From Parentalrights.org
This week is National Backyard Games Week, a time to remember the games you played as a child and pass them on to the next generation. But be sure you take the chance now, before those games are outlawed.
According to several news stories1 including this one from Time, a New York state law passed in 2009 and scheduled to take effect this summer will have the state Department of Health (DOH) set a list of games “with significant risk of injury” to kids. Games included on the list will require additional state oversight and even licensure for camps or child care providers hosting the games. As recently as last month, the list included red rover, wiffle ball, kickball, any variety of tag, and other childhood favorites.
Fortunately, the DOH has pulled the list for now and promised a whole new guide book. But the law remains, and the new guidelines are still unknown.
The very fact that the DOH has such power in the first place is troubling, and would become much more so if the United States were to ratify the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
That’s because the CRC asserts that “In all actions concerning children…the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration,” and “that a child shall not be separated from his or her parents against their will, except when competent authorities … determine…that such separation is necessary for the best interests of the child.” (CRC articles 2 and 9, emphasis added) No showing of abuse or neglect is needed, no imminent danger to the child. Allowing a child to play a game which the government has deemed to involve “significant risk of injury” to kids could certainly be sufficient cause to have your child removed from your custody.
After all, what parent would allow their child to play a game that comes with “significant risk of injury,” such as freeze tag or kickball? Well, besides yours and mine, I mean....
Fortunately, the DOH has pulled the list for now and promised a whole new guide book. But the law remains, and the new guidelines are still unknown.
The very fact that the DOH has such power in the first place is troubling, and would become much more so if the United States were to ratify the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
That’s because the CRC asserts that “In all actions concerning children…the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration,” and “that a child shall not be separated from his or her parents against their will, except when competent authorities … determine…that such separation is necessary for the best interests of the child.” (CRC articles 2 and 9, emphasis added) No showing of abuse or neglect is needed, no imminent danger to the child. Allowing a child to play a game which the government has deemed to involve “significant risk of injury” to kids could certainly be sufficient cause to have your child removed from your custody.
After all, what parent would allow their child to play a game that comes with “significant risk of injury,” such as freeze tag or kickball? Well, besides yours and mine, I mean....
Action Items
Please pass this on to other concerned parents or grandparents and ask them to visit parentalrights.org to sign the petition. Also, donate to help us prevent ratification of that dangerous treaty by passing the Parental Rights Amendment. Our organization is completely donor funded, so we depend on your support to fuel our success.
Sincerely,
Michael Ramey
Director of Communications & Research
Sincerely,
Michael Ramey
Director of Communications & Research
http://www.parentalrights.org/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={BC018725-CD87-4741-A20E-ED2B730AFF2E}
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