STEUBENVILLE, OHIO—In recent decades, schools, courts, states, and other federal agencies have eroded parental rights by imposing more far-reaching restrictions on American families. Public schools have appropriated sex and gender ideology education in the classroom, health care systems override parental rights in decisions regarding a minor’s care, and legal systems challenge parental rights in the United States and internationally.

With this in mind, Franciscan University of Steubenville will host the Conference on Parental Rights October 15-16, 2021. The two-day conference features 13 presentations that will educate and empower attendees to protect children from attacks on the family by American institutions.

“We have often seen ‘experts’ in different areas assume automatically they know better than parents on ethical matters,” says Dr. Stephen M. Krason, professor of political science and legal studies at Franciscan University of Steubenville. “Parental rights, however, are affirmed in sound ethics, the teaching of the Church and the Christian tradition generally, and in the background of our nation’s common law tradition.”

Presenters and topics to be addressed include: Dr. Patrick F. Fagan, The Catholic University of America—”The Welfare State, the Family, and Parental Rights”; Michael P. Donnelly, Esq., Home School Legal Defense Association—“The History and Erosion of Parental Rights in American Law”; and Hugh Brown, American Life League—“Parental Rights and the Life Issues.”

Other topics include: “The Threat to Parental Rights by Gender Ideology”; “False Child Abuse Allegations, the Child Protective System, and the Threat to Parental Rights”; and “In Defense of Homeschooling.”

The conference is co-sponsored by Franciscan University of Steubenville’s Veritas Center for Ethics in Public Life and Department of Political Science, ParentalRights.org/Parental Rights Foundation, the Home School Legal Defense Association, the Alliance Defending Freedom, and the Society of Catholic Social Scientists.

Parents, academics, and professionals are encouraged to attend.

Cost of attendance is $40. For a full agenda, list of speakers, and registration information, visit the conference website or email [email protected].