WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today reintroduced legislation that would amend the U.S. Constitution to clearly protect the rights of parents as they raise their children. The legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (R-Missouri), Johnny Isakson (R-Georgia), James Risch (R-Idaho) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).

Importantly, the legislation empowers parents to make decisions over the type of education their child receives. It also ensures that disabled parents’ rights are not infringed upon.

“The rights of parents are under assault from bureaucrats who think they know what’s best for someone else’s child,” said Senator Graham. “Parental rights do not and should not end when the child leaves their home.”

The Graham-Blunt-Isakson-Risch-Grassley resolution would certify that:

• the liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children is a fundamental right;
• the parental right to direct education includes the right to choose, as an alternative to public education, private, religious, or home schools, and the right to make reasonable choices within public schools for one’s child;
• neither the United States nor any State shall infringe these rights without demonstrating that its governmental interest as applied to the person is of the highest order and not otherwise served;
• the parental rights guaranteed by this article shall not be denied or abridged on account of disability;
• this article shall not be construed to apply to a parental action or decision that would end life; and
• no treaty may be adopted nor shall any source of international law be employed to supersede, modify, interpret, or apply to the rights guaranteed by this article.

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