EPPiC Broadcast

This week, we're rewinding to a conversation with Vivek Sankaran and Michael Farris from November 2024. 

Vivek is a professor of law at the Michigan University School of Law and Director of their Child Advocacy Law Clinic.  Michael is a constitutional law scholar, founding president of the Parental Rights Foundation, and the former CEO and president of Alliance Defending Freedom.

Although they come from different sides of the political spectrum, Vivek and Michael both submitted amicus briefs arguing against termination of parental rights in a recent case that went before the Michigan Supreme Court Today, these two experts explain why they both weighed in on this case in favor of family preservation.  

The EPPiC Broadcast is hosted by Michael Ramey, president of the Parental Rights Foundation. You can sign up for email alerts to keep yourself informed on parental rights news at https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/get-involved/. 

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Lenore Skenazy, President of Let Grow and founder of the Free-Range Kids movement, joins Michael Ramey to discuss a recent Virginia case involving a mother who was convicted of contributing to the delinquency of a minor after allowing her five-year-old son to walk alone in their gated community. She received a six-month jail sentence that was suspended, while the child welfare investigation also resulted in her placement on Virginia’s child abuse and neglect registry.

The conversation examines the case in light of Virginia’s 2023 reasonable childhood independence law, which provides that allowing children to engage in age-appropriate independent activities without adult supervision does not, by itself, constitute abuse or neglect. Lenore and Michael discuss what happened in this case, the questions it raises about the application of the law, and the broader effort to protect families who give children opportunities for independence. They also consider similar laws in other states and the future of reasonable childhood independence protections.

The EPPiC Broadcast is hosted by Michael Ramey, President of the Parental Rights Foundation. Stay informed on parental rights news by signing up for email alerts at https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/get-involved/.

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Sarah Katz, Clinical Professor of Law at Temple University Beasley School of Law, and April Lee, founder of Philly Voice for Change, join us to discuss a Pennsylvania proposal that would allow parental rights to be reinstated in certain circumstances after they have been terminated. Sarah brings her experience in family law and child welfare, while April brings lived experience as a parent involved in the child welfare system and her work advocating for families.

The conversation examines how parental rights are terminated, the impact of termination on children and families, and the circumstances under which rights could be reinstated under Pennsylvania House Bill 133. Sarah and April also discuss the potential benefits of the proposal for children who remain in the child welfare system, experiences that illustrate the need for reform, and what listeners can do to learn more about the legislation.

The EPPiC Broadcast is hosted by Michael Ramey, President of the Parental Rights Foundation. Stay informed on parental rights news by signing up for email alerts at https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/get-involved/. 

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Jim Mason, President of the Home School Legal Defense Association and a longtime advocate for homeschooling and parental rights, joins Michael Ramey for a conversation about the current state of homeschooling freedom in America. Jim brings decades of experience defending homeschool families and litigating Fourth Amendment issues in child welfare investigations.

The conversation focuses on Connecticut’s recent changes to homeschooling law, the constitutional concerns they raise, and the broader landscape for homeschool freedom across the country. Jim also discusses recent victories for homeschooling families, the connection between homeschooling rights and parental rights, and what families and advocates should watch for in the coming legislative session.

The EPPiC Broadcast is hosted by Michael Ramey, President of the Parental Rights Foundation. Stay informed on parental rights news by signing up for email alerts at https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/get-involved/

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In this episode, Albany Law School Associate Professor of Law and Director of the Family Violence Litigation Clinic Dale Margolin Cecka joins us to discuss anonymous reporting to Child Protective Services and the investigation involving former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and his family. Dale also discusses her recent law review article, Don’t Just Ask the Kids: Toward a More Deliberate Approach to Child Advocacy, and her longstanding work examining the use of anonymous reporting in the child welfare system.

The conversation explores how anonymous allegations can trigger intrusive CPS investigations, the constitutional questions raised when investigators arrive at a family’s home, and what happens when parents refuse entry or interviews. Dale also discusses how common these investigations are, whether anonymous reporting actually helps identify child abuse, what parents can do if CPS arrives at their door, and what reforms could help prevent the misuse of the child welfare system.

The EPPiC Broadcast is hosted by Michael Ramey, President of the Parental Rights Foundation. Stay informed on parental rights news by signing up for email alerts at https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/get-involved/. 

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In this episode, Emilie Kao, senior counsel and vice president of advocacy strategy for Alliance Defending Freedom and member of the Parental Rights Foundation Board of Advisors, joins us to discuss her article “Preserving Childhood: Dependency, Consent, and Parental Rights in Healthcare,” featured in The State of Parental Rights in America. Emilie explores the legal foundations of parental rights in healthcare decision-making, the Supreme Court’s parental rights precedent, and the historical understanding of childhood dependency and parental responsibility.

The conversation also examines the rise of the “mature minor” doctrine and its growing role in healthcare policy. Emilie discusses how policy-driven consent standards developed, the major areas where the doctrine is most frequently applied today, and the tension between parental authority, state interests, and adolescent autonomy. She also explains why these debates matter for families, healthcare policy, and constitutional protections moving forward.

The EPPiC Broadcast is hosted by Michael Ramey, President of the Parental Rights Foundation. Stay informed on parental rights news by signing up for email alerts at https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/get-involved/.

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In this episode, Joyce McMillan, founder and executive director of Just Making a Change for Families and a member of the Parental Rights Foundation Board of Advisors, joins us to discuss her recent article “Common Sense Guardrails for CPS,” featured in The State of Parental Rights in America. Drawing from her work with families impacted by the child welfare system, Joyce argues that Child Protective Services often functions less like a helping profession and more like an investigative and prosecutorial agency. She explains how poverty is frequently confused with neglect and how families can become trapped in cycles of surveillance and punishment. 

Joyce also discusses the Parent Legislative Action Network (PLAN) and several reform efforts advancing in New York and beyond, including the Anti-Harassment in Reporting Act and proposals aimed at strengthening due process protections for parents. The conversation explores issues surrounding CPS registries, emergency removals, visitation barriers, and the importance of educating families about their constitutional rights. Throughout the episode, Joyce encourages listeners to learn directly from families with lived experience in the system and to recognize how these policies affect communities across the country.

The EPPiC Broadcast is hosted by Michael Ramey, President of the Parental Rights Foundation. Stay informed on parental rights news by signing up for email alerts at https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/get-involved/. 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

JMAC for Families: jmacforfamilies.org

ProPublica article: “New York Bans Anonymous Child Welfare Reports” 

The State of Parental Rights in America

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In this episode, Allison Green, Chief Legal Officer at the National Association of Counsel for Children, and Natalece Washington, Policy Counsel at NACC, join us to discuss the Counsel for Kids Campaign and the effort to guarantee legal representation for children in foster care. They explain the current gap in access to counsel across states and make the case for why children, like parents, should have representation in proceedings that deeply impact their lives and family relationships. They highlight how legal advocacy for children can improve outcomes, including faster reunification, fewer placement disruptions, and greater stability.

Allison and Natalece also explore how children’s attorneys function within the courtroom, the distinction between best interest and stated interest models of representation, and how these approaches affect both children and parents. The conversation touches on the challenges families face in navigating the child welfare system, the importance of accountability in service provision, and the growing momentum among states to expand access to counsel for children. They also discuss ongoing federal efforts and what the future may hold for ensuring every child’s voice is heard in court.

The EPPiC Broadcast is hosted by Michael Ramey, President of the Parental Rights Foundation. Stay informed on parental rights news by signing up for email alerts at https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/get-involved/. 

Resources Mentioned:

• NACC Model of Representation Chart 
• Daily Caller Article by Allison Green: Victory For Kids And Fiscal Responsibility Hiding In Plain Sight

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In this episode, Layal Bou Harfouch, drug policy analyst at Reason Foundation and doctoral student at the University of Oxford, joins us to discuss her recent article examining the relationship between substance use and child welfare policy. Drawing on her background in addiction medicine and research, she explains how substance use is often treated as automatic evidence of risk, even though it is only one factor among many. It is often connected to broader challenges like poverty, housing instability, and limited access to care.

Layal unpacks several common myths that shape current policy, including the assumptions that all parental drug use is inherently dangerous, that people who use drugs are unfit parents, and that increased reporting or stigma improves outcomes for children. The conversation also explores how automatic reporting and drug testing practices influence when families come into contact with the system. It raises important questions about how risk is defined and how decisions are made in child welfare cases.

The EPPiC Broadcast is hosted by Michael Ramey, President of the Parental Rights Foundation. Stay informed on parental rights news by signing up for email alerts at https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/get-involved/. 

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In this episode, Alex Cinney, Staff Attorney at the American Bar Association’s Center on Children and the Law, and Toia Potts, a family advocate and co-founder of Carolina Parent Defenders, join us to discuss the realities and consequences of Termination of Parental Rights (TPR). Drawing on both legal expertise and lived experience, they examine how TPR functions within the child welfare system and what it means for families across the country.

Alex explains how TPR permanently severs the legal relationship between parents and children, often without the level of scrutiny given to other life-altering legal decisions. Toia shares her personal story of being wrongfully accused, fully exonerated, and still losing her parental rights, highlighting the lasting impact on her children, extended family, and cultural identity. Together, they challenge common assumptions about “permanency,” emphasizing the difference between legal stability and the relational connections children need to thrive. They also explore alternatives such as guardianship and kinship care, and discuss ongoing efforts to reduce unnecessary terminations and preserve family integrity.

The EPPiC Broadcast is hosted by Michael Ramey, President of the Parental Rights Foundation. Stay informed on parental rights news by signing up for email alerts at https://parentalrightsfoundation.org/get-involved/. 

Support the show