EPPiC Broadcast
Welcome to the EPPiC Broadcast: Empowering Parents and Protecting Children. Featuring personal stories, breaking news, and insightful commentary, we’ll encourage and inform you on the issue of family and parental rights as you guide and protect that child who is your world. From the Parental Rights Foundation. The EPPiC Broadcast welcomes discussion on a variety of viewpoints regarding parental rights issues; however, the views and opinions expressed by guests are solely their own.
S10 E10 · Tue, April 29, 2025
In the Matter of Sapphire W., with Melissa Friedman, Zoë Allen, and David Shalleck-Klein
Today we discuss In Re: Sapphire W. with three attorneys who worked on the case: Melissa Friedman and Zoe Allen of the Legal Aid Society's Juvenile Rights Practice and David Shalleck-Klein of the Family Justice Law Center. In Sapphire W. , they took on New York City family courts' practice of placing families under the supervision of ACS any time a child was alleged to have been neglected or abused, even if there was no allegation against the custodial parent. Together, our guests won a major victory to preserve family integrity for Sapphire and her mom, and for countless other NY families. 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/ . Support the show
S10 E9 · Tue, April 22, 2025
Rewind: Why Reasonable Childhood Independence Matters, with Diane Redleaf
This week, we're rewinding to a conversation with Diane Redleaf from February 2024. Diane is the legal consultant at Let Grow , an organization that promotes reasonable childhood independence. She’s also the author of They Took the Kids Last Night . In this episode, Diane tells us what reasonable childhood independence is and why it matters for protecting parental and family rights. Plus hear about her work advocating for families caught up in the child welfare system. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Diane Redleaf's mother, Rhoda Redleaf, herself an iconic national leader in child advocacy for six decades who was instrumental as a strategic partner of our speaker in her own career as a child and family advocate. Rhoda passed away on Feb. 3, 2024. 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/. Support the show
S10 E8 · Tue, April 15, 2025
Supporting Parents Instead of Punishing Them, with Nora McCarthy
Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! Our latest episode features Nora McCarthy, director of the NYC Family Policy Project and founder and former director of Rise, a NYC parent advocacy organization. Nora discusses her recently released article about the harm CPS investigations cause to families. Over a third of all US children will experience a CPS investigation by age 18, and over half of Black children. This, paired with the statistic that only 7% of families take advantage of resources offered by the child welfare system, shows that changes are needed for parents to feel safe in asking for help. You can read Nora’s article here: https://imprintnews.org/opinion/child-welfare-reckons-with-the-harm-of-investigations/258536 . 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/ . Support the show
Tue, April 08, 2025
The Enemy that Is Illinois House Bill 2827, with Will Estrada
Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! Our latest episode features Will Estrada, the Senior Counsel at the Home School Legal Defense Association, and former President of the Parental Rights Foundation. Will and Michael discuss a state bill that has gained international attention due to how dangerous it is for parental rights. This bill would overturn over 75 years of state homeschooling precedent, and would criminalize parents who fail to file paperwork, opening them up to arrest and jail time. 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/ . Support the show
S10 E6 · Tue, April 01, 2025
Parental Rights and Blindness, with Mark Riccobono
Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! Our latest episode features Mark Riccobono, the President of the National Federation of the Blind. Mark has been a lifelong advocate for those with blindness and low-vision, and today he discusses how important parental rights are for families affected by blindness, sharing stories of how unjustly the child welfare system treats parents who are blind. For more information about the National Federation of the Blind, check out their website here: http://nfb.org/ . You can also explore nfb.org/convention , which has information on their National Convention, which is the largest gathering of blind people in the world. 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/ . Support the show
S10 E5 · Tue, March 25, 2025
Arrested for Valuing Her Son’s Independence, with Brittany Patterson and David DeLugas
Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! Our latest episode features Brittany Patterson, a Georgia mother who made headlines when she was arrested after her 10-year-old walked to the store solo; and David DeLugas, executive director of ParentsUSA and Brittany’s attorney. Brittany tells her story and gives us a closer look at what happened on the day she was arrested. She and David both discuss the injustice of the event, and what it signifies for parental rights and childhood independence for any family. 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/ . Support the show
S10 E4 · Tue, March 18, 2025
Recent and Future CPS Reforms in Texas, with Andrew Brown
Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! Our latest episode features Andrew Brown, Vice President of Policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and an attorney who has represented families harmed by the child welfare system. Today, he talks about recent and future changes in the Texas welfare laws, with a special focus on a bill requiring CPS workers to inform parents of their rights in an investigation. He also discusses the “civil death penalty” – termination of parental rights – and the reforms it needs. Relatedly, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas recently praised the TX Legislature for its recent CPS reforms, and urged it to consider changes to the procedures for parental rights terminations. You can find the video of his remarks here: https://x.com/TPPF/status/1895528525651984683 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/ . Support the show
S10 E3 · Tue, March 11, 2025
Minimizing the Government’s Role in Families’ Lives, with Grover Norquist
Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! Our latest episode features Grover Norquist, the founder and president of Americans for Tax Reform, a political advocacy group fighting for lower taxes. Today, he talks about limiting the government’s role in telling citizens how to live their lives - which naturally impacts its power over parents and families. 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/ . Support the show
S10 E2 · Tue, March 04, 2025
The African American Family Preservation Act Victory, with Kelis Houston
Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast! Our latest episode features Kelis Houston, the founder of Village Arms, a community organization dedicated to reducing the number of African American children removed from their families by Minnesota's Child Protection System. Today, she gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the background of the African American Family Preservation Act - which became law after an astounding seven years of advocacy by Kelis and Village Arms. 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/ . Support the show
S10 E1 · Tue, February 25, 2025
Parents’ Educational Choices Past and Present, with Kerry McDonald
Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! We’re kicking off season 10 with returning guest Kerry McDonald. Kerry is an educational scholar and author, and a senior fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education. Today she discusses the history of educational choice – including as recently impacted by COVID – and the variety of options parents can select from today. 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/ . Support the show
S9 E12 · Tue, November 26, 2024
How the Child Welfare System Affects Parents, with Shanta Trivedi
For our final episode of Season 9, we welcome Shanta Trivedi, who is both an Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Baltimore School of Law, and the Faculty Director of the University’s Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for Families, Children and the Courts. We have regularly covered the harmful effects which the child welfare system has on children, but this week, we welcome Shanta to discuss the effects on parents. The broken system tends to penalize disadvantaged parents for behaviors that every parent has had. This can largely be attributed to poverty being conflated with neglect, and can often carry undertones of classism and racism. Shanta explains why many current policies don’t work, and her ideal solutions to solve these issues. 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/ . Support the show
S9 E12 · Tue, November 19, 2024
The Common Ground of Parental Rights, with Vivek Sankaran and Michael Farris
This week, we welcome Vivek Sankaran and Michael Farris to the podcast. 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 ParentalRights.org, 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/ . Support the show
S9 E11 · Tue, November 12, 2024
When CPS Is at the Door, with Jim Mason, Kathleen Creamer, and Martin Guggenheim
This week, we have the privilege of hosting not one, not two, but three guests! We speak with Jim Mason, the president of the Home School Legal Defense Association, Kathleen Creamer, the managing attorney at Community Legal Services’ Family Advocacy Unit, and Martin Guggenheim, the founder and retired co-director of New York University School of Law’s Family Defense Clinic. These longtime experts in their fields spend some time with us today discussing best practices for parents and important things to know if CPS shows up at your family’s door. 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/ . Support the show
S9 Enull · Tue, November 05, 2024
Rewind: Before You Call CPS, with Vivek Sankaren
This week, we're rewinding to a conversation with Vivek Sankaran from June 2021. When faced with a struggling family, bystanders can be quick to call CPS, not realizing that child protective agencies often aren't equipped to help families and rush to punish them instead. Vivek Sankaren is working to reform this broken system and provide families with helpful, high-quality legal care in the midst of CPS cases. Vivek is a clinical professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School, where he heads a program to educate future lawyers. In this week’s episode, Jim and Vivek talk about the work Vivek is doing to help create a more supportive and humane child welfare system - a system that actually helps families instead of harming them. 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/ . Support the show
S9 E9 · Tue, October 29, 2024
100 Years of Pierce v. Society of Sisters, with Melissa Moschella
This week, our guest is Melissa Moschella, professor of practice and philosophy at Notre Dame University’s McGrath Center for Church Life. Her areas of expertise include natural law, biomedical ethics, and the family, especially parental rights. She’s also the author of To Whom Do Children Belong: Parental Rights, Civic Education, and Children’s Autonomy . This week, Melissa tells us about a pivotal Supreme Court case about parental rights and education that’s turning 100 next year: Pierce v. Society of Sisters . Melissa argues that, while the Supreme Court has generally held to a narrow interpretation of this case in the subsequent years, a broader interpretation would better safeguard parental rights in public and private educational settings. 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/ . Support the show
S9 E8 · Tue, October 22, 2024
Parents Defending Education, with Nicki Neily
This week, our guest is Nicki Neily, the founder and president of Parents Defending Education. Parents Defending Education is a national grassroots organization working to preserve parents’ voices in their children’s public school education. Today, Nicki tells us how she came to found this organization and about the important work it is doing. 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/ . Support the show
S9 E7 · Tue, October 15, 2024
Star Wars and CPS, with Josh Gupta-Kagan
What does the recent Star Wars show The Acolyte have to do with the flaws in our real-world child welfare system? As it turns out, more than you might think! This week, our guest is Josh Gupta-Kagan, a clinical professor of law and director of the Family Defense Clinic at Columbia University’s School of Law. Today, Josh discusses his recent article for The Imprint , in which he draws connections between the actions of Jedi knights in a galaxy far, far away and the actions of child welfare officials much closer to home. 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/ . Support the show
S9 E6 · Tue, October 08, 2024
Narrowing the Front Door, with Angela Burton
Our guest this week is Angela Burton, founder and co-chair of the New York City Narrowing the Front Door workgroup. Angela is also the founder of the Repeal CAPTA workgroup. Previously, Angela has worked within the New York State child welfare system and she currently works closely with families navigating the system. Today, Angela tells us about the goals and work of the Narrowing the Front Door and the Repeal CAPTA workgroups, plus her insights for her years of experience in working to help parents and families in the child welfare system. 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/ . Support the show
S9 E5 · Tue, October 01, 2024
Parental Rights & Appreciation Month, with Jackie Rosario and Patti Sullivan
This week, we talk with Jackie Rosario, board member at the Indian River Public School Board in Florida, and Patti Sullivan, Parental Rights Foundation State Coordinator in Florida. The Indian River Public School Board recently passed a proclamation declaring October “Parental Rights and Appreciation Month.” Jackie and Patti tell us about how they passed the proclamation, why it’s important, and other work they’re doing for parental rights in Florida. 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/ . Support the show
S9 E4 · Tue, September 24, 2024
The Science of the Teenage Brain with Jane Anderson
Today, we welcome Jane Anderson onto the podcast. Dr. Anderson is the Vice President of the American College of Pediatricians , and author of the paper “ The Teenage Brain: Under Construction .” She gives us a crash course on how the teenage brain functions, and shows how science supports the idea that teenagers’ brains are not mature enough to make informed decisions yet on medical treatment and other important life decisions. She highlights the crucial role that parents play during these years as their children’s brains are learning how to fully function, and provides practical ways that parents can support their teenage children. 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/ . Support the show
S9 E3 · Tue, September 17, 2024
Considering All Options with Vivek Sankaran
This week’s guest is Vivek Sankaran, a professor of law at the Michigan University School of Law and Director of their Child Advocacy Law Clinic. Vivek recently argued two cases in front of the Michigan Supreme Court, which highlight the harms of permanently terminating parental rights without considering other ways to preserve the parent-child relationship. Vivek argues that if a child is in a secure situation, and is benefitting from their parental and familial relationships, courts should not immediately assume that taking away the parent’s right to be in the child’s life is in the child’s best interest. 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/ . Support the show
S9 E2 · Tue, September 10, 2024
Looking at Homeschooling Law in West Virginia, with Kevin Boden
This week, our guest is Kevin Boden, an attorney at the Home School Legal Defense Association. Kevin tells us about some potential changes to homeschooling law in West Virginia, and makes his case for why the state laws governing homeschooling there should remain unchanged. 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/. Support the show
S9 E1 · Tue, September 03, 2024
Working Toward Systemic Child Welfare Reform, with Chris Gottlieb
Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! We’re kicking off season 9 with returning guest Christine Gottlieb. Chris has been newly appointed the Director of the New York University School of Law's Family Defense Clinic. Today she tells us about the work the Clinic does to defend individual families in child welfare cases and to advocate for broader systemic change for family preservation in the child welfare system. Plus, Chris shares what you can do to advocate for child welfare reform today. 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/ . Support the show
S8 E11 · Tue, May 07, 2024
Listening to Lived Experience with Sixto Cancel
This week, we’re joined by Sixto Cancel. Sixto is the founder and CEO of Think of Us , a non-profit advocacy organization that seeks to reform and transform the child welfare system, led and guided by people who have been directly impacted by this system. Sixto tells us about the work that Think of Us is doing, and shares how his own experience growing in the foster care system led him to work toward its transformation and reform. This episode is the last episode of Season 8! Thank you for listening. The EPPiC Broadcast will return for Season 9 in August 2024. Support the show
S8 E10 · Tue, April 30, 2024
Recapping the National Conference on Parent Representation with Kathleen Creamer
This week, Kathleen Creamer is returning to the EPPiC Broadcast. Kathleen is the managing attorney of the Family Advocacy Unit at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia. This week, Kathleen gives us an overview of many topics under discussions at the ABA Center on Children and the Law’s recent National Conference on Parent Representation, which featured panels from many of the top scholars, lawyers, and authors in the world of child welfare reform. Support the show
S8 Enull · Tue, April 23, 2024
Rewind: Better Outcomes for Families with Ernestine Gray
This week, we're rewinding to a a conversation with Ernestine Gray from April 2023. This week, we talk with former judge Ernestine Gray, who served for 35 years in the Orleans Parish Juvenile Court in Louisiana. During her tenure, the Orleans Juvenile Court went from what the New York Times described as “the worst juvenile court in the nation” to a model that other juvenile courts looked to for best practices. Ernestine tells us about her many years of striving to improve the child welfare system in her parish, and how she’s worked to improve the lives of the parents and children who came into her courtroom. Support the show
S8 E9 · Tue, April 16, 2024
Progress for Parental Rights in Texas with Andrew Brown
What effects would legislation proposed in various states have on families and the states' child welfare systems? To answer that, we looked to Texas, where the same measures have already become law. This week, we talked with Andrew Brown, vice president of Policy with the Texas Public Policy Foundation, about some of the laws Texas passed in recent years, including a new law guarenteeing a right to a second opinion for parents who have been accused of abuse by a child abuse pediatrician, a law that requires parents to be told their legal rights during a child welfare investigation, and a law that differentiates between poverty and neglect. 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/. Support the show
S6 E8 · Tue, April 09, 2024
New Parental Rights Legislation, with Patti Sullivan
This week, we’re talking with Patti Sullivan, the Parental Rights Foundation's Florida State Coordinator. Patti and Michael were in DC to bring attention to two national bills aimed at protecting parental rights: the Families' Rights and Responsibilities Act and the Parental Rights Amendment. They discuss those bills and their efforts in this episode. 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/. Support the show
S6 E7 · Tue, April 02, 2024
The Child Welfare System and Homeschooling with James Mason
This week, we’re talking with James Mason, president and senior counsel at the Homeschool Legal Defense Association. Previously, James has served as the president of the Parental Rights Foundation and the host of the EPPiC Broadcast . This week, James tells us about a case in Texas that HSLDA has recently litigated on behalf of a homeschooling family caught up in a CPS investigation. 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/. Support the show
S6 E6 · Tue, March 26, 2024
Addressing Child Welfare Disproportionality in Minnesota, with Joanna Woolman
This week, Joanna Woolman returns to the podcast! Joanna is an associate professor of law at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law and the executive director of the Institute to Transform Child Protection . Today, Joanna tells us about a civil rights complaint brought forward to address the disproportionality of African American children in Minnesota's child welfare system, as well as the African American Family Preservation Act, a bill introduced to address the racial disproportionality and provide better oversight and stricter removal standards for Minnesota's child welfare system overall. 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/. Support the show
S8 E5 · Tue, March 19, 2024
Do Parental Rights Come from the Government? with Will Estrada
This week we talk with Will Estrada, senior counsel at the Homeschool Legal Defense Association and former president of the Parental Rights Foundation, as well as the former host of the EPPiC Broadcast. Will has also served as attorney with the Federal Department of Health and Human Services. In this episode, Will tells us about his upcoming law review article, in which he argues that parental rights are a pre-political right, and that the family is a basic building block of society. 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/. Support the show
S8 E4 · Tue, March 12, 2024
Diagnosing a Verdict with Michelle Weidner
This week, we’re talking with Michelle Weidner, executive director of the Family Justice Resource Center in Illinois, which represents families in CPS cases across the country. Michelle is also a parent with lived experience dealing with the child protective system. In this episode, she tells about her experience being falsely accused by a child abuse pediatrician over a blur on her infant son’s medical scan. Michelle also tells about how the Family Justice Resource Center works to reunite parents and children who have been separated by the system, and legislation that the Center is championing in Illinois to protect families from false allegations of abuse. 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/. Support the show
S8 Enull · Tue, March 05, 2024
Rewind: A History of Child Welfare, with Martin Guggenheim
This week, we're rewinding to a a conversation with Martin Guggenheim from February 2021. In this episode, we talk with Martin Guggenheim, who has taught at the NYU School of Law for over 25 years, and is one of the foremost experts on family law and family rights today. Marty tells us about his lengthy career in the family law field, including how the current child welfare system came to be, and why it’s vitally important that parents receive legal representation in court. Marty also explains how the Adoption and Safe Families Act, a cornerstone of the modern child welfare system, provides states with an incentive to permanently remove children from their birth families over the smallest parenting shortcomings, and what a better alternative would look like. Support the show
S8 E3 · Tue, February 27, 2024
Motherhood and CPS Surveillance with Kelly Fong
This week, we’re talking with Kelly Fong, author of Investigating Families: Motherhood in the Shadow of Child Protective Services , published in 2023. Kelly is an assistant professor of sociology at the University of California Irvine. In this episode, Kelly explains how child protective services exert an inescapable surveillance over many parents, especially low income and minority mothers. During her research, Kelly embedded herself in the child protective system to gain an inside perspective on how the system affects families. 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/. Support the show
S8 E2 · Tue, February 20, 2024
The Families Rights and Responsibilities Act, with Matt Sharp
This week, we’re talking with Matt Sharp, senior legal counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom. Matt tells us about the Families Rights and Responsibilities Act, recently introduced into the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives that aims to safeguard parental rights and provide parents with strong legal protections at the national level. Matt explains what’s in the bill, why it was created, and what you can do to help support it. 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/ . Support the show
S8 E1 · Tue, February 13, 2024
Why Reasonable Childhood Independence Matters, with Diane Redleaf
Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast ! We’re kicking off season 8 with a returning appearance of Diane Redleaf. Diane is the legal consultant at Let Grow , an organization that promotes reasonable childhood independence. She’s also the author of They Took the Kids Last Night . In this episode, Diane tells us what reasonable childhood independence is and why it matters for protecting parental and family rights. Plus hear about her work advocating for families caught up in the child welfare system. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Diane Redleaf's mother, Rhoda Redleaf, herself an iconic national leader in child advocacy for six decades who was instrumental as a strategic partner of our speaker in her own career as a child and family advocate. Rhoda passed away on Feb. 3, 2024. 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/. Support the show
S7 E15 · Tue, November 14, 2023
A Conversation with Will Estrada
This week we talk with Will Estrada, senior counsel at the Homeschool Legal Defense Association and former president of the Parental Rights Foundation, as well as the former host of the EPPiC Broadcast. Will has also served as attorney with the Federal Department of Health and Human Services. Today, Will explains some of the parental rights-focused work that HSLDA is currently doing. Plus, hear about what he accomplished during his tenure as president of the Parental Rights Foundation and his perspective on where the parental rights movement is headed in the future. This episode marks the end of Season 7. Thank you for listening, and we will see you again in February 2024 for Season 8! Support the show
S7 E14 · Tue, November 07, 2023
International Homeschooling, with Kevin Boden
This week we talk with Kevin Boden, director of HSLDA International. Kevin tells us about the victories and challenges homeschooling is facing internationally. Kevin is the lead attorney for the Romeike family, who came to the US in 2006 after facing legal hardships in Germany for homeschooling their children. Support the show
S7 E13 · Tue, October 31, 2023
Homeschooling and Parental Rights, with Jim Mason
This week we talk with Jim Mason, president of the Home School Legal Defense Association and former president of ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation. In this episode, Jim explains how homeschooling has grown from its fringe roots in the 70's into an enduring education option today, with abundant resources to help parents best educate their children. He also explains what he believes is next for the homeschooling movement. Support the show
S7 E12 · Tue, October 24, 2023
The Case for Abolishing Family Court, with Jane Spinak
This week we talk with Jane Spinak, author of The End of Family Court: How Abolishing the Court Brings Justice to Children and Families . Jane is a Clinical Professor of Law Emerita at Columbia Law School, where she directed clinical programs in family regulation for forty years. In this episode, Jane traces her journey from working to reform the family court system to advocating for its abolishment. She tells us about the history of the family court system, which was created to be benevolent toward families, but harshly punishes parents and children. Jane’s book lays out the case for abolishing family court completely, and replacing it with programs designed to truly support families rather than surveilling and policing them. Support the show
S7 E11 · Tue, October 17, 2023
Catching Up with Michael Farris
This week we talk with Michael Farris, constitutional law scholar, founding president of ParentalRights.org, and the former CEO and president of Alliance Defending Freedom . In this episode, Michael responds to a recent Washington Post article about his role in the parental rights movement and gives us an update on the projects he’s been working on recently. Support the show
S7 E10 · Tue, October 10, 2023
New York’s ACS and Disproportionality with Joyce McMillan
This week, we talk with Joyce McMillian. Joyce is a thought leader, advocate, community organizer, educator, and the Founder and Executive Director of Just Making A Change for Families ( JMACforFamilies ). Joyce walks us through her work advocating for families that find themselves caught up in New York’s child welfare system, the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS). Black, low income families are targeted by the ACS at a disproportionate rate. Joyce explains what factors play into this disproportionality and how New York could do better. Support the show
S7 E9 · Tue, October 03, 2023
Giving the Choice to Parents, with Melissa Moschella
This week, we talk with Melissa Moschella, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the Catholic University of America, where her teaching focuses on bioethics and the moral and political status of the family. Melissa is also the author of To Whom Do Children Belong? Parental Rights, Civic Education, and Children's Autonomy . Melissa explains her argument that parental rights are pre-governmental and rely on the natural rights of parents, rather than being conferred by the government, and why the family is the most important, basic building block of society. She explains why schools keeping secrets from parents, even with the best interest of children in mind, ultimately harms both children and parents. This episode contains discussion of controversial subject matter. The EPPiC Broadcast welcomes discussion on a variety of viewpoints regarding parental rights issues; however, the views and opinions expressed by guests are solely their own. Support the show
S7 E8 · Tue, September 26, 2023
Family Court and the Fourth Amendment, with Anna Arons
This week, we talk with Anna Arons. Anna is the Impact Project Director at the New York University Defense Clinic and formerly the acting assistant professor of lawyering at the New York University School of Law. She’s also an assistant professor of law at the Saint John’s University School of Law. In this episode, Anna discusses her law review article, The Empty Promise of the Fourth Amendment in the Family Regulation System . In her article, she explains how the child welfare system unfairly targets and polices poor and minority families and denies them the constitutional protections they are promised under the Fourth Amendment. Support the show
S7 E7 · Tue, September 19, 2023
Meet the Vice President, with William Wagner
This week, Michael talks with William Wagner, vice president of the Parental Rights Foundation. William is a distinguished Professor Emeritus of Law at the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, and founder of Salt and Light Global. William has served as a federal magistrate judge in the U.S. Courts, as Legal Counsel in the U.S Senate, and as Senior Assistant United States Attorney in the Department of Justice. William tells us about his background in constitutional law and how he came to care passionately about parental rights, plus the work he’s been doing recently on parental rights cases. Support the show
S7 E6 · Tue, September 12, 2023
Advocating for Parents’ Rights with Erin Phillips
This week, we talk with Erin Phillips, president of Power2Parent, an organization uniting parents who want to advocate for their children’s education. Power2Parent is based in Nevada, but maintains chapters in many states. Erin tells us about recent challenges to parents rights in Nevada that her organization has faced, plus victories in Nevada and across the country. Support the show
S7 E5 · Tue, September 05, 2023
Preserving Family Connections, with Vivek Sankaren
Vivek Sankaren is a clinical professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School, and director of their Child Advocacy Law Clinic and the Child Welfare Appellate Clinic. He’s authored over three dozen journal and law review articles, including “ The Ties That Bind Us: an Empirical, Clinical, and Constitutional Argument Against Terminating Parental Rights ”. In this episode, Vivek discusses the arguments he makes in his law review article that children are best cared for and protected when they maintain an attachment and connection to their families of origin. Support the show
S7 E4 · Tue, August 29, 2023
Reforming the Child Welfare System from the Inside, with Jerry Milner
This week, we talk with Jerry Milner, former Associate Commissioner of the Children’s Bureau in the US Department of Health and Human Services. Far too often, the US child welfare system creates incentives to unnecessarily separate families, harming the children it tries to protect. During his tenure with the Children’s Bureau, Jerry worked to create reforms that prioritize family preservation and reunification instead. Now, Jerry serves as the Director of the Family Justice Group. Support the show
S7 E3 · Tue, August 22, 2023
The World of Hidden Foster Care, with Josh Gupta-Kagan
This week, we talk with Dr. Josh Gupta-Kagan, Professor at Columbia University School of Law and author of “The Hidden Foster Care System.” Josh explains how many parents in child welfare investigations find their children placed with relatives, completely off the official record. While placing children with relatives, sometimes called kinship care, is not an inherently bad thing and can result in good outcomes for families, the severe lack of oversight and documentation in these placements is a glaring problem. Josh tells us what happens during an off-the-record placement, why the child welfare system doesn’t keep track of these cases, and how he’s fighting for reform and better oversight. Support the show
S7 E2 · Tue, August 15, 2023
What Medical Child Abuse Is - and Isn’t, with Maxine Eichner
This week, we talk with Maxine Eichner. Maxine is a Distinguished Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina, and she writes on legal issues surrounding families and social welfare law and policy. In this episode, Eichner explains the history of a concept called “medical child abuse” and how innocent parents of medically complex children can easily find themselves caught up in allegations of child abuse - all because some doctors don’t understand the medical issues their children face. Support the show
S7 E1 · Tue, August 08, 2023
Reforming the Texas Foster Care System, with Andrew Brown
Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast! We’re kicking off season 7 with Andrew Brown, Associate Vice President of Policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. As an attorney, Andrew has represented children in the child welfare system, advocated for the rights of parents, and helped build families through domestic and international adoption. Andrew breaks down some recent major wins for Texas families in the child welfare system. Texas recently passed into law five bills that help families, which will take effect very soon. These new laws guarantee that parents under investigation in child welfare cases have access to legal representation, replace anonymous child abuse reporting with confidential reporting, and more. Andrew explains these recent reforms in more detail, plus how they will affect families who find themselves involved in child welfare investigations. Support the show
S6 E14 · Tue, May 23, 2023
Adoption and Foster Family Advocacy with Laura Adams
In the final episode of Season 6, we talk with Laura Adams, founder of FACTS4safefamilies.com , which provides education, support, and advocacy to improve understanding of adoptive and foster children and complex trauma. Laura explains how through her work with international adoption and parenting her own adopted children with special needs, she saw firsthand the challenges that exist in getting the proper assessments and support in schools, especially in mental healthcare. Laura is an advocate for attachment-based interventions and today works to transform school social work to provide better outcomes for adopted and foster children. This episode concludes Season 6 of the EPPiC Broadcast. Thank you for listening! Support the show
S6 E13 · Tue, May 16, 2023
Advocating for Parents with Erin Phillips
This week, we talk with Erin Phillips, president of Power2Parent , an organization uniting parents who want to advocate for their children’s education. Erin discusses her journey in advocating for her parental rights in her own children’s education and how Power2Parent was formed to give parents in her home state of Nevada and across the country the power to speak up for themselves and their children in our public schools. Support the show
S6 E12 · Tue, May 09, 2023
Challenging CPS Overreach with Peter Kamakawiwoole
This week, Homeschool Legal Defense Association staff attorney Peter Kamakawiwoole returns to the Eppic Broadcast. Peter tells us about a case that he litigated on behalf of a mom who found herself dealing with an invasive CPS investigation including strip searches of her young children - all because she left her children in the car for a few minutes to buy coffee and muffins. Support the show
S6 E11 · Tue, May 02, 2023
Fighting for Reasonable Childhood Independence, with Diane Redleaf
This week, we welcome Diane Redleaf back to the Eppic Broadcast. Diane is the author of They Took the Kids Last Night and founder of the Family Defense Center . Diane is working with Let Grow to pass legislation in Virginia and Utah that protects reasonable childhood independence, the idea that children should be able to pursue age-appropriate activities on their own without the threat of their parents being reported for child neglect. Reasonable independence laws have already been passed in Oklahoma, Texas, and Colorado, and Diane is hopeful to expand these laws to more states in the future. Support the show
S6 E10 · Tue, April 25, 2023
Putting Parents in the Driver’s Seat, with Patrick Garrison
This week, we talk with Patrick Garrison, founder and president of True Corrective , an education curriculum to help parents teach their children about America’s shared principles. Patrick explains what led him to found this curriculum program, including his background as a public school teacher. Plus, he explains how True Corrective can help parents reconnect with their children’s education. Support the show
S6 E9 · Tue, April 18, 2023
A Doctor’s Perspective on Parenting with Roger Smith
This week, we talk with Dr. Roger Smith, a physician and pediatrician, and author of Parenting with Influence: Shifting Your Parenting Style as You and Your Child Grow . Roger gives a doctor’s perspective on how you as a parent can work best with your child’s pediatrician. Plus, he lays out some principles for how to stay connected with your children as they grow older and mature into adulthood. Support the show
S6 E8 · Wed, April 12, 2023
Parental Rights and Strict Scrutiny with Hugh Phillips
This week, we talk with Hugh Phillips, a constitutional litigator at Liberty Counsel. Hugh has also served as a judicial law clerk for the Supreme Court of Alabama and he’s the author of a law review article entitled “ Liberating Liberty: How the Glucksberg Test Can Solve the Supreme Court’s Confusing Jurisprudence on Parental Rights ”. Hugh discusses his law review article and explains a path forward to consistently applying the strict scrutiny test to parental rights issues in our nation’s courts. Support the show
S6 E7 · Tue, April 04, 2023
Better Outcomes for Families with Ernestine Gray
This week, we talk with former judge Ernestine Gray, who served for 35 years in the Orleans Parish Juvenile Court in Louisiana. During her tenure, the Orleans Juvenile Court went from what the New York Times described as “the worst juvenile court in the nation” to a model that other juvenile courts looked to for best practices. Ernestine tells us about her many years of striving to improve the child welfare system in her parish, and how she’s worked to improve the lives of the parents and children who came into her courtroom. Support the show
S6 E6 · Tue, March 28, 2023
Building a Better Support System, with Chelsea Sobolik
This week, we talk with Chelsea Sobolik, the Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy for Lifeline Children’s Services . Lifeline Children’s Services assists families with international adoption in all 50 states, each of the U.S. territories and U.S. citizens living abroad. Lifeline also serves women in unexpected pregnancies and families through domestic adoptions. Chelsea tells us about the mission of Lifeline and how the organization is working to help provide better solutions for adoption and foster care to parents and children. You can find out more about Chelsea and follow her work on her website . Support the show
S6 E5 · Tue, March 21, 2023
Episode Five: Restoring Classical Learning, with Jeremey Tate
This week, we talk with Jeremy Tate, founder of the Classic Learning Test . The Classic Learning Test, an alternative to the ACT and the SAT standardized tests, emphasizes classical texts and key threads of Western culture that have been neglected in mainstream American education. Jeremy breaks down the history of public education for us and explains why the CLT is needed. He also gives us his perspective on what’s missing from our public education and how we can improve our schools in the future. Support the show
S6 E4 · Tue, March 14, 2023
The Power of Classical Learning, with Robert Bortins
This week, we talk with Robert Bortins, the CEO of Classical Conversations since 2012, and a member of the board of directors of Homeschool Now USA. Robert tells us how Classical Conversations went from a single homeschooling classroom in a basement to the world’s largest classical homeschooling organization. Robert explains the process and philosophy of classical education, which aims to prepare students for whatever they may face in life and give them the tools they need to learn anything. Support the show
S6 E3 · Tue, March 07, 2023
Child Abuse Registries and Due Process, with Timothy Sandefur
This week, we talk with Timothy Sandefur, Vice President of Legal Affairs at the Goldwater Institute . Timothy is representing a mother in Arizona who found herself falsely accused of child neglect and placed on the state’s central child abuse registry in a court case that challenges the constitutionality of Arizona's child abuse registry. Today, Timothy breaks down the details of the case and argues for why exactly child abuse registries are unconstitutional. You can learn more about Timothy and his work here . Support the show
S6 E2 · Tue, February 28, 2023
Free Speech and Parental Rights with Suzanne Nossel
This week, we’re talking with Suzanne Nossel. Suzanne is the CEO of PEN America , a leading human rights and free expression organization, and she is author of Dare to Speak: Defending Free Speech for All . Previously, Suzanne has served as Chief Operating Operator of Human Rights Watch and as Executive Director of Amnesty International USA. How do principles of free speech interact with parental rights, especially in issues of education? Suzanne shares her perspective on book bans in school libraries, including concerns of censorship and the chilling of free speech in education. Plus, Suzanne tells us about her book and her hope for a renewed respect for free speech in our public discourse. Support the show
S6 E1 · Tue, February 21, 2023
An Inside Look at the Foster Care System, with Ethan Demme
Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast, season 6! We’re kicking off our season by talking with Ethan Demme, President and CEO of Demme Learning , and member of the Parental Rights Foundation Board. Ethan is also an elected member of the board of supervisors in East Lampeter Township (Pennsylvania). As a foster and adoptive parent, Ethan explains how children are often brought into the foster care system and how we can better care for children in the system. Even though some children need to be removed from their parents for their safety, parents and children being reunited is the best outcome for most families that enter the child welfare system. However, many parents who lose their children find themselves without the support that they need to successfully work their case plans and get their children back, and in many states the child welfare system prioritizes the needs of the bureaucracy itself over the needs of parents and children. Ethan also tells us about reforms that would help the foster care system and improve outcomes for parents and children. Plus, Ethan tells us more about his curriculum company, Demme Learning, which provides learning curriculum to homeschool families, and his efforts as an elected official to help safeguard parental rights. Support the show
S5 E16 · Tue, November 29, 2022
Today is Giving Tuesday!
This week, Parental Rights Foundation president Will Estrada and executive director Michael Ramey host a special discussion about Giving Tuesday. Giving Tuesday is a day to give back to nonprofits and charitable organizations, and it’s today, November 29th! Michael and Will discuss the mission of the Parental Rights Foundation and give us a snapshot into how the organization runs on a day-to-day basis. Plus, hear about our victories this year so far and the upcoming projects we’re working on. You can donate towards the Parental Rights Foundation at https://secure.parentalrights.org/forms/giving-tuesday, where today only your tax-deductible donation counts double toward protecting parental rights! This episode marks the conclusion of our fifth season of the EPPiC Broadcast. We'll be back soon in February 2023 . Thank you for listening! Support the show
S5 E15 · Tue, November 22, 2022
Parental Rights and Vaccines, with Rolf Hazlehurst
This week, we talk with Rolf Hazlehurst, Rolf is a senior attorney with Children's Health Defense and has been actively engaged in the practice of law since 1995. Rolf breaks down the history of the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, which should help families of children with vaccine-related medical injuries receive justice, but often just causes more problems for them instead. Plus, Rolf tells us what parents can do to help secure their parental rights in issues surrounding vaccines and discusses his important role in overturning Washington DC’s dangerous Minor Consent to Vaccination Act, which would have allowed children as young as 11 to receive vaccines without parental consent. Support the show
S5 E14 · Tue, November 15, 2022
The Problem with ASFA, with Joanna Woolman
This week, we talk with Joanna Woolman, associate professor of law at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law and the executive director of the Institute to Transform Child Protection . Joanna tells us about the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA), a key piece of legislation in America’s child welfare system. ASFA creates arbitrary deadlines and financial incentives for states to separate parents and children, and even terminate parental rights. Joanna explains why the law operates this way and how we can do better. Support the show
S5 E13 · Tue, November 08, 2022
Election Day, with Will Estrada and Michael Ramey
This week, we feature a special discussion between Parental Rights Foundation president Will Estrada and executive director Michael Ramey about how important it is to go out and vote today for candidates that support parental rights. Support the show
S5 E12 · Tue, November 01, 2022
Why School Choice Matters, with Quisha King
This week, we talk with Quisha King. Quisha is the host of the Quisha King Show podcast and the founder of the Mass Exodus movement, which aims to get children into better learning environments. She’s a national speaker on education issues and parental rights and she’s the mother of two daughters. Today, Quisha tells us about her journey to embracing parental rights issues and how she’s working to draw awareness to the importance of school choice and improving education for children. Support the show
S5 E12 · Tue, October 25, 2022
A Pediatrician's Perspective on Parental Rights, with Dr. Rodger Sayre
This week, we talk with Dr. Rodger Sayre. Rodger is a pediatrician and family doctor with over forty years of experience in the medical field, and he’s also a Parental Rights Foundation board member. He gives us expert advice on raising healthy children and explains how to interact with the medical community as a parent while ensuring that your parental rights are respected. He also explains how to respond to false claims of medical abuse or neglect. Support the show
S5 E11 · Tue, October 18, 2022
A History of Parental Rights, with Stephen Krason
This week, we talk with Stephen Krason, Professor of Political Science and Legal Studies at the Franciscan University of Steubenville , and Parental Rights Foundation board member. Stephen tells us about the historical background of parental rights, and why we have the parental rights laws that we have today. He also explains the legal underpinnings of our federal parental rights law, including key Supreme Court decisions. Support the show
S5 E10 · Tue, October 11, 2022
Family is Fundamental, with Melissa Moschella
This week, we talk with Melissa Moschella, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the Catholic University of America, where her teaching focuses on bioethics and the moral and political status of the family. Melissa is also the author of To Whom Do Children Belong? Parental Rights, Civic Education, and Children's Autonomy . Melissa discusses why parental rights are critical to society as a whole, and why the family is the most important, basic building block of society. She also tells us about why school choice is important for parental rights and to protect children. Support the show
S5 E8 · Tue, October 04, 2022
Episode Seven: A Jewish Perspective on Parental Rights, with Rabbi Yaakov Menken
This week, we talk with Rabbi Yaakov Menken, the founding Managing Director of Coalition for Jewish Values , the largest Rabbinic public policy coalition in the world. Rabbi Menken tells us the Orthodox Jewish perspective on parental rights and why it is so important to pass our culture and traditions on to our children. Plus, Rabbi Menken tells us about the history of Jewish education and shares his perspective on some current events. Support the show
S5 E7 · Tue, September 27, 2022
Maryanne Godboldo’s Story, with Allison Folmar
In 2011, Detroit-area parent Maryanne Godboldo found herself in a standoff with social workers, police, and even a SWAT team threatening the removal of her daughter - all because Maryanne refused to give her daughter a dangerous, mind-altering psychiatric drug. This week, we talk with civil attorney Allison Folmar, who represented Maryanne in this nationally-publicized case. Allison has represented many parents caught up in the child welfare system, and she’s a member of the Parental Rights Foundation board. In this episode, Allison tells us about Maryanne’s case from the inside, including how she successfully fought to change Michigan state law. You can learn more about Allison and her work on her website . Support the show
S5 E6 · Tue, September 20, 2022
Episode Six: In Defense of Yeshiva Schools, with Jason Bedrick
Recently, the New York Times ran an article entitled “ In Hasidic Enclaves, Failing Private Schools Flush With Public Money ”, attacking the Yeshivas (religious schools) of New York’s Hasidic Jews. But what’s the real story? This week, we talk with Jason Bedrick, a former member of the New Hampshire state legislature, and now a Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation . Jason explains the tradition of Yeshivas; some teach secular subjects in addition to religious texts, while some schools focus solely on religious instruction. And he tells us the other side of this story - the perspective of Hasidic Jews in New York who want to give their children an education in their religion and history. You can learn more about Jason and his work here . Support the show
S5 E5 · Tue, September 13, 2022
Why Due Process Matters, with Frank Garrison
This week, we talk with Frank Garrison, an attorney at the Pacific Legal Foundation , which fights to protect civil rights, private property rights, and to uphold the constitutional separation of powers. Frank is representing a mother in Arizona who has been falsely accused of child neglect and has found her name on the state child abuse registry without due process. In this episode, Frank tells how his case is challenging the constitutionality of putting parents on a state child abuse registry without due process, and how he’s fighting to give this mother a fair trial with a jury. You can learn more about Frank and his work here . Support the show
S5 E4 · Wed, September 07, 2022
Episode Four: Are State Child Abuse Registries Unconstitutional? with Timothy Sandefur
In Arizona, one mom found her name on the state registry of child abusers, with many job and volunteer opportunities closed to her for the next 25 years, all because she let her child play in a safe neighborhood park with friends while she shopped for groceries. How does this happen to an innocent, loving parent? This week, we talk with Timothy Sandefur, Vice President of Legal Affairs at the Goldwater Institute . Timothy is representing this mom in a court case that challenges the constitutionality of Arizona's child abuse registry. You can learn more about Timothy and his work here . Support the show
S5 E3 · Tue, August 30, 2022
Protecting Innocent Parents, with Jamie Gullen
This week, we talk with Jamie Gullen. Jamie is the Managing Attorney of the Employment Unit and Youth Justice Project at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia. On August 10th, Community Legal Services filed a lawsuit against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania over Pennsylvania’s state child abuse registry. When child abuse investigations are opened, parents are automatically placed on the registry, regardless of whether they have actually been convicted of child abuse. Jamie is the lead attorney on the lawsuit, and today she explains how Pennsylvania’s child abuse registry violates due process for parents. You can learn more about Jamie’s work here . Support the show
S5 E2 · Tue, August 23, 2022
A History of Homeschooling, with Jim Mason
This week’s episode features an interview with Jim Mason, president of the Home School Legal Defense Association . Jim has represented homeschooling families in a wide range of challenging situations and has set precedents that have expanded freedom for the homeschool community. Today, he tells us about HSLDA’s work in protecting the right of parents to teach their children at home. Plus, learn about the future of the parental rights movement and why families choose to school their children at home. Support the show
S5 E1 · Tue, August 16, 2022
Representing Parents in Family Court, with Kathleen Creamer
Welcome back to the EPPiC Broadcast! We’re kicking off our fifth season by talking with Kathleen Creamer, managing attorney of the Family Advocacy Unit at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia. Despite the life-altering consequences of CPS investigations, up to losing their children forever, many parents go to court completely unrepresented by any legal counsel. The system is particularly harsh on low-income families and families of color. Kathleen works to give high-quality legal aid to families caught up in child welfare investigations in Pennsylvania. Kathleen also breaks down how anonymous child abuse hotlines and central registries for child abusers, while ostensibly intended to protect children, often do more harm than good to innocent families. Plus, hear about a new bill in Pennsylvania that threatens parents with compulsory drug screenings based only on an anonymous hotline call. You can learn more about Kathleen’s work on the CLS website , and you can hear more from her on her Twitter . Also check out Community Legal Services’ podcast, How Is That Legal? . Support the show
S4 E13 · Tue, May 24, 2022
More Choices for Parents, with Julie Gunlock
This week, Will talks with Julie Gunlock, director of the Independent Women’s Network and IWF’s Center for Progress and Innovation. Before joining IWF, Julie served as a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and on the House Homeland Security Committee. Julie tells us about the importance of school choice, how parents can advocate for their rights with local school boards, and how to get organized with like-minded parents to affect change. Julie also hosts the Bespoke Parenting Hour —a podcast that explores parenting issues and encourages parents to custom tailor their parenting to best fit them, their families, and their kids! Note: this episode concludes Season 4 of the EPPiC Broadcast! We'll be back on August 9th, 2022. In the meantime, you can always listen through our archives. Support the show
S4 E12 · Tue, May 17, 2022
Helping Your Children Grow, with John Rosemond
This week, we talk with John Rosemond, a parenting expert who has worked with families, children, and parents since 1971. His parenting advice column is published in over 225 newspapers across the country, and he’s the author of over 15 books on parenting. John is also a Parental Rights Foundation board member. In this episode, John sits down with Will Estrada to discuss good parenting techniques, current parental rights issues, and what parents can do to help their children grow into strong, independent adults. Support the show
S4 E11 · Tue, May 03, 2022
Education Transparency, with Tony Kinnet
This week, we talk with Tony Kinnet, who made headlines for posting a video about the school he worked at teaching Critical Race Theory. Now, Tony is the Executive Director of the Chalkboard Review , an education commentary website that promotes diverse views in education. Tony tells us about what prompted him to post the now-viral video, what the reaction to it was, and why he believes so strongly that transparency and parental choice matters in education. Support the show
S4 E10 · Tue, April 26, 2022
Religious Liberty and Parental Rights, with Brad Dacus
This week, we talk with Brad Dacus, founding president of the Pacific Justice Institute , a non-profit legal defense organization specializing in the defense of religious liberties, parental rights, and other civil liberties. Brad served as Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator Phil Gramm and then received his juris doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law. He went on to found the Pacific Justice Institute in 1997. Brad tells us about the work of the Pacific Justice Institute, and some of the most pivotal cases that he’s worked on. Support the show
S4 E9 · Tue, April 12, 2022
Reasonable Childhood Independence, with Lenore Skenazy
This week, we talk with Lenore Skenazy, author of Free-Range Kids , and founder of Let Grow . Lenore tells us about the reasonable childhood independence movement and her organization, which aims to “make it easy, normal and legal to give kids the independence they need to grow into capable, confident, and happy adults.” Plus, hear about recent childhood independence legislation that Let Grow has introduced, and how it can help protect families from poorly-worded neglect laws and unnecessary CPS investigations. Support the show
S4 E9 · Tue, April 05, 2022
An Education Commissioner's Perspective, with Frank Edelblut
This week, we talk with Frank Edelblut, New Hampshire’s Education Commissioner since 2017. An accountant and entrepreneur and a former member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives, Edelblut now administers the state's Department of Education. Frank tells us about his work representing the interests of New Hampshire’s parents and taxpayers in the public school system and how he has helped make education more accessible to low income families. Support the show
S4 E8 · Tue, March 29, 2022
Defending Families from CPS, with Jey Rajaraman
This week we talk with Jey Rajaraman, who served the last 15 years as chief counsel and supervising attorney at Legal Services of New Jersey's Family Representation project. She has recently joined former Children's Bureau chiefs Jerry Milner and David Kelly at Family Integrity & Justice Works. Jey tells us about her work in providing legal support to families before a removal into foster care is needed. Support the show
S4 E7 · Wed, March 23, 2022
Parenting with a Disability, with Rachel Barkley
This week, we talk with Rachel Barkley, an experienced coalition- and community-builder at the state and local level, and a spinal cord tumor survivor and mom. Rachel tells us about her work promoting policies that promote personal freedom and human dignity, and about parenting her children while quadriplegic. In this episode, Rachel shares her professional experience in the policy-making world, and her personal experience in parenting with a disability. Rachel also hosts a podcast with her husband at instagram.com/wearethebarkleys/ . This episode is hosted by Will Estrada, president of the Parental Rights Foundation and ParentalRights.org! Support the show
S4 E6 · Tue, March 15, 2022
A School Board Member’s Perspective, with Willie Deutsch
This week, we’re talking with Willie Deutsch, who served for four years on the school board of Prince William County, Virginia. A parent himself, Willie focused on making parents’ voices heard in the local school system. Hear about how he worked to pass parent-focused policies and what it’s like to serve on a school board, plus tips for parents looking to engage with their local school board and advice for those interested in running for local school boards themselves. This episode is hosted by Will Estrada, president of the Parental Rights Foundation and ParentalRights.org! Support the show
S4 E5 · Tue, March 08, 2022
Parental Rights and Public Schools, with Ian Prior
This week, we’re talking with Ian Prior, founder of Fight for Schools , an organization of concerned parents dedicated to protecting parental rights in the public school system of Loudoun County, Virginia. Ian explains how he came to be involved in the parental rights movement and the work his organization has done and is currently doing on behalf of parents in the local schools. This episode is hosted by Will Estrada, president of the Parental Rights Foundation and ParentalRights.org! Support the show
S4 E4 · Tue, March 01, 2022
Talking with Parental Rights Foundation President Will Estrada
In the final installment of our anniversary series, we’re celebrating 15 years of ParentalRights.org by talking with Will Estrada, president of ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation! Will began his career with Home School Legal Defense Association and has served in the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He shares why parental rights matter to him and how his journey led him to helm ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation. Support the show
S4 E3 · Wed, February 23, 2022
Parental Rights in Florida, with Patti Sullivan and Adriana Gonzales
In the third week of February, we’re celebrating the 15th anniversary of ParentalRights.org by talking with two volunteer State Coordinators! This week, Michael talks with Adriana Gonzales, former Florida State Coordinator for ParentalRights.org, and her successor, Patti Sullivan, now a long-time advocate for families and parental rights. Adriana and Patti share how they’ve worked to pass parental rights legislation over the years, including the recent Florida Parents Bill of Rights that was signed into law in 2021. This episode is dedicated in memory of Treon G., Leroy B., Robert M., and Barbara D., parental rights heroes who have passed in this first 15 years. Support the show
S4 E2 · Tue, February 15, 2022
Joining the Parental Rights Movement, with Shaun Alexander and Ethan Demme
Welcome to week two of our celebration of 15 years of ParentalRights.org! This week, Michael talks with Shaun Alexander, 2005 NFL MVP and Vice President of the Parental Rights Foundation, and Ethan Demme, CEO of Demme Learning and former chairman of the Parental Rights Foundation Board. Shaun and Ethan share why protecting parental rights is important to them, and how they came to join ParentalRights.org and the Parental Rights Foundation. Support the show
S4 E1 · Tue, February 08, 2022
15 Years of Parental Rights, with Michael Farris
In this first episode of our fourth season, we talk with Michael Farris, founding president of ParentalRights.org and currently the president and CEO of Alliance Defending Freedom . This month, ParentalRights.org is celebrating its 15th anniversary! To celebrate, we’re interviewing key figures from our organization’s history, beginning with our founding president. Michael explains to us why he founded ParentalRights.org, and why the mission of the organization remains so important today. Support the show
Tue, December 14, 2021
Season Three Wrap-Up
Thank you for listening to Season Three of the EPPiC Broadcast! Episode 21 with Shanta Trivedi marks the end of our third season, but we’ll be back soon with more interviews and more parental-rights focused content. The EPPiC Broadcast will return on February 7th, 2022 so mark your calendars. As always, new episodes air on Tuesdays at 2 PM Eastern Standard Time. In the meantime, you can catch up on our older episodes at parentalrightsfoundation.org/podcast . If you enjoy the show, how about leaving a review on Apple Podcasts ? New reviews help listeners find our podcast and help us reach a wider audience. Thank you so much for listening, and we’ll see you again on February 7th, 2022. Support the show
S3 E21 · Tue, December 07, 2021
Keeping Children with Their Parents, with Shanta Trivedi
Our child welfare system exists to protect children from harm. Yet, in most jurisdictions in America, courts fail to consider the trauma that children will suffer if they are removed from their parents. The best way to protect most children is to support their parents and families. This week, Michael talks with Shanta Trivedi, an Assistant Professor of Law and the Faculty Director of the Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for Families, Children and the Courts , at the University of Baltimore School of Law. In 2018, Shanta published a law review article entitled “ The Harm of Child Removal ” that outlines the harm and trauma that children suffer when the child welfare system removes them from their families of origin. In this episode, Shanta walks us through how the removal process functions, and how we can do better for children and parents. This episode concludes the third season of the EPPiC Broadcast. We are taking a short break, and we’ll be back with more content for you in February, 2022. As always, thank you for listening! Support the show
S3 E20 · Wed, December 01, 2021
The Right to Choose a Babysitter, with Peter Kamakawiwoole
A new law in Virginia makes it illegal for parents to choose babysitters based on shared beliefs. Not only does this new statue violate previously existing law, it represents a dangerous threat to parental rights. This week, Homeschool Legal Defense Association staff attorney Peter Kamakawiwoole, who has helped us to file suit against this law, joins us to explain how it violates Virginia state law regarding freedom of religion and disregards the traditional rights of parents. At HSLDA, Peter helps families across the country who encounter legal difficulties because of their decision to homeschool, and represents families before administrative tribunals, and in state and federal court. Support the show
Tue, November 23, 2021
The Case for Blind Removals, with Dr. Jessica Pryce
Our child welfare system removes minority children from their parents’ homes at a much higher rate than white children. What if there were a way to remove racial biases from CPS child removals and end the over-representation of black and minority children in our child welfare system? This week, Michael talks with Dr. Jessica Pryce, Director of the Florida Institute of Child Welfare. Jessica is a professor and a former social worker, and she’s the author and presenter of a TED Talk entitled “ To transform child welfare, take race out of the equation” . Hear more about Jessica’s concept of blind removals in this week's episode. Support the show
S3 E19 · Tue, November 16, 2021
Making More Time for Parents, with Andrew Brown
The 21st Century Children and Family Act , recently introduced into the House of Representatives, promises to reduce "legal orphans" in the foster care system by supporting families up front and keeping them together. Can we expect to see this change succeed? This week, Michael talks with Andrew Brown, a distinguished senior fellow of child and family policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation . Andrew has advocated for parents and families as an attorney, and he’s an expert on issues surrounding child and family policy. Andrew explains how our foster care system came to be this way, and breaks down the details of this new pro-family bill. Support the show
S3 E18 · Tue, November 09, 2021
Parents and the 2021 Virginia Election, with Generation Joshua
The recent Virginia gubernatorial election signaled a win for parental rights, arguably on a national level. Will the growing grassroots support for parental rights continue? This week, Michael talks with Joel Grewe and Jeremiah Lorrig, director and deputy director, respectively, of Generation Joshua -- an organization dedicated to educating youth about the political process and helping them enter the political arena. Join us for an in-depth breakdown of how parents rallied in Virginia to reject the establishment's anti-parent views. Can we expect to see similar victories for parental rights in the future? Support the show
S3 Enull · Tue, October 26, 2021
Special Update
The EPPiC Broadcast is taking an official, two-week hiatus. We’ll be back with more great content on November 11th. Coming up, we’re going to be talking with Shanta Trivedi, Assistant Professor of Law and the Director of the Sayra and Neil Meyerhoff Center for Family, Children and the Courts, at the Baltimore University School of Law. Another upcoming guest is Dr. Jessica Pryce, Assistant Professor in the College of Social Work at Florida State University and the Executive Director of The Florida Institute for Child Welfare. In the meantime, you can find our back catalog of episodes at parentalrightsfoundation.org/podcast , and our facebook page at facebook.com/eppicbroadcast . Thank you for listening to the EPPiC Broadcast. We truly appreciate your support. Once again, we will return on November 11th! Support the show
S3 E17 · Tue, October 05, 2021
What Will It Take to Reunite Families?, with Martin Guggenheim
The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) was passed in 1997 to keep children from languishing in foster care, but today this law gives state agencies a cash bonus for breaking up families. How did we get here, and what can we do to give families that encounter social services a fighting chance to stay together? This week, we talk again with Dr. Martin Guggenheim of the NYU School of Law. Marty tells us about how ASFA creates a ticking clock for families caught in the CPS system, and how he’s working to help reform this law. He also explains why it is usually in the best interest of children to reunite with their parents, rather than finding permanency in foster care. Support the show
S3 E16 · Tue, September 21, 2021
The Problem with ASFA, with Jerry Milner
This week, Jim talks again with Jerry Milner, former Associate Commissioner of the Children’s Bureau in the US Department of Health and Human Services. Jerry now works with Family Integrity & Justice Works. Jerry explains why the Adoption and Safe Families Act, created in the 1980s, needs to be reformed to preserve families, rather than splitting them up unnecessarily. He also tells us about the harms that the current mandatory reporting system causes, and what can be done to better protect children without removing them from their families. Support the show
S3 E15 · Tue, September 14, 2021
A Pandemic of Child Abuse?, with Anna Arons
In March 2020, we heard ominous warnings of ‘pandemic of child abuse’ accompanying the COVID-19 shut downs. Children went home, away from the watchful eyes of mandated reporters, and back to their families. But did cases of child abuse actually increase during the added stress of the pandemic? This week, Jim sits down with Anna Arons, a professor at the NYU School of Law. Anna has previously worked as a family defender at the Neighborhood Defender Services of Harlem, representing parents in child welfare cases. Anna explains what actually happened in New York’s child protection agency during the pandemic and why the alarm about spiking child abuse during the pandemic has largely dissolved. Read more about Anna’s research in her recent law review article ( https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=38152170 ). Support the show
S3 E14 · Tue, September 07, 2021
Passing the Parents’ Bill of Rights, with Rep. Erin Grall
This week, Jim sits down with Florida State Rep. Erin Grall, sponsor and architect of the recently passed Florida Parents’ Bill of Rights. Erin tells us about the long road to this historic victory for Florida parents, and how grassroots involvement from local parents helped the bill gain traction. Plus, hear about how this bill can help parents and families in other states. Support the show
S3 E13 · Tue, August 31, 2021
A Bill of Rights for Parents, with Patti Sullivan
Florida parents are celebrating a historic victory - the successful passage of a Parents' Bill of Rights in their state. This week, Michael talks with Patti Sullivan, ParentalRights.org's Florida State Coordinator, and a long-time advocate for families and parental rights. Patti was deeply involved with the passage of this bill, and she explains how this bill was passed, how it will help families in Florida and across the nation, and the opposition the bill faced. Learn more about Patti’s work at these resources, mentioned on the program: ParentalRightsFL.org Parental Rights Florida Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/parentalrightsFL) Support the show
S3 E12 · Tue, August 24, 2021
Standing up for Parents in Family Court, with Judge Ernestine Gray
During her time as a family court judge, foster care rates in her city dropped to just 10% of the national average. How did she do it? This week, Michael talks with former judge Ernestine Gray, who served for 35 years in the Orleans Parish Juvenile Court in Louisiana. Judge Gray explains how she prioritized preserving families and parent-child relationships in her court, and how she helped parents find community resources and support, rather than immediately revoking their rights. Support the show
S3 E11 · Tue, August 17, 2021
What’s Next for the SAFE Act, with Robin Lundstrum
This week, Jim talks with Arkansas State Rep. Robin Lundstrum, architect of the historic Save Adolescents From Experimentation (SAFE) Act . Robin explains why it has become necessary to ban harmful puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and transgender surgeries for minors. Hear about how this bill was designed with input from policy experts, doctors, psychiatrists, and more. Robin explains how the transgender movement damages the traditional parent-child relationship and traditional parental rights, and tells us about her efforts to help pass similar protective legislation in other states. Plus, learn more about this issue with these resources, mentioned on the program: TREVoices (https://www.trevoices.com/) Family Policy Alliance (https://familypolicyalliance.com/) Family Research Council (https://www.frc.org/) Support the show (http://parentalrightsfoundation.org/donate)
S3 E10 · Tue, August 10, 2021
The Arkansas SAFE Act, with Brandon Showalter
Note: this episode contains graphic medical descriptions that may not be appropriate for some listeners. Arkansas recently passed the historic Save Adolescents From Experimentation (SAFE) Act , designed to protect underage children from harmful transgender medical procedures. Why is this legislation important to protect your children? This week, Jim talks with Brandon Showalter, a reporter for the Christian Post who focuses on covering LGBTQA+ issues. Brandon explains how the transgender movement has recently risen to prominence and shares his research on how it harms our children and our parental rights. Hear about why the Arkansas SAFE Act and other bills like it are being passed in response. Plus, learn more about this issue with these resources, mentioned on the program: Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters , by Abigail Shrier ( https://smile.amazon.com/Irreversible-Damage-Transgender-Seducing-Daughters/dp/1684512 ) Summary of When Harry Became Sally: Responding to the Transgender Moment ( https://smile.amazon.com/Summary-When-Harry-Became-Sally/dp/B091WJBKCB/ ) Trans Mission: What's the Rush to Reassign Gender? ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUeqEoARKOA ) Support the show (http://parentalrightsfoundation.org/donate)
S3 E9 · Tue, August 03, 2021
Gender Ideology and Parental Rights, with Emilie Kao
Radical gender ideology is infiltrating our schools - and putting our children at risk of permanent, serious harm. What can we do about it? This week, Emilie Kao joins Jim on the EPPiC Broadcast for a discussion on gender ideology, parental rights, and religious freedom. Emilie is a long time expert on religious freedom and civil liberties with the Heritage Foundation , now transitioning to a role with Alliance Defending Freedom . She explains how the transgender movement can seriously harm children’s minds and bodies, and how the Heritage Foundation and ADF are fighting back, including working to pass good legislation that would protect our children. Plus, hear about what you can do to help protect your own children and your parental rights today. Support the show
S3 E8 · Tue, July 27, 2021
Keeping Politics Out of the Classroom, with Michael Farris
Parental rights and religious liberties are being increasingly threatened by radicalized school curricula. What can we do about it? This week, ParentalRights.org founder and Alliance Defending Freedom CEO Michael Farris returns to the EPPiC Broadcast. Michael explains why these new curricula are harmful to children and even unconstitutional, and what Alliance Defending Freedom is doing about it. Hear about ADF’s ongoing case representing Tanner Cross, the Virginia PE Teacher who was suspended for objecting to controversial new school policies. Support the show
S3 E7 · Tue, July 20, 2021
Pursuing Respect and Justice, with David Kelly
How can we build a child welfare system that treats families with respect and justice? This week we talk with David Kelly, former Special Assistant at the Children’s Bureau in the US Department of Health and Human Services. David tells us about his work, and explains why our child welfare system needs a complete overhaul to truly support families, from providing better support and services to replacing laws like CAPTA and ASFA. Support the show
S3 E6 · Tue, July 06, 2021
Homeschooling Growth During COVID, with Steven Duvall
How has the pandemic affected education, including parental rights and homeschooling issues? This week we talk with Dr. Steven Duvall, Director of Research at the Home School Legal Defense Association, and former public-school psychologist and university professor. Dr. Duvall unpacks some shifting trends in the education world, including some recent data on the increase in homeschooling in the past year, and why that’s good news for the rights of all parents. Support the show
S3 E5 · Tue, June 29, 2021
Freedom to Grow, with Lenore Skenazy
What is “Reasonable Childhood Independence,” and why is it so important? This week we talk again with Lenore Skenazy, author of Free-Range Kids , and founder of the Let Grow movement. Lenore explains why it’s important for children to grow up with a healthy amount of freedom and responsibility. Plus, hear about some recent legislative wins in Texas and Oklahoma for childhood independence and parental rights! Support the show
S3 E4 · Tue, June 22, 2021
Reforming CAPTA, with Andrew Brown
As we celebrate legislative victories in Texas, Congress is set to re-authorize the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). How should this important legislation be reformed to better help parents and children? This week, we talk with Andrew Brown, a distinguished senior fellow of child and family policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation . Andrew has advocated for parents and families as an attorney, and he’s an expert on issues surrounding child and family policy. Andrew tells us about the CAPTA reforms he’s championing and discusses those recent victories in his home state of Texas. Support the show
S3 E3 · Tue, June 15, 2021
The Case Against Universal Preschool, with Peter Gray
The Biden administration has recently proposed universal preschool for American families, but some experts are skeptical. What’s the case to be made against universal preschool? This week, Jim talks with psychologist and Boston College research professor of psychology Dr. Peter Gray, author of the recent Psychology Today article, The Case Against Universal Preschool. Peter explains how, over time, early child education has come to emphasize test scores and academics, rather than the play and organic learning that young children need to learn and grow. Hear about what young children need instead to truly thrive in preschool and kindergarten, and the choices that you as a parent have in your child’s education. Support the show
S3 E2 · Tue, June 08, 2021
What is a Guardian Ad Litem? With Joanna Woolman
Guardians ad litem have great power over your family in a CPS case. But who are they? This week, we’re talking with Joanna Woolman about guardians ad litem [GAL’s], the people responsible for representing your child’s interests in court. Joanna is an associate professor of law at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law and the executive director of the Institute to Transform Child Protection . GAL’s can be a big help to your family by representing what is best for your child, but a lot of them are simply unfamiliar with the parent’s side of the issue. Joanna explains the details of how a GAL functions in a CPS case, and what you need to know to protect your family. If you are a guardian ad litem, you want to use this power for good. Listen to this episode to broaden your perspective and better understand what that means for each unique situation you face. Support the show
S3 E1 · Tue, June 01, 2021
Before You Call CPS, with Vivek Sankaren
When faced with a struggling family, bystanders can be quick to call CPS, not realizing that child protective agencies often aren't equipped to help families and rush to punish them instead. Vivek Sankaren is working to reform this broken system and provide families with helpful, high-quality legal care in the midst of CPS cases. Vivek is a clinical professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School, where he heads a program to educate future lawyers. In this week’s episode, Jim and Vivek talk about the work Vivek is doing to help create a more supportive and humane child welfare system - a system that actually helps families instead of harming them. Thank you for listening! In our next episode, we will discuss the role and function of guardians ad litem with Professor Joanna Woolman. Support the show
S2 Enull · Tue, April 06, 2021
Special Announcement: Season Three Coming June 1st
Thank you so much for listening to the EPPiC Broadcast! This week, Michael shares a brief special announcement to mark the end of Season Two and reveal exciting plans for Season Three. Plus, hear how you can help educate friends and family on parental rights issues. We’re returning on June 1st—see you then! Support the show
S2 E24 · Tue, March 23, 2021
Finding Family, with Enrique Gutierrez of FindMyParent.org
This week, Michael talks with Enrique Gutierrez, founder of FindMyParent, a powerful new tool to help separated parents and children connect with each other. Enrique tells us how the tool works and explains why he decided to create this resource. You can learn more about his work and see how the tool works at FindMyParent.org. Support the show
S2 E23 · Tue, March 16, 2021
The Problem with Anonymous Reporting, with Dale Cecka
Anonymous calls to report child abuse are designed to protect children, but far too often anonymous reporting is maliciously abused to harm families. What if we replaced anonymous calls with confidential reporting? This week, Jim talks with Dale Cecka, author of “Abolish Anonymous Reporting to Child Abuse Hotlines” and “How Child Abuse Hotlines Hurt the Very Children They’re Trying to Protect” , and former Professor of Law at the University of Richmond School of Law. Dale lays out her research on the harms caused by anonymous reporting, from deliberately false reports of child abuse to well-intentioned but misinformed calls from bystanders. We can do better for children and families by confidentially recording the identity of those who report child abuse. Support the show
S2 E22 · Tue, March 09, 2021
Reforming the Child Welfare System, with Jerry Milner
Far too often, the child welfare system sends children straight to foster care, destroying innocent families and harming the very children it tries to protect. How can we prioritize preserving families and giving parents the support they need instead? This week, Jim talks with Jerry Milner, former Associate Commissioner of the Children’s Bureau in the US Department of Health and Human Services. Jerry shares his experience over the last four years in the Children’s Bureau, and in his long career in the field of child welfare, including the problems that plague the system and reforms he has championed for parents and children. Support the show
S2 E21 · Tue, March 02, 2021
Parental Rights and the Constitution, with William Wagner
This week, Michael talks with William Wagner, distinguished Professor Emeritus of Law at the Western Michigan University Cooley Law School, and president of Salt and Light Global . William has served as a Federal Judge in the U.S. Courts, as Legal Counsel in the U.S Senate, as Senior Assistant United States Attorney in the Department of Justice, and as a former member of the ParentalRights.org Board. William tells us how parental rights are protected by the Constitution, and why parents’ rights to direct the upbringing and especially education of their children is so important. Learn about the work that Salt and Light Global is doing to protect educational and religious liberties in the public sphere, and how unique problems caused by the pandemic are affecting parental rights issues. Support the show
S2 E20 · Tue, February 23, 2021
DC Bill 23-171 with Rolf Hazelhurst
Imagine if your 11-year-old child could receive medical procedures without your knowledge or approval. What exactly is DC Bill 23-171, the Minor Consent to Vaccination Act, and why are we so concerned with stopping this legislation? Rolf Hazlehurst is a senior attorney with Children's Health Defense and has been actively engaged in the practice of law since 1995. This week, Rolf gives us a history of vaccine law policy and explains why DC Bill 23-171 puts children at serious risk. Learn more about the details of this dangerous legislation, and what you can do to stop it from becoming law. Support the show
S2 E19 · Tue, February 16, 2021
Who Gets to Decide? With Melissa Moschella
Someone is going to make decisions for your child. Should it be you (the parent) or the government? And what really is in the best interest of your child? This week, Jim talks with Melissa Moschella, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the Catholic University of America, where her teaching focuses on bioethics and the moral and political status of the family. Melissa is also the author of To Whom Do Children Belong? Parental Rights, Civic Education, and Children's Autonomy. Melissa discusses competing philosophies of parental authority and family rights, including the works of Elizabeth Bartholet and James Dwyer. Melissa also explains why parents should be the ones who decide for their children, and how we can create stronger protections for parental authority. Support the show
S2 E17 · Tue, February 09, 2021
A History of Child Welfare, with Martin Guggenheim
This week, Jim talks with Martin Guggenheim, who has taught at the NYU School of Law for over 25 years, and is one of the foremost experts on family law and family rights today. Marty tells us about his lengthy career in the family law field, including how the current child welfare system came to be, and why it’s vitally important that parents receive legal representation in court. Marty also explains how the Adoption and Safe Families Act, a cornerstone of the modern child welfare system, provides states with an incentive to permanently remove children from their birth families over the smallest parenting shortcomings, and what a better alternative would look like. Support the show
S2 E17 · Tue, February 02, 2021
Stopping the ASFA Clock, with Chris Gottlieb
The Adoption and Safe Families Act imposes a 15-month deadline for families separated by the child welfare system to reunify. In the age of COVID, many families are torn apart because of governmental delays they can’t control. What can we do to stop this unjust timetable? This week, Jim talks with Chris Gottlieb, Co-Director of New York University School of Law Family Defense Clinic and a key player in the #StoptheClock working group of the United Family Advocates coalition. Chris tells us about her work on a bipartisan bill to stop the 15-month timeline and her efforts and experiences in the field of family and parental rights. Support the show
S2 E16 · Tue, January 26, 2021
A Better Permanence, with Maggie McKneely
It’s a new year, with a new Presidential Administration and a new Congress. What changes and reforms can we expect in child welfare and parental rights law? This week, Michael talks with Government Affairs Liaison Maggie McKneely. Maggie gives us an update on the DC Vaccines Bill and discusses why the ASFA (Adoption and Safe Families Act) causes unnecessary harm to struggling families in the name of permanency. How can we fully preserve family bonds and give children a better foundation than mere legal permanency? Support the show
S2 E15 · Tue, January 19, 2021
Parents Need Support, Not Policing, with Joyce McMillan
Child welfare and family services claim to act in the best interest of children, but far too often government agencies punish innocent parents and rip apart low-income and minority families. What would a child welfare system look like that supports parents and keeps families together? This week, Michael talks with Joyce McMillan, Founder of JMAC for Families and the PLAN Coalition. Joyce is a deeply respected NYC activist for families, and she has been there herself. Joyce tells us about her work defending families in New York, how the system is failing parents and children, and what a better model of child welfare might look like. See more of Joyce’s work at her new website, jmacforfamilies.com . Support the show
S2 E14 · Mon, January 11, 2021
Grassroots Change for Parental Rights, with Patti Sullivan
The need for reform in the child welfare system and parental rights legislation is great, but the challenge is daunting. How can you get involved in the fight to protect your parental rights? This week, Michael talks with Patti Sullivan, ParentalRights.org's Florida State Coordinator and long-time advocate for families and parental rights. Patti tells us how she became involved in working to change her state's laws, plus how you can get involved in working to protect your family and your rights. Learn more about Patti's work here. Support the show
S2 E13 · Mon, January 04, 2021
Hope for 2021
This week in a rare solo episode, Michael talks about our legislative efforts coming up in 2021 as we aim to keep more families together and empower parents to protect their children. Child abuse registry reform and anonymous reporting reforms are highlighted. Support the show
S2 E12 · Tue, December 29, 2020
Wrapping up 2020
This week, Michael and Shellby look back on our work in 2020. Although it's been a rough year for all of us, we've seen a number of bright spots in the work of the Parental Rights Foundation and in the discussions we've had on the EPPiC Broadcast. Join us for a recap! Support the show
S2 E11 · Tue, December 15, 2020
Where Do Parental Rights Come From? with Robert George
Where do parental rights come from? And why are parents the ones best suited to make decisions for their children? This week, Jim talks with eminent scholar, natural law expert, and Princeton law professor Robert P. George. Robert unpacks the legal and philosophical underpinning of parental rights, and deals with some arguments made by detractors of parental rights and homeschooling, including Harvard Law Professor Elizabeth Bartholet. Support the show
S2 E10 · Tue, December 08, 2020
Stopping the DC Vaccine Bill
DC is poised to enact a piece of legislation which would allow children as young as 11 to consent to a vaccination that their parent had already decided is not in their best interest, without even notifying the parent. This week, Maggie McKneeley, Government Affairs Liaison for ParentalRights.org, breaks down the details of the legislation and what we can do to stop this bill from passing. Support the show
S2 E9 · Tue, December 01, 2020
Talking with Shaun Alexander
This week, Michael talks with Shaun Alexander, 2005 NFL MVP and Vice President of the Parental Rights Foundation. Shaun talks about homeschooling his kids, what makes a great parent, and the importance of Giving Tuesday - an event coming up on December 1st. Support the show
S2 E8 · Tue, November 24, 2020
How One Dad Kept His Family Safe, with Chris Clay
He didn’t mind if his daughter spent time with the other significant people in her life, but that should be his decision to make, not the court’s. Right? This week, we talk with Chris Clay, the Texas dad who was forced to share custody of his daughter with an unrelated third party. In this episode, Chris details his story and how he won his case before the Texas Supreme Court. Support the show
S2 E7 · Wed, November 18, 2020
Election Results and Your Parental Rights, with Joel Grewe
How will the election results affect your parental rights? This week, Michael talks with Joel Grewe, director of Generation Joshua and Councilman of the town of Purcellville, Virginia. Joel breaks down what we know about the 2020 election results so far, and how your family and parental rights will be affected by the new political landscape. Support the show
S2 E6 · Tue, November 10, 2020
How Can We Keep Families Together? with Richard Wexler
Confusing poverty with neglect, ridden with severe racial bias, and inflicting trauma on thousands of innocent children and families - the current child welfare system is broken. This week, Richard Wexler, executive director of the National Coalition for Child Protection Reform, shares his goal with Jim: to stop the child welfare system from inflicting unnecessary trauma on so many children, reform the system to truly support parents, and ultimately keep more families together. Support the show
S2 E5 · Tue, November 03, 2020
Vanessa’s Story: Innocent Mom Hogtied by Police, with Diane Redleaf
What would you do if CPS investigators broke into your home with no evidence? This week, Michael talks with Diane Redleaf, author of They Took the Kids Last Night , about Vanessa People’s case. Vanessa is the mom who was hog-tied by police in her own home. Diane tells us the details of Vanessa’s story and what you and I can do to prevent things like this from happening to more families. Support the show
S2 E4 · Tue, October 27, 2020
Education’s Changing Landscape, with Ethan Demme
COVID-19 is causing a revolution in the education world. The number of homeschooling families has doubled in just a few months, and now both parents and teachers are reevaluating the most basic systems of traditional schooling. So, how can you best guide your family through this shifting landscape? This week, Michael talks with Ethan Demme, CEO of Demme Learning and chairman of the Parental Rights Foundation Board. Ethan tells us how parents and educators are responding to these changes, and what you should expect for the future. Support the show
S2 E3 · Tue, October 20, 2020
Catching Up with Michael Farris
This week, Jim catches up with the founder of the Parental Rights Foundation and current president and general counsel of Alliance Defending Freedom, Michael Farris. Hear his perspective on the recent Supreme Court nomination, an in-depth look at our judicial system, and how ADF and parallel organizations are working to defend your personal freedoms and parental rights. Support the show
S2 E2 · Tue, October 13, 2020
Exposing the Hidden Foster Care System, with Josh Gupta-Kagan
In most states, children can be taken from their parents without ever officially entering the foster care system. This means the system is removing even more children than we thought. This week, Dr. Josh Gupta-Kagan, Professor at the University of South Carolina School of Law and author of “The Hidden Foster Care System,” explains how this “hidden foster care system” operates and what we can do to help keep more children with their parents. Support the show
S2 E1 · Tue, October 06, 2020
Schooling After COVID, with Kerry McDonald
As school starts up again, what will be the new normal for post-pandemic learning? How should parents respond? Education expert Kerry McDonald is a Senior Education Fellow at FEE, an adjunct scholar at the CATO Institute, and author of Unschooled: Raising Curious, Well-Education Children Outside the Conventional Classroom . Kerry explains some strategies that parents are using in the post-pandemic learning world, plus how to protect your parental rights. Support the show
Thu, October 01, 2020
Introducing the EPPiC Broadcast
Our second season is coming soon, starting October 6th! But first here’s a special update from Michael, covering an important change. The Parental Rights Podcast is coming back as EPPiC Broadcast, which stands for “empowering parents, protecting children.” We’re excited about this change, so stay tuned for the premiere of season 2, on October 6th! Support the show
S1 E25 · Mon, June 29, 2020
Season One Finale
Our Season One Finale is here! Michael and Jim cover the breaking news of Friday’s pivotal ruling from the Texas Supreme Court, while also looking back on some highlights from our inaugural season. Thank you for listening, and we'll see you soon for Season Two! Support the show
S1 E24 · Mon, June 22, 2020
The Devastating Effects of Anonymous Reporting
How badly can false reports of abuse and neglect hurt a family? This week, Kathleen Creamer, the Managing Attorney of the Family Advocacy Unit at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia, explains the devastating impacts that false, anonymous reports of child abuse can have on families. She and Jim break down the details, from traumatic and invasive investigations to protracted legal nightmares, and hope for how the system can be reformed. Support the show
Mon, June 15, 2020
Episode Update from Michael
A special update from Michael as we get ready for our first season finale. Thanks for listening! Support the show
S1 E23 · Mon, June 08, 2020
What's Happening to Your Rights?
What’s changing in parental rights laws, and how will your family be affected? This week, we recap the good and the bad from this year’s developing parental rights legislation. Both the federal and state legislatures have been busy, so Michael breaks down the new developments in school choice, anonymous child abuse reporting, and more with Dan Beasley of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association. Don’t forget to submit your question for our upcoming Q&A season finale here: parentalrightsfoundation.org/podcast . Support the show
S1 E22 · Mon, June 01, 2020
When Rights Become Orders
What happens when a judge rules that your kids have a “right” to government-controlled schooling? This week, we cover a developing case in Detroit - what looks like a positive win for school children actually endangers the right of parents to direct and determine their kids’ education. Jim breaks down the case with William Wagner, a former Federal prosecutor and judge, as well as a distinguished professor of law Emeritus, and current president of Salt and Light Global. Support the show
S1 E21 · Tue, May 26, 2020
Texas' Moment of Decision
What if someone didn’t even have to be related to you to claim legal custody and visitation rights to your child? That’s exactly what happened to Texas dad, Chris, in an ongoing case that could set a dangerous precedent for Texas families. Today, Andrew Brown, a distinguished fellow with the Texas Public Policy Foundation, tells us why this case matters so much, and how the ruling will affect parental rights in the future. Listen as he breaks down the case that’s made it all the way to the Texas Supreme Court. Support the show
S1 E20 · Fri, May 15, 2020
Behind the Scenes in COVID-19
What’s changing, and what isn’t? Just like the rest of the country, parental rights are facing some challenges, some changes, and some blessed normalcy. Michael and Shellby discuss the challenges that parents are currently facing, from COVID-19 disruptions to Harvard elitists, to concerns over legislation, to our ongoing efforts to fight back and protect families. Support the show
S1 E19 · Mon, May 11, 2020
Changing the System
What should the social services system actually change to get the right job done? Dr. Vivek Sankaran, a clinical professor of law at the University of Michigan Law School, discusses his work with families who find themselves faced with the hostile CPS system, and what social services should do to support families rather than attack them. Support the show
S1 E18 · Mon, May 04, 2020
What You Can Learn from Unschooling
What can parents teaching their children at home during COVID-19 learn from the world of Unschooling? This week, Michael talks with Kerry McDonald, author of Unschooled , education policy writer, and Harvard graduate. Hear Kerry's take on a recent Harvard Magazine article attacking homeschooling and parental choice on education, and her thoughts on how the philosophy of Unschooling can help parents schooling their children at home during the pandemic. Support the show
S1 E17 · Mon, April 27, 2020
The Devastating Impact of CPS
What does it take to fight CPS? And what happens if we fail? In the second part of this two part series, Joyce McMillan is back to share her experience fighting for families in the courtroom, and the devastating impact of children being unjustly taken from their families. Joyce also tells us about some recent successes, and what can be done to reform CPS. Support the show
S1 E16 · Tue, April 21, 2020
Fighting CPS in COVID-19
How is COVID-19 affecting families like yours and mine, and how do you fight CPS? This week, Michael talks with Joyce McMillan, an advocate for vulnerable families in New York, who shares her experiences fighting the CPS system and how New York families are being affected by the virus. This episode is the first in a two-part series. Support the show
S1 E15 · Wed, April 15, 2020
COVID-19 and Your Family
This week, Jim talks with Dr. Lainna Callentine, pediatrician and former ParentalRights.org board member. Dr. Callentine gives us a doctor’s perspective on COVID-19, plus practical steps on social distancing and encouragement for families who are learning and working together from home. Support the show
S1 E14 · Wed, April 08, 2020
Free Range Kids
This week, Michael talks with Lenore Skenazy, founder of Let Grow and author of Free-Range Kids . Lenore tells us about the free-range parenting movement, and the importance of giving kids the freedom and responsibility they need to grow into successful adults. Lenore blogs at Free Range Kids. Support the show
S1 E13 · Mon, March 30, 2020
They Took the Kids Last Night
This week, we're talking with Diane Redleaf, author of They Took the Kids Last Night and founder of the Family Defense Center. Diane tells us about her extensive experience defending families in civil rights cases, from dealing with "hidden foster care" system to combating a shocking lack of due process in child abuse registries. Support the show
S1 E12 · Mon, March 23, 2020
C & S: Why Foreign Parental Rights Matter for Americans
What’s happening with foreign parental rights, and why does it matter for you? In the latest episode of the Cory and ShellbyJo Show, we discuss some important cases about foreign parental rights. Hear about the medical, educational, and interpersonal impact of government interference in other countries - and why these cases matter for American families. Support the show
S1 E11 · Mon, March 16, 2020
Medical Kidnapping: The Pelletiers' Story
What does it feel like when the doctors you trust to heal your children turn on you, and take them away instead? This week, we’re privileged to speak with the family of Justina Pelletier, the teen abducted by Boston Children’s Hospital in 2013. Justina’s dad Lou, her mom Linda, and her sister Jennifer tell the family’s story from the inside, sharing details from their recent medical malpractice lawsuit, and how they’ve been fighting for families facing the same nightmare they endured. Support the show
S1 E10 · Mon, March 09, 2020
Blind Parents' Fight Against Discrimination
Did you know that in a majority of states the government can take your children from you just because you have a disability, like being blind? Don't miss out on this episode, where Michael talks with Mark Riccobono, president of the National Federation of the Blind. President Riccobono sheds crucial light on how blind parents are discriminated against, and how they're fighting back to protect their children and their rights. Support the show
S1 E9 · Thu, March 05, 2020
To Whom Do Children Belong?
Your children are yours, right? Or are they? This week, Michael talks with Melissa Moschella, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at The Catholic University of America, about the legal and philosophical underpinnings of parental rights. Melissa also breaks down the arguments of those who want to treat children as property of the government and reduce parents to mere caretakers. Support the show
S1 E8 · Mon, February 24, 2020
C&S: Reviewing "The Pursuit of Happyness"
Are poor parents automatically bad parents? The Cory and Shellby Jo Show is back with our first movie review, exploring parental rights in pop culture. This week, we discuss The Pursuit of Happyness , a movie that highlights a father's resolve to provide for his son, no matter what. For us, this movie raises questions about what is and isn't bad parenting, and when should the government step in? Support the show
S1 E7 · Tue, February 18, 2020
"Child Abuse Pediatricians"
What are “child abuse pediatricians” and why should you be concerned? Find out in this episode, as Michael talks with UNC law professor Maxine Eichner. Eichner shares her professional and personal experience with parental rights in the medical world, plus her insight on the Justina Pelletier case from one who's been there. Support the show
S1 E6 · Tue, February 11, 2020
Allison Folmar
This week, Michael talks with attorney Allison Folmar, who led the defense in the nationally publicized 2011 Maryanne Godboldo case. Allison tells us all about the case and the family's story from the inside, and how it impacted the state of parental rights. Support the show
S1 E5 · Tue, February 04, 2020
Maggie McKneely
This week, hear about Senator Mike Lee's new parental rights legislation, which would help keep you informed and involved in your children's medical care. Michael breaks down these bills (and more) with Maggie McKneely, ParentalRights.org's liaison in Washington, DC. You may hear a tapping sound in the background caused by our equipment - we'll be back to normal next week. Support the show
S1 E4 · Tue, January 28, 2020
The C&S Show: Daniel Heffington
This week marks the first episode of the Cory & Shellby Jo Show. Once a month, two of our younger employees take over the show and break down some of the cultural issues surrounding parental rights. This week they're joined by father of two and local musician Daniel Heffington, a parental rights advocate from Generation Joshua. Support the show
S1 E3 · Tue, January 21, 2020
Concerns from Virginia
Michael and Jim address recent legislative developments in Virginia that seriously threaten parental rights nation-wide. We explain why we're concerned about these bills, and break down how they change the debate on parental rights, what these changes mean for the rest of the country, and what you can do to protect your family. Visit ParentalRights.org for live updates on the state of parental rights in Virginia and in your state. Support the show
S1 E2 · Tue, January 14, 2020
Patti Sullivan
This week, Jim and Michael talk with ParentalRights.org's Florida grassroots coordinator, Patti Sullivan. Patti tells us why she is passionate about the role of parents, and shares some exciting developments from Florida's parental rights movement. Support the show
S1 E1 · Mon, January 06, 2020
Michael Farris
In our first episode, our hosts, Jim Mason and Michael Ramey, talk with Mike Farris, founding president of the Parental Rights Foundation. Mike tells us about the status of parental rights in the States, the concept of "generational wins," and his vision for families and parental rights moving forward. Visit our website to learn more and join the growing movement! Support the show
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