GOVERNOR FERGUSON WARNS INITIATIVE 001 WEAKENS PARENTAL RIGHTS
At a press conference yesterday, Washington State Governor Ferguson warned Washington voters that Initiative 001 will weaken parental rights:
“I'm speaking partly as a governor, of course, but also as a father of two teenagers, who cares deeply about protecting parents' rights. And this initiative, no matter how hard the other side tries to spin it, actually weakens existing laws by removing parents' rights to be immediately notified when their child is a victim of a crime at school. This is an initiative that is taking away parents' that is something that's extremely important to communicate to the public.”
In their recent endorsement against Initiative 001 the Seattle Times Editorial Board recently explained how the initiative’s poor wording weakens the parental right to know if their child is the victim of a crime at school.
“Under [current] law, parents must immediately be notified by schools the moment an alleged crime against their child has been reported. Initiative 001 actually weakens this provision. Its language says parents would be notified after a crime has been “deemed to have been committed.”
Deemed by whom? And when — after an investigation? After charges are filed? In a week? A month? The initiative offers no clarity.”
Jen Estroff, a PTA board member in Puyallup said that she is concerned about how this will impact her parental rights and that proponents have dismissed her concerns:
“Proponents of this initiative have dismissed concerns from parents like me saying, ‘Oh, the sloppy wording is nothing to be concerned about.’ But when critical decisions actually get made, what matters is what the law and this initiative says, not what they claim that it says.”
Former Snohomish Sheriff and state trooper, now State Senator, John Lovick (D-44), highlighted issues with how the initiative weakens protections for children who are victims of abuse in the home:
“If you are a child and you want to be safe and feel safe in school, and you have been abused by a parent, to have that parent have the ability to go to the school and get the records, your records, that is just unbelievable. You, you cannot imagine that happening.”
Roshelle Cleland, Director of Public Policy for the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, echoed Lovick’s concerns:
“For a child who's being abused, knowing that a disclosure could immediately reach the person they're afraid of can be the difference between speaking and staying silent. While most parents are loving and supportive, that's not the case for all kids. More than 90% of youth are abused by someone they know and trust. The younger the child, the more likely that person is a parent or a caregiver. We cannot afford to make it harder for a child to tell someone.”
Initiative 001 is opposed by the WA State Nurses Association, the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the League of Women voters, and hundreds of organizations, doctors, nurses, counselors, educators, and businesses. The Washington State PTA opposes Initiative 001, but is not affiliated with and does not coordinate with our coalition.
To learn more visit: nohateinwastate.org.
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