Letter: Your parental rights begin and end with your kids


Graphic by Lori Deaton

For the last 30 years, my wife and I raised two wonderful kids here in Weaverville. They are successful, well-adjusted and, most importantly, happy. Both are products of the North Buncombe school system, and while they were usually the only Jewish kids in their class, my wife and I gave them a strong cultural identity because of what we taught them at home. All in all, we’re pretty proud of the job we did as parents.

So, imagine my surprise upon learning we are not the only ones charged with parenting our kids. I recently read that Moms for Liberty has started a Buncombe County chapter; this is the same group the Southern Poverty Law Center labeled as anti-government extremists. In its report, The Year in Hate & Extremism 2022, the SPLC characterized Moms for Liberty’s primary goals as follows: “to fuel right-wing hysteria and to make the world a less comfortable or safe place for certain students — primarily those who are Black, LGBTQ or who come from LGBTQ families.”

I must say, I find it more than a little disconcerting when a very small but strident minority with extreme views feels entitled to impose their views on the majority. If those within the M4L group do not like how some people choose to live their lives, OK. If they don’t like particular books, they don’t have to read them or allow their kids to read them. They do not, however, have the right to make those decisions for the rest of us. Every parent has the right to raise their kids in the manner they think best. They do not have the right to raise anyone else’s kids.

— Alan Silverman
Weaverville

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6 thoughts on “Letter: Your parental rights begin and end with your kids


  1. I guess it was too good to check.

    Mom’s for Liberty: ‘We Do Not Co-Parent With the Government’
    Tiffany Justice and Tina Descovich, the ‘joyful warriors’ who founded the group, discuss Covid shutdowns, teachers unions, transgenderism and the SPLC’s smear.
    https://archive.ph/FAEmZ

  2. WNC

    The Southern Poverty Law Center’s resume includes
    Race baiting
    Racist
    Extremely liberal and biased
    Purpose of being is to attack conservatives especially Christian conservatives

    So don’t worry about their view of a particular group

    You could worry about the groups within education and liberal politics in general that want to tell your little boy they might be a little girl if they have a bad week. The same helpful people who say government knows better than you about raising your kids.

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  3. Keith

    This Koup Koup Klanned Karenhood is assaulting our local public school students, families, teachers, and future. Beware.

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  4. indy499

    Alan, your description of strident, racist, extremist applies perfectly to the SPLC

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  5. AVLdude

    Conservatives, these days, in a nutshell:
    I’m rubber, you’re glue…whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you.

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