Should Parents Be Able to Refuse Medical Treatment for Their Kids?More than 40 states have laws allowing parents to withhold with·hold v. with·held , with·hold·ing, with·holds v.tr. 1. To keep in check; restrain. 2. To refrain from giving, granting, or permitting. See Synonyms at keep. 3. medical treatment from their children for religious reasons. But after the death of a Colorado girl, many people are questioning those laws. Thirteen-year-old Amanda Bates Bates , Katherine Lee 1859-1929. American educator and writer best known for her poem "America the Beautiful," written in 1893 and revised in 1904 and 1911. had diabetes, a disease that can be controlled with careful medical treatment. But her parents belonged to the General Assembly and Church of the First Born, a faith which believes that prayers alone are the best way to heal illness. On February 5, Amanda stopped breathing, becoming the second child in her family to die without medical treatment. Now, her parents may be charged with homicide homicide (hŏm`əsīd), in law, the taking of human life. Homicides that are neither justifiable nor excusable are considered crimes. A criminal homicide committed with malice is known as murder, otherwise it is called manslaughter. . Amanda is one of 11 Colorado children known to have died after parents there refused medical help for them. Hundreds more throughout the U.S. may have suffered the same fate. It is unclear what responsibility parents have to give their children medical treatment. In 1944, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that while parents "may be free to become martyrs
2. The facts proved are either possible or impossible, ordinary and probable, or extraordinary and improbable, recent or ancient; they may have happened near us, or afar off; they are public or , to make martyrs of their children." Most states, however, have laws that make it difficult to prosecute To follow through; to commence and continue an action or judicial proceeding to its ultimate conclusion. To proceed against a defendant by charging that person with a crime and bringing him or her to trial. parents who treat their children's illnesses with prayer instead of medicine. Do you think parents have the right to deny their kids medical treatment? Yes Parents have the right Do we believe in religious freedom or don't we? The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Parents have the right to make many different kinds of decisions for their children. Raising their children according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. their own deeply held religious principles is one of the most important of these rights. Many people believe that prayer alone can work miracles. It is tragic when a child dies after not getting medical care. But sometimes, medicine fails too. Marvin Peterson, an elder at Amanda's church, says, "Children also die in hospitals every day." no Parents don't have a right Amanda Bates didn't have to die. But her death doesn't have to be a waste--if it helps prevent other children from suffering the same fate. While parents have rights, they also have serious responsibilities. One of those responsibilities is to do everything they can so that their children will grow up healthy and strong. After all, if Amanda is dead, where is her religious freedom? Colorado State Senator Noun 1. state senator - a member of a state senate senator - a member of a senate Bob Hagedorn supports laws limiting people's rights to withhold medical treatment when their children are sick. Says Hagedorn, "I don't think freedom of religion should allow a child to die for not getting proper medical care." |
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