Press Release: Parents’ Rights Act Legislation (HB658)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMonday, May 14, 2018

Parents’ Rights Act Ensures State Can’t Remove Children from Homes to Give Child Transgender Hormone Therapy

Sponsored by Rep. Tom Brinkman and Rep. Paul Zeltwanger, HB658 ensures parents are in charge of their child’s upbringing and education, not the state.

COLUMBUS – Rep. Tom Brinkman (R-Mt. Lookout) and Rep. Paul Zeltwanger (R-Mason) introduced legislation to ensure the state cannot remove a child from parents’ custody because the parents do not want to put the child on untested hormone therapy for the purpose of gender transition.

The legislation also ensures schools must inform parents if a child says they are gender dysphoric.The bill is in response to a Hamilton County case in which visiting Judge Sylvia Hendon removed a minor child from parents' custody because the state wanted to put the child on dangerous and untested gender-transition hormone therapy, and the parents refused.“It’s absolutely horrifying that the state would remove a child from parents' custody to put the child on untested and dangerous drugs,” said Aaron Baer, President of Citizens for Community Values, who supports the legislation. “Hamilton County Job and Family Services crossed the line in this case. HB658 ensures this can’t happen to other Ohio families.”The bill also responds to advice from the National Education Association and GLSEN to schools to not inform parents if a student says they have gender dysphoria. HB658 would ensure that schools cannot purposefully deceive parents, and must get parental consent before providing any treatment or counseling to children.“No school should go behind a parents’ back. Schools should be supporting parents, not undermining them,” said Baer. “Thankfully Rep. Brinkman and Rep. Zeltwanger have stepped forward to bring a common sense solution that ensures parents, not the state, makes choices for their children.”You can read the bill here:  https://www.ccv.org/wp-content/uploads/hb658_00_IN-1.pdfRead GLSEN’s “Model District Policy,” in which they advise schools to keep parents in the dark (Pages 4, 8, 9): https://www.glsen.org/sites/default/files/Trans%20Model%20Policy.pdf

As Ohio’s Family Policy Council, Citizens for Community Values seeks the good of our neighbors throughout Ohio by advocating for public policy that reflects the truth of the Gospel. We endeavor to create an Ohio where God’s blessings of life, family, and religious freedom are treasured, respected, and protected.###