SB93 alters the definition of “child abuse” to mean “any mental injury to a child,” including “statements made,” that results in “severe harm” to the child’s “psychological, cognitive, emotional or social well-being and functioning.”
The House passed SB93 on May 31, 2023, by a vote of 39 to 17. We have assigned pluses to the nays because the legitimate powers of government extend only to acts of “child abuse” that are injurious (e.g., physical or sexual assault), which can be substantiated based on an objective standard using verifiable evidence. Not “any mental injury,” consisting of “statements made,” regardless of how “cruel or unconscionable” they may seem, is or can be considered criminal. It is not the duty of, nor would it be possible for, the government to right every “psychological, cognitive, emotional, or social” wrong. Nevertheless, many allegations of “child abuse” are either unfounded or false, and no parent or guardian should ever be reported, arrested, or lose custody of their child in the name of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)—a misnomer for social engineering. This bill is just another example of the serious threat to families from SEL and those who advocate for “best interest of the child” legislation modeled after the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. If it is not opposed in Oregon and elsewhere, it will have severe far-reaching consequences for parental rights and “due process of law” in America. Parental rights are among our “unalienable Rights” protected by the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment.