Convention on the Rights of the Child and What It Means To Homeschoolers

The Thinker

There's been a lot of talk lately on The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).  This is a convention that comes from our beloved United Nations (UN). It has garnished a lot of talk lately.  If you look on the web you'll find a lot of resources for it.  If you look on the UNs website it's very hard to find.  It's almost like they're hiding it.  But you can find it here http://www.unicef.org/crc/ .

This piece of legislation, because that's what it is, a giant piece of legislation that will likely get rammed through our current Senate and approved without anyone actually reading it.  They may read it because it is only 15 pages long.  But since they won't read bills that waste trillions of our tax dollars I doubt they'll read this one.

Anyway, this legislation looks so good and sounds so good but when you read it there are several parts that cause concern.  Article 2 paragraph 2 says, "States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to ensure that the child is protected against all forms of discrimination or punishment (emphasis added) on the basis of the status, activities, expressed opinions, or beliefs of the child's parents (emphasis added), legal guardians, or family members."  This states that you can not even punish your child.  How is that going to help them learn right from wrong and what sense does that make?

Article 3 paragraph 3 reads, "States Parties shall ensure that the institutions, service and facilities responsible for the care or protection of children,"that means parents, "shall conform with the standards established by competent authorities."  What does this mean?  Who are the competent authorities?  It's not the parents according to what's written.  Who are they going to make the competent authority?  What will be their values and beliefs?  If they differ from yours will they consider that a violation of this article?

Article 9 paragraph 1 of this same legislation states that the states can take children away from parents if they feel it is in the best interest of the child.  Who gets to determine that?  What panel and what criteria will they use to determine the best interest of the child?  Article 12 is a real doozy.  It gives your child the freedom to express themselves in whatever way they want and you as the parent can not interfere with their freedom of expression.  Article 13 backs this up and so does article 14.

So while this legislation looks good on the surface, when you take a closer look it smells funny.  It looks like they're trying to protect the rights of parents and of children but what it really does is give authority over to your government to decide how you should raise your children.  It has actually been around since 1990.  Do you think there's a reason why past administrations have not ever become a signatory of this treaty.  Now this administration has become a signatory.  If it is presented to the Senate, with their current record of not reading a bill before they vote on it, it will become the law of the land and even be over the constitution.

Article VI of our Constitution states, "... and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding."  If this convention does make it to the Senate and they pass it, our goose is cooked.  We will have big brother watching over us and taking our children away if they disagree with how we are teaching them.  Think about it then write your Senator.

For more info: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/crc.htm .