Public schools are the first line of defense when it comes to preventing, detecting, and ending child abuse. Abusive parents know this, which is why the first step to getting away with child abuse is often to remove a child from school and isolate them at home. When caring adults at Gavin’s Weber School District school reported suspected abuse, Gavin’s parents removed him from school to “homeschool” him. It’s sickening that parents under investigation for abuse are allowed to do this. But alas, in our never-ending worship of parents’ rights, Utah allows this to happen without question.

Utah’s negligent homeschool policies aren’t the only way that Gavin was shielded from protection. An initial investigation into Gavin’s death by the Child Welfare Legislative Oversight Panel reported that when DCFS and police went to Gavin’s home to investigate living conditions, his family simply refused to answer the door. Current Utah laws leave DCFS and police powerless to do anything if abusive parents refuse to comply with an investigation. Why is it that police can obtain a search warrant for a person suspected of growing a few marijuana plants in their basement, but not when there is credible evidence that a child is being beaten and starved?

I call upon Utah’s lawmakers to make two changes that will help prevent senseless child suffering. First, parents who are under investigation for child abuse should not be allowed to homeschool their children. Second, if a parent refuses to comply with an investigation from DCFS, a judge may issue a search warrant.

Much has been said recently about parents’ rights. So much so, that we sometimes forget that children also have rights, and parents have responsibilities, and we as a society have an obligation to hold parents accountable when they fail to meet those responsibilities.

Isaac Thomas

Harrisville