When parents begin the wondrous journey of raising a child, they must grapple with several preconceived notions.
They will soon come to find out: No, your child won’t always go to bed on time or sleep through the night. And no, there’s no real way to avoid the “Why?” question. And yes, kids will break your heart occasionally.
But one expectation that should not be in question is that parents will have the greatest say in how their child is raised and—perhaps just as importantly—how to best help their child when they are in need. Whether it’s deciding which doctor to take their children to, what food they eat for dinner, or which school they attend, parents have the fundamental right and responsibility to direct the upbringing, education and healthcare of their children.
It goes without saying that this right also extends to which counseling a child may seek out to help with mental health concerns.
Yet, several states are, in effect, limiting the counseling options available to families by censoring the counselor’s speech on issues of gender and sexuality. Instead, counselors may only encourage children to undergo irreparable surgeries or take harmful drugs, rather than helping children regain comfort with their sex.
On October 7, the Supreme Court will hear Chiles v. Salazar, the case of ADF client Kaley Chiles, who is challenging such a law in Colorado. The results will not only impact the free speech rights of counselors but also whether parents and kids can get the help they need.
What is Kaley Chiles’ plight?
Kaley is a licensed professional counselor in Colorado. She is a committed Christian who seeks to live out her faith in every aspect of her life, including her work.
But that’s the problem, at least to Colorado.
The Centennial State had crafted a policy that silences faith-based counselors like Kaley, a law similar to those adopted by roughly 20 other states.
Enacted in 2019, HB19-1129 puts all manners of restrictions on counseling under the guise of providing “care.” It bans counselors from helping children regain comfort with their sex, even when their client wants that, and only allows counselors to push the government’s pre-approved talking points.
Because of the Christ-centered counseling that Kaley provides—especially when it comes to children struggling with gender identity—she is threatened by this law.
It’s even worse when you realize that these restrictions only work one-way. If you’re a secular counselor pushing gender ideology on children? That has the government’s golden seal of approval. But helping clients who genuinely want to regain peace with their biological sex? That’s forbidden.
The government repercussions for breaking this law are not some mere slap on the wrist. Kaley faces thousands of dollars’ worth of fines, as well as threats to revoke her counseling license, all because she wants to help her clients regain peace with their bodies.
How does Chiles v. Salazar impact parents?
To be crystal clear, the biggest victims of Colorado’s counseling censorship laws are the suffering children. Those kids need help, and the government is prioritizing its own one-size-fits-all “solution” over the child seeking the individualized help he or she needs.
But it would also be naïve to ever suggest that a child’s struggles have no impact on the parents. As much as Chiles v. Salazar is about the kids, it also needs to be said that these anti-free speech laws undermine parental rights.
As any parent can tell you, nothing is more important when it comes to your kids than health, which includes mental well-being. Mental struggles can be an incredibly sensitive issue for both parent and child, and they should both be given the time and space to work through it as a family.
Nowhere in that equation does big government fit in, especially if that “help” means taking away desired counseling conversations from your child.
Parents must remain vigilant
As mentioned above, Colorado is hardly the only state to adopt similar laws, where the government has enacted counseling censorship under the guise of compassion. Kaley Chiles’ situation is not some one-off instance.
One would only need to look at the case of Brian Tingley, a counselor who faced a similar censorship law in Washington state. Brian, like Kaley, faced a situation where his beliefs were at odds with the state-mandated narratives.
Thankfully, principled counselors like Kaley are not going away quietly. They understand how monumentally important this issue is for both kids and parents.
These laws have no place when it comes to how parents raise their children. They have no role in superseding the goals of a child that is willing, wants counseling, and wants to regain comfort with their sex.
Kids need real support from their family and professionals, not pre-approved government talking points.
And parents deserve to have a say in that.
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