Anonymous calls to report child abuse are designed to protect children, but far too often anonymous reporting is maliciously abused to harm families. What if we replaced anonymous calls with confidential reporting? This week, Jim talks with Dale Cecka, author of “Abolish Anonymous Reporting to Child Abuse Hotlines” and “How Child Abuse Hotlines Hurt the Very Children They’re Trying to Protect” , and former Professor of Law at the University of Richmond School of Law. Dale lays out her research o...
Mar 16, 2021•53 min•Season 2Ep. 23
Far too often, the child welfare system sends children straight to foster care, destroying innocent families and harming the very children it tries to protect. How can we prioritize preserving families and giving parents the support they need instead? This week, Jim talks with Jerry Milner, former Associate Commissioner of the Children’s Bureau in the US Department of Health and Human Services. Jerry shares his experience over the last four years in the Children’s Bureau, and in his long career ...
Mar 09, 2021•56 min•Season 2Ep. 22
This week, Michael talks with William Wagner, distinguished Professor Emeritus of Law at the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, and president of Salt and Light Global . William has served as a Federal Judge in the U.S. Courts, as Legal Counsel in the U.S Senate, as Senior Assistant United States Attorney in the Department of Justice, and as a former member of the ParentalRights.org Board. William tells us how parental rights are protected by the Constitution, and why parents’ rights ...
Mar 02, 2021•49 min•Season 2Ep. 21
Imagine if your 11-year-old child could receive medical procedures without your knowledge or approval. What exactly is DC Bill 23-171, the Minor Consent to Vaccination Act, and why are we so concerned with stopping this legislation? Rolf Hazlehurst is a senior attorney with Children's Health Defense and has been actively engaged in the practice of law since 1995. This week, Rolf gives us a history of vaccine law policy and explains why DC Bill 23-171 puts children at serious risk. Learn more abo...
Feb 23, 2021•50 min•Season 2Ep. 20
Someone is going to make decisions for your child. Should it be you (the parent) or the government? And what really is in the best interest of your child? This week, Jim talks with Melissa Moschella, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the Catholic University of America, where her teaching focuses on bioethics and the moral and political status of the family. Melissa is also the author of To Whom Do Children Belong? Parental Rights, Civic Education, and Children's Autonomy. Melissa discusses co...
Feb 16, 2021•58 min•Season 2Ep. 19
This week, Jim talks with Martin Guggenheim, who has taught at the NYU School of Law for over 25 years, and is one of the foremost experts on family law and family rights today. Marty tells us about his lengthy career in the family law field, including how the current child welfare system came to be, and why it’s vitally important that parents receive legal representation in court. Marty also explains how the Adoption and Safe Families Act, a cornerstone of the modern child welfare system, provi...
Feb 09, 2021•1 hr 8 min•Season 2Ep. 17
The Adoption and Safe Families Act imposes a 15-month deadline for families separated by the child welfare system to reunify. In the age of COVID, many families are torn apart because of governmental delays they can’t control. What can we do to stop this unjust timetable? This week, Jim talks with Chris Gottlieb, Co-Director of New York University School of Law Family Defense Clinic and a key player in the #StoptheClock working group of the United Family Advocates coalition. Chris tells us about...
Feb 02, 2021•1 hr 3 min•Season 2Ep. 17
It’s a new year, with a new Presidential Administration and a new Congress. What changes and reforms can we expect in child welfare and parental rights law? This week, Michael talks with Government Affairs Liaison Maggie McKneely. Maggie gives us an update on the DC Vaccines Bill and discusses why the ASFA (Adoption and Safe Families Act) causes unnecessary harm to struggling families in the name of permanency. How can we fully preserve family bonds and give children a better foundation than mer...
Jan 26, 2021•33 min•Season 2Ep. 16
Child welfare and family services claim to act in the best interest of children, but far too often government agencies punish innocent parents and rip apart low-income and minority families. What would a child welfare system look like that supports parents and keeps families together? This week, Michael talks with Joyce McMillan, Founder of JMAC for Families and the PLAN Coalition. Joyce is a deeply respected NYC activist for families, and she has been there herself. Joyce tells us about her wor...
Jan 19, 2021•37 min•Season 2Ep. 15
The need for reform in the child welfare system and parental rights legislation is great, but the challenge is daunting. How can you get involved in the fight to protect your parental rights? This week, Michael talks with Patti Sullivan, ParentalRights.org's Florida State Coordinator and long-time advocate for families and parental rights. Patti tells us how she became involved in working to change her state's laws, plus how you can get involved in working to protect your family and your rights....
Jan 11, 2021•36 min•Season 2Ep. 14
This week in a rare solo episode, Michael talks about our legislative efforts coming up in 2021 as we aim to keep more families together and empower parents to protect their children. Child abuse registry reform and anonymous reporting reforms are highlighted. Support the show
Jan 04, 2021•36 min•Season 2Ep. 13
This week, Michael and Shellby look back on our work in 2020. Although it's been a rough year for all of us, we've seen a number of bright spots in the work of the Parental Rights Foundation and in the discussions we've had on the EPPiC Broadcast. Join us for a recap! Support the show
Dec 29, 2020•36 min•Season 2Ep. 12
Where do parental rights come from? And why are parents the ones best suited to make decisions for their children? This week, Jim talks with eminent scholar, natural law expert, and Princeton law professor Robert P. George. Robert unpacks the legal and philosophical underpinning of parental rights, and deals with some arguments made by detractors of parental rights and homeschooling, including Harvard Law Professor Elizabeth Bartholet. Support the show...
Dec 15, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 11
DC is poised to enact a piece of legislation which would allow children as young as 11 to consent to a vaccination that their parent had already decided is not in their best interest, without even notifying the parent. This week, Maggie McKneeley, Government Affairs Liaison for ParentalRights.org, breaks down the details of the legislation and what we can do to stop this bill from passing. Support the show...
Dec 08, 2020•35 min•Season 2Ep. 10
This week, Michael talks with Shaun Alexander, 2005 NFL MVP and Vice President of the Parental Rights Foundation. Shaun talks about homeschooling his kids, what makes a great parent, and the importance of Giving Tuesday - an event coming up on December 1st. Support the show
Dec 01, 2020•39 min•Season 2Ep. 9
He didn’t mind if his daughter spent time with the other significant people in her life, but that should be his decision to make, not the court’s. Right? This week, we talk with Chris Clay, the Texas dad who was forced to share custody of his daughter with an unrelated third party. In this episode, Chris details his story and how he won his case before the Texas Supreme Court. Support the show
Nov 24, 2020•43 min•Season 2Ep. 8
How will the election results affect your parental rights? This week, Michael talks with Joel Grewe, director of Generation Joshua and Councilman of the town of Purcellville, Virginia. Joel breaks down what we know about the 2020 election results so far, and how your family and parental rights will be affected by the new political landscape. Support the show
Nov 18, 2020•43 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Confusing poverty with neglect, ridden with severe racial bias, and inflicting trauma on thousands of innocent children and families - the current child welfare system is broken. This week, Richard Wexler, executive director of the National Coalition for Child Protection Reform, shares his goal with Jim: to stop the child welfare system from inflicting unnecessary trauma on so many children, reform the system to truly support parents, and ultimately keep more families together. Support the show...
Nov 10, 2020•44 min•Season 2Ep. 6
What would you do if CPS investigators broke into your home with no evidence? This week, Michael talks with Diane Redleaf, author of They Took the Kids Last Night , about Vanessa People’s case. Vanessa is the mom who was hog-tied by police in her own home. Diane tells us the details of Vanessa’s story and what you and I can do to prevent things like this from happening to more families. Support the show...
Nov 03, 2020•40 min•Season 2Ep. 5
COVID-19 is causing a revolution in the education world. The number of homeschooling families has doubled in just a few months, and now both parents and teachers are reevaluating the most basic systems of traditional schooling. So, how can you best guide your family through this shifting landscape? This week, Michael talks with Ethan Demme, CEO of Demme Learning and chairman of the Parental Rights Foundation Board. Ethan tells us how parents and educators are responding to these changes, and wha...
Oct 27, 2020•37 min•Season 2Ep. 4
This week, Jim catches up with the founder of the Parental Rights Foundation and current president and general counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom, Michael Farris. Hear his perspective on the recent Supreme Court nomination, an in-depth look at our judicial system, and how ADF and parallel organizations are working to defend your personal freedoms and parental rights. Support the show...
Oct 20, 2020•46 min•Season 2Ep. 3
In most states, children can be taken from their parents without ever officially entering the foster care system. This means the system is removing even more children than we thought. This week, Dr. Josh Gupta-Kagan, Professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law and author of “The Hidden Foster Care System,” explains how this “hidden foster care system” operates and what we can do to help keep more children with their parents. Support the show...
Oct 13, 2020•38 min•Season 2Ep. 2
As school starts up again, what will be the new normal for post-pandemic learning? How should parents respond? Education expert Kerry McDonald is a Senior Education Fellow at FEE, an adjunct scholar at the CATO Institute, and author of Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Education Children Outside the Conventional Classroom . Kerry explains some strategies that parents are using in the post-pandemic learning world, plus how to protect your parental rights. Support the show...
Oct 06, 2020•43 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Our second season is coming soon, starting October 6th! But first here’s a special update from Michael, covering an important change. The Parental Rights Podcast is coming back as EPPiC Broadcast, which stands for “empowering parents, protecting children.” We’re excited about this change, so stay tuned for the premiere of season 2, on October 6th! Support the show
Oct 01, 2020•1 min
Our Season One Finale is here! Michael and Jim cover the breaking news of Friday’s pivotal ruling from the Texas Supreme Court, while also looking back on some highlights from our inaugural season. Thank you for listening, and we'll see you soon for Season Two! Support the show
Jun 29, 2020•25 min•Season 1Ep. 25
How badly can false reports of abuse and neglect hurt a family? This week, Kathleen Creamer, the Managing Attorney of the Family Advocacy Unit at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia, explains the devastating impacts that false, anonymous reports of child abuse can have on families. She and Jim break down the details, from traumatic and invasive investigations to protracted legal nightmares, and hope for how the system can be reformed. Support the show...
Jun 22, 2020•49 min•Season 1Ep. 24
A special update from Michael as we get ready for our first season finale. Thanks for listening! Support the show
Jun 15, 2020•2 min
What’s changing in parental rights laws, and how will your family be affected? This week, we recap the good and the bad from this year’s developing parental rights legislation. Both the federal and state legislatures have been busy, so Michael breaks down the new developments in school choice, anonymous child abuse reporting, and more with Dan Beasley of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association. Don’t forget to submit your question for our upcoming Q&A season finale here: parentalrightsfound...
Jun 08, 2020•46 min•Season 1Ep. 23
What happens when a judge rules that your kids have a “right” to government-controlled schooling? This week, we cover a developing case in Detroit - what looks like a positive win for school children actually endangers the right of parents to direct and determine their kids’ education. Jim breaks down the case with William Wagner, a former Federal prosecutor and judge, as well as a distinguished professor of law Emeritus, and current president of Salt and Light Global. Support the show...
Jun 01, 2020•27 min•Season 1Ep. 22
What if someone didn’t even have to be related to you to claim legal custody and visitation rights to your child? That’s exactly what happened to Texas dad, Chris, in an ongoing case that could set a dangerous precedent for Texas families. Today, Andrew Brown, a distinguished fellow with the Texas Public Policy Foundation, tells us why this case matters so much, and how the ruling will affect parental rights in the future. Listen as he breaks down the case that’s made it all the way to the Texas...
May 26, 2020•20 min•Season 1Ep. 21
