50. Prevent Further Erosion of the Role of Parents in Children’s Early Years (5/10)

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Whereas educational institutions, state and federal governments, many professionals and their associations, major corporate interests as well as the media are promoting a wide range of programs and policies such as universal childcare, home visitations by professionals, birth to three programs, preschool screening, mental health screening, and four and five year old kindergarten; and

Whereas these same institutions, professions, and organizations in their communications concerning these programs and policies convey the idea that they are in the best interests of the child, do not have harmful side effects, and even that they are required; and

Whereas there is mounting evidence that professional and institutional intervention in the lives of young children cited above does have immediate and long lasting harmful effects on the lives of children and their parents; and

Whereas it is in the narrow monetary self-interest of these powerful and wealthy institutions and professions to promote their roles in the lives of young children and their families; and

Whereas large businesses see it in their monetary self-interest to have other institutions provide childcare at taxpayer expense; and

Whereas the previously mentioned institutions, professions, governments, and the media do little to advise families of the harmful effects experienced by children and parents from such programs and policies, and they also do not let people know that these programs are voluntary; and

Whereas such programs and policies begin as voluntary but tend to become mandatory unless people become informed and aware of the harmful effects of such programs and policies and refuse to participate in them; and

Whereas if these programs and policies become mandatory, they would significantly compromise what we know as homeschooling by having professions and institutions intervening in the lives of homeschooling families;

Be it resolved by members of Wisconsin Parents Association (WPA) that WPA will work to educate parents, legislators, the media, and the general public about the essential role parents play in their children’s learning and development and the harm that can be caused to children, parents, and families by early intervention in the lives of children and their families; and

Be it further resolved by members of Wisconsin Parents Association (WPA) that WPA will work to inform parents and the general public that these programs are voluntary. 5/10