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ADF to 11th Circuit: Protect parents' right to direct upbringing of their children

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Teens in a classroom with hands raised

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Vincent Wagner regarding a friend-of-the-court brief ADF attorneys filed Tuesday with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Littlejohn v. School Board of Leon County supporting the right of parents to make decisions about how their children are raised:

“Parents have a fundamental right to direct the upbringing, care, and education of their children. Leon County Schools violated this right by using cross-gender pronouns and a different name for a student—a controversial psychotherapeutic intervention—against her parents’ express wishes. As we explain in our brief, the lower court did not recognize the long history and tradition supporting parents’ right to be informed about crucial mental health decisions like this for their children. Parents know their children best, and they shouldn’t be kept in the dark about their children’s wellbeing. We urge the 11th Circuit to reverse the lower court’s decision for its failure to respect parents’ constitutionally protected freedom to make the best decisions for their own kids.”

Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization committed to protecting religious freedom, free speech, parental rights, and the sanctity of life.

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Vincent Wagner
Senior Counsel
Vincent Wagner serves as senior counsel with the Center for Parental Rights at Alliance Defending Freedom where he safeguards parents’ rights to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children.