children, and parents' requests are sometimes denied or ignored. Now that the pressure is on government and school boards to implement programs that defend the gay and lesbian lifestyle, and teachers have admitted they are already discussing the gay and lesbian lifestyle in the classroom, parents are required to take a more effective and constructive step if they are going to protect their children.
WHEN SCHOOLS GO TOO FAR . . .
Officials and professional staff in any school system are accountable to carry out a range of curriculum goals and objectives. In addition to the programs referred to above, though, many non authorized practices are being carried out by teachers who are taking liberties with our children and conducting classes which deal with topics or use methods which violate the basic rights of a child and his/her parents.
Attempts to prevent these practices have been largely unsuccessful, and parents have been left to withdraw their child from specific classes, or from the school altogether. Some have turned to home schooling and others to independent schools. The time has come for parents to exercise their rights protect their children from unwarranted and destructive activities in schools, where, after all, their values should be safeguarded.
COMMUNITY STANDARDS HAVE BEEN LOST
The recent trend in society is to encourage a position of tolerance towards diversity, rather than recognizing moral standards as we once did. Parents who wish to protect children's rights, and their values, traditions and beliefs are now on their own. They have been given little option but to take an aggressive stance against those things which offend them and/or contravene the values they wish to pass onto their children. No one questions the right of all children and youth to a safe and secure environment for learning, but programs in schools which are developed to focus on any areas where rights are concerned have not been very successful, and have often created problems where none existed before.
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FAMILIES HAVE RIGHTS!! PAGE 2
the DECLARATION NOTES Opening Letter
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