April 21, 2025 — Denver, Colorado — Prof. William Wagner presented testimony to the Colorado House of Representatives concerning a constitutional amendment recognizing the inalienable right of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children.
“The deeply rooted historical and legal traditions of this nation recognize what every parent knows the moment they hold their child for the first time … It has been given to them the duty, responsibility, and right to control and direct the upbringing of their child.”
Professor Wagner’s non-partisan expert testimony offered constitutional grounding for the proposed amendment, citing long-standing U.S. Supreme Court precedent affirming that parental rights are fundamental and inalienable. This status requires the government to face strict scrutiny—the highest standard of judicial review—when interfering with a parent’s right to direct and control of the upbringing of their child. You can read the testimony here:
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