Ohio’s abortion ballot initiative continues the left’s war against parental rights

An ideological campaign has taken shape, from schools and statehouses to courtrooms and even in to the White House, to push parents out of fundamental decisions involving their children and thus to destroy parental rights.

The Biden Administration is leading the charge. President Joe Biden himself has said, “There is no such thing as someone else’s child. Our nation’s children are all our children.”  Similar sentiments have been echoed by Vice President Harris who has referred to American children  as “our children” and White House Press Secretary Karin Jean-Pierre, who has similarly said, “These are our kids.  They belong to all of us.”

That government should play the role of parents is itself a false idea that most people reject. For example, a recent Pew Research poll found that 70% of respondents supported requiring doctors to notify a parent or legal guardian if a minor seeks an abortion. But radicals across our country are nonetheless working to nullify existing parental consent laws and to stop parental involvement in some of the most consequential life decisions children can make.

In Ohio, groups such as the ACLU and United for Reproductive & Gender Equity (URGE) have introduced a ballot initiative under the guise of “reproductive rights” which would end parental involvement in children’s decisions to seek an abortions or sex-change surgeries.  If this amendment passes, it will embolden anti-parent efforts in every corner of the country.

Looking at the past actions of groups like the ACLU and URGE, it is easy to see that the language of the Ohio amendment was purposefully chosen with the intent to blindfold parents.  The ACLU has been waging war against parents for decades by challenging parental consent and notification laws for abortion in states such as Alaska and Indiana.  They’ve extended their anti-parent agenda to the classroom, fighting against parents who want to be informed if their child is grappling with their sexuality or gender. They have even opposed state laws that would provide curriculum transparency to parents of elementary and middle school students.

URGE has publicly called for the abolition of existing parental rights laws. It should come as no surprise that groups like URGE are heavily financed by left-leaning, dark-money groups, including the New Venture Fund, Planned Parenthood, and others.  These groups stand to benefit both financially and ideologically when parents are eliminated from the picture and the government becomes the primary influence in a child’s life.

Whether or not you have children, it is easy to understand why parents should have access to information about their own children. They have a right to be closely involved in day-to-day decisions regarding their education and health, among other things.  Parents are best positioned to direct their children’s course, to provide them with love, and to ensure their well-being. 

The government is not and never will be an appropriate substitute.

The weakening of parental rights is antithetical to the very fabric of our nation, which has always acknowledged the responsibility of parents and recognized that strong families are the bedrock of society.

When we allow the relationship between parents and children to be diminished, we open the door for outside groups and government to fill the void. While most parents make countless sacrifices to protect their children, these institutions are driven by power and profits at the expense of our nation’s most vulnerable.

Ed Martin, an attorney, is president of Phyllis Schlafly Eagles and the Eagle Forum Education & Legal Defense Fund.