PDF version of THSC 2012 Resolutions
THE TEXAS PARENTAL RIGHTS RESTORATION ACT
WHEREAS, the Texas Grandparent Access Statute has been abused by allowing parents to be sued by grandparents for access and possession of grandchildren without showing the parents to be unfit;
WHEREAS, the Texas Supreme Court has ruled in two cases (Mays-Hooper 2006 & Derzapf 2007) in favor of the parents, only to see local judges allow the grandparents to file suit again under this statute;
WHEREAS, this statute allows a lower standard of evidence for possession than is required for custody;
WHEREAS, the statute does not require special weight be given to a parent’s decision regarding a grandparent’s access to a child as required by the U.S. Supreme Court in the Troxel case;
WHEREAS, many families are facing the stark specter of financial ruin in order to defend their right as parents to direct the upbringing of their children;
WHEREAS, this statute allows parents who have suffered the loss of a spouse through death or divorce to become the victim of such legal harassment;
THEREFORE, be it resolved, that the __________ Party of Texas supports the Texas Parental Rights Restoration Act (TPRRA) (similar to HB 2557 by Brown in the 82nd Texas Legislative Session) to amend this statute and restore the fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing of their children.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the _________ senatorial/county resolution chairman from the _____ Precinct of the ____________Party with the recommendation that it be passed and sent to the state convention of the _____________Party of Texas.
Get more information on the TPRRA.
JUVENILE DAYTIME CURFEW RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, a juvenile daytime curfew violates student and parental rights and subjects students not in school during school hours to unreasonable searches and seizures, violating the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution;
WHEREAS, students are considered guilty until proven innocent, violating the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution;
WHEREAS, juvenile daytime curfew laws are abused by local jurisdictions as a way to circumvent state truancy laws and avoid constitutionally guaranteed due process;
WHEREAS, such ordinances put additional strain on law enforcement officers and hinder them from fighting more serious crime;
WHEREAS, a juvenile daytime curfew opens Texas cities to liability (as a similar case in Harris County was struck down by the court as "over the top at restricting people");
WHEREAS, HB 776 (80th Texas Legislative Session) already gives law enforcement officials the right to transport juveniles back to their respective school campuses if they are caught out of school and therefore no additional laws are needed;
THEREFORE, be it resolved, that the __________ Party of Texas opposes juvenile daytime curfew ordinances.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the _________ senatorial/county resolution chairman from the _____ Precinct of the ____________Party with the recommendation that it be passed and sent to the state convention of the _____________Party of Texas.
UIL PARTICIPATION FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS
WHEREAS, the Texas legislature established the University Interscholastic League (UIL) in 1913, and its original constitution stated its purpose was to enhance the experience of the students of Texas through its activities in order that they might be better prepared to be good citizens of Texas;
WHEREAS, the original constitution of the UIL explained that it was open to all public and private school students, which included home school students;
WHEREAS, the UIL instituted discrimination in 1915 by changing its constitution to allow only public schools to participate and then the next year further limited participation by allowing only “white public schools” to take part;
WHEREAS, parents of private school and home school students support public education with their tax dollars on the local and state level;
WHEREAS, extracurricular activities are by definition outside the academic mission of the public schools;
WHEREAS, in 2003 the UIL was forced via a lawsuit to amend its rules to allow participation by two large private schools in UIL activities, and UIL officials have testified that neither school has caused any problems for the league in over eight years of participation;
WHEREAS, the UIL has adopted rules for allowing all Texas public magnet schools to participate in UIL activities and magnet schools are by definition public schools that selectively “recruit” their student body;
WHEREAS, 47 states in America allow private school students to participate in their versions of UIL; Texas is one of only three that do not;
THEREFORE, be it resolved, that the _______________ Party of Texas calls on the Texas legislature to adopt legislation (similar to HB 2322 by Garza in the 82nd Texas Legislative Session) requiring UIL to open participation to private schools and home schools and move back to the original mission of the UIL to pursue those activities for the betterment of all the students of Texas.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the _________ senatorial/county resolution chairman from the _____ Precinct of the ____________Party with the recommendation that it be passed and sent to the state convention of the _____________Party of Texas.
