Draconian “education” legislation to further erode parental rights and gather all sorts of “mental health” data on children, among other controversial elements, is making its way through the Indiana legislature now. Activists are in an uproar about the privacy-shredding bill. But as of now, it seems the scheme may pass.
Under the state’s plan, a non-elected “Commission” will be established to set up a “social, emotional, and behavioral” plan for Indiana children. The commission will also define normal, with those outside of the norm being targeted for government “interventions.” There will also be “ongoing needs assessments” to determine what “services” to foist on children and families.
The legislation, dubbed SB 266, also furthers government meddling in the lives of children from birth through age 22. All children will be routinely screened for “mental-health” issues, with schools becoming de facto mental-health institutions. Indiana activists slammed the provisions as another step toward government control from cradle to grave.
Privacy and freedom are in the cross hairs, too. Even free will and individuality are under threat. Indeed, the broader intent behind the legislation is more indoctrination and even “behavior modification” of children, analysts who examined the bill concluded.
“This bill puts the ownership of children in the hands of government schools through the guise of mental health and safety,” warned veteran educator and Indiana education activist Mary Black, who spent four decades teaching children in the classroom. “The mandated mental health clinics in the schools will be used to indoctrinate children with the government-established right and wrong.”
Unlike God’s laws, which never change, Black said the government’s laws and views will continually change. “Thus, the emphasis on the social-emotional wellness in the bill ensures that the necessary flexibility, adaptability, and group consensus will be indoctrinated into each child and lead to the ultimate goal of those pushing this bill: citizens who are conditioned to do as they are told,” she warned.
Black said it was important for Indiana parents to get involved in the battle to stop the attack. “This bill is anti-child because the child’s God-given independence is taken from him or her,” warned the veteran teacher. “It is anti-parent because the parental right and God-given obligation to educate their child is taken from them. Indiana parents and children will be separated for the sake of the government.”
Another controversial provision in the bill is the introduction of Social and Emotional “Wellness” schemes linked to Zen meditation techniques, which are associated with Buddhism. Noting that God and prayer have been expelled from school, critics wondered why Eastern spiritual exercises were being encouraged and pushed in to tax-funded schools.
Originally, the legislation included provisions that were supposed to help strengthen privacy protections for children and families. However, legislators essentially combined multiple disastrous bills into one larger one. And supporters of the privacy protections suspect the good provisions will be stripped out before passing anyway.
Nowhere does this bill involve the parents in the monitoring, tracking, and manipulation of their children. Instead, the legislation envisions having the government tell parents how to be parents, prescribing “research-based training for … parents.” This fits perfectly with federal policy documents from the Obama administration describing parents as “equal partners” with government in the raising of their own children.
Apparently, in Indiana, this is the new normal. “Teachers have become the parent,” argued Indiana Representative Wendy McNamara. “This reality that we are under today is a stark contrast to 20 years ago. It’s a mental health crisis and it’s not going away.” Unfortunately, this is a common view in government today — government is the new parent.
This sort of madness is not limited to Indiana, obviously. In fact, it is spreading nationwide, with powerful backing and funding coming from Washington, D.C., as well. It is past time for parents to take urgent steps to protect their children and to get involved in the fight. America’s future and liberty itself are literally at stake.