COMPREHENSIVE CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS FEDERALIZE U.S. CHILDREN

By Congressman John R. Rarick, (La.)

October 5, 1971

Source: National Defense Committee, N.S.D.A.R.
1176 D Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006

September 30 was a dark day for America. The Federal government has now been authorized to take over our children.

Passage of the Brademas child development programs as an amendment to the OEO bill, by a vote of 186 to 183 lays the foundation for the Federal government to replace the home and for bureaucratic "experts" to replace the parents.

One of the salient selling features was the repeated assertion that the Day Care Centers were necessary to help working mothers and to provide facilities for youth care to encourage unemployed mothers to seek gainful employment. Yet the bill as passed by the House excludes mothers earning over $4,320 a year. This makes a mockery of the propaganda that the bill is intended to help or encourage mothers to work. On the contrary, it would discourage employment and discriminate against the working mother making over $4,320. Nor can we assume that the child development programs are mere federally funded baby sitting or "new" education or, for that matter, confined to youth.

PRESIDENT NIXON WANTS YOUR CHILDREN EARLY

President Nixon, addressing Congress in 1969, recommended that the government become involved in developing children during "the first five years of life." The anticipated age range can be expected to be from infancy to kindergarten. What significant educational training can there be for babies in arms except to condition them to be away from their mothers and look to the State for security and guidance?

FAMILY RESOURCE CENTERS

We are being told that something must be done for the millions of our children who have no parents, are from broken homes, and are from homes where they are mistreated or the parents are insensitive to the child's demands. This reveals the real intent. The child development programs are not to help working mothers but rather to establish federal custodial centers. The suggestion that society could curtail the increase in crime by caring for those described as criminals and dissidents in society is repulsive and unsupported by statistics, logic or truth.

GOVERNMENT CAUSES THE PROBLEM, OFFERS THE SOLUTION

Likewise, repeated inferences that parents don't know how to control their children or lack the understanding and interest to discipline them is hypocrisy. For years the progressive experimenters of the new educational system have encouraged smart aleckness as free speech and dissent. Children have been taught that their parents are old fashioned - out of step with and ignorant of the needs of changing times. In fact, the Congress has supplied the parents' and taxpayers' funds to finance this teaching of disobedience, disrespect and rebellion. It is revolting that the same organizations and movements which have encouraged rebellion against parental control and respect of the home now offer this conflict as an argument that parents are now incompetent to rear their own children.

READ OUR LIPS - IT'S ONLY VOLUNTARY

Supporters of the child development programs urge that the service is voluntary not mandatory, and that there will be nothing further to make the law apply to other than disadvantaged children - that it is an end in itself. The American people have heard these arguments and assurances before. Public education was not originally compulsory. Congress is on record as prohibiting the use of busing to achieve racial balance - children are bused anyway. Furthermore, the bill indicates that it is but a beginning - the foot in the door - until the people can be conditioned to accept more. The language of the bill makes this most clear:

Section 522 (b) (5) - "It is the purpose of this Act to.... establish the legislative framework for the future expansion of such programs to provide universally available child development services."

Anyone who assumes these programs as being voluntary is either misinformed or ignorant of the facts. The American people know better. They have learned otherwise the hard way on too many occasions.

PARENTS "PARTNERSHIP" WITH BIG BROTHER AND LOSE CHILDREN

History records many examples of attempts by governments to gain control over the minds and bodies of its young people. Hitler with his regimentation and dreams of a new world order never achieved what these programs provide - "the formation of a partnership of parents, community, State and local governments to provide every child with a fair and full opportunity to reach his full potential by establishing and expanding comprehensive child development programs and services."

The child development programs authorize "comprehensive physical and mental health, social, and cognitive development services necessary for children participating in the program." Congress has instructed the Federal Government to establish programs to take children away from their parents, place them in custody of the State and rear them according to State-ordained programs and activities. There is no prohibition or restriction on any sort of instruction so long as it affects the child and is approved by the authorities.

PROGRAMS REMINISCENT OF NAZI YOUTH MOVEMENT

Child development proposals go further than providing for government-controlled nursery schools, Headstart programs, or kindergartens. They provide for programs to keep the child away from parents. The Secretary of HEW is instructed to program a 24-hour day by providing for specially designed health, social, and educational programs. Just when the parent is allowed time with the child apparently depends on the comprehensive program or the person administering it. This power grab over our youth is reminiscent of the Nazi youth movement; in fact, it goes far beyond Hitler's wildest dreams or the most outlandish of the Communist plans.

ENTER CHILD PROTECTIVE AGENCIES

The law provides for in-home services and training in fundamentals of child development for parents, older family members acting as parents, youth, and prospective parents. The law is clear that where it is impracticable to replace the parent with the State, then the bureaucracy would train those functioning in the capacity of parent as a paid agent of the State.

Child development proposals should remind us of Communist teachings on destruction of the family unit. Leon Trotsky, writing in "The Revolution Betrayed" 1936, commented, that "you cannot 'abolish the family, you have to replace it.'"

"The hand that rocks the cradle rules the nations!"