During the Texas 88th Legislative Session, one of our foremost objectives was to pass a Parental Rights Amendment to the Texas Constitution successfully.
Although we were unable to achieve this milestone during the session, we remain undeterred in our mission.
A parental rights amendment holds profound significance as it safeguards the fundamental right of parents to nurture and raise their children. At the Family Freedom Project, we are wholeheartedly committed to working alongside the legislature until parents’ fundamental rights are carefully protected in the Texas constitution.
The Path to a Constitutional Amendment
Just because the session is over doesn’t mean the opportunity to pass a Parental Rights Amendment is gone. Special sessions can provide a unique opportunity to focus our efforts and garner attention on important issues, and Governor Abbott has already declared two special sessions with possibly more to come which means there may yet be an opportunity to work on this constitutional amendment. Whether it comes about in the form of a special session or the next regular legislative session (2025), our dedication to parental rights remains unwavering throughout the entire process. We understand that real change often takes time, persistence, and strategic planning.
Why We Need a Constitutional Amendment
Many remain unaware that the rights of Texas parents currently rest almost entirely in the hands of unelected federal judges. The constitutional rights of parents are currently recognized in federal constitutional case law, which interprets the U.S. Constitution to protect the right of parents.
However, what’s important to realize is that these rights are not explicitly articulated within the text of the Constitution itself. As a consequence, there remains a disconcerting possibility that the opinions of federal judges regarding the protection of parental rights under the U.S. Constitution could change unexpectedly, resulting in the unfortunate loss of these fundamental rights.
Passing a Parental Rights Amendment to the Texas Constitution is critical to the protection of parental rights in Texas for two reasons:
- It would significantly shrink the power of the federal government over questions of parental rights. This is because those rights would rest in the Texas Constitution rather than federal constitutional case law.
- It would ensure the protection of these rights in the future because while case law can change quickly with the replacement of a single judge, an amendment to the Texas Constitution would be extremely difficult to repeal.
Our mission is to protect and uphold the fundamental rights of parents in raising their children. We are dedicated to advocating for the Parental Rights Amendment, a crucial legislative measure that safeguards the rights and autonomy of parents.
Together, we can ensure that parents are empowered to raise their children with the freedom, autonomy, and dignity they deserve. If you haven’t yet, sign the petition for the Parental Rights Amendment to the Texas State Constitution.