Parent Issues: Can a Parent Force the Sterilization of Their Minor Child?

Should A Parent Have The Power To Force Sterilization Of Their Developmentally Disabled Child?

parent sterilization childAs individuals we have certain inalienable rights, granted to us by the Constitution.  The right to own a gun, the right to vote, the right of free speech . . . the list goes on and on.  Among those rights that we as U.S. citizens enjoy, is the right to parent as we see fit (subject to certain exceptions, of course).  Parents are generally allowed to make important decisions on behalf of their minor children.  Examples include, what type of food the child eats (vegan, gluten free, organic, etc.), what type of school the child will attend (public school, private school or home-school) and whether or not the child will be vaccinated.  In addition, parents are charged with deciding how to discipline their children and what organized religion, if any, they will be raised in.  Whether or not parents realize it, the decisions they make today will affect their children for the rest of their lives.

But what if parents DID realize that a choice they were making was going to have an enormous effect on their child’s life? What if a choice they made essentially … Read More... “Parent Issues: Can a Parent Force the Sterilization of Their Minor Child?”