By TIM BARTO
The assault on parental rights continues, this time from Sen. Cathy Giessel, a registered Republican and someone who just a few years ago presented herself as something of a conservative.
That presentation should most certainly no longer fool anyone as the Anchorage senator’s journey to the dark side is now complete; her latest tactic puts on full display her alignment with those who feel parents are secondary to public school officials.
Senate Bill 240 was a simple, straightforward bill presented by Gov. Mike Dunleavy to allow Medicaid-eligible students with disabilities to access medical services through their schools. Sen. David Wilson of Wasilla helped carry the bill on behalf of the governor, but Sen. Giessel then amended the bill into something it was not meant to be, causing Sen. Wilson to pull his support.
The amended bill allows for 16-year-old students to authorize for themselves counseling services without notification being made to their parents, continuing a trend that excludes parents from not only making important health decisions in their children’s lives but from even knowing about those decisions. This is a dangerous path of subjugating parental rights and responsibilities to government entities.
Today’s youth are, for various reasons, a fragile lot. Mental health issues are ubiquitous, and counseling and therapy sessions are as normal as routine physicals used to be, if not more so.
But there are other elements at play. The explosion of gender-related interests among young people – including the exploration and encouragement of non-traditional sex roles, as well as transition therapy – has made it trendy for young people to identify on an ever expanding spectrum of sexual identities.
And now, the substituted language in SB240 kicks open the door to allow minors (teenagers, but still minors) to obtain mental health counseling without parental consent, and that open door reveals all those gender-bending issues so popular among today’s youth.
This rewritten bill has almost no resemblance to the governor’s intent, and it is a glaring example of how easily good intentions can be misused by a politician determined to further an agenda of bad intentions. It’s also a great example of why people are frustrated by political process and why that frustration has led to disinterest and disengagement from the process. The problem is that there are elected officials who fully understand that apathy and use it to their advantage.
Children’s health decisions should not be kept from parents, even – especially – when those health decisions are mental health related. This trend that gives government institutions, such as public schools, more rights over children than the children’s parents must stop. Families should make these important decisions, not public school officials or mental health counselors.
The initial vote on the version being adopted as the substitute bill was opposed by the microcaucus of Sen. Shelley Hughes, Sen. Robb Myers, and Sen. Mike Shower, but also Senators Jesse Bjorkman, James Kaufman, Kelly Merrick, and David Wilson. The final vote is on the Senate floor tomorrow, Wednesday, April 24.
Tim Barto is a regular contributor to Must Read Alaska and vice president of Alaska Family Council, which is committed to preserving parents’ rights in an age of ever encroaching government control.
Put Giessel down as the parent and let her raise them and pay for them
No need for all that; I have fixed your statement to more appropriately read:
Put Giessel down.
Schools have turned into daycares and NOT safe ones for sure! Pay attention parents. Ask your kids probing questions about their day at school and do not stop asking. Even if they try to blow you off!You are your child’s protector!
Wow the uni party at work again! Give her one way ticket to Isreal!
She’s such a lovely person.
The Giessel is at it again.
She never fails to let down her constituents with an attack on children.
Especially after Anchorage taxpayers just spent a boatload of money through Chris Constants consultation of his “boyfriend” Sam (the baggage thief) Brinton to rewrite municipal policy regarding counseling of gender confused youth which makes it a civil penalty for counselors to encourage youth to follow their gender at birth.
Which also allows for legal action and potential lawsuits against anyone who counsels against gender transitioning (of which Chris and Felix are very passionate about).
Thanks Tim for peeling off the fine white layer of fleece (but I would prefer the fleece be left over that scary looking scowl on her face)
Everything will be just fine while the kids are at public school folks…The government will take good care of them.
Simply no one could ever argue with the Bellamy Bryyantt duo.
Hey South Anchorage residents!! You need to RECALL this “piece of junk” you elected!!
They should not have put her a** back in there. Ignorance at it’s finest.
She’s has always been a snake in the grass RINO. Same as Gary Stevens and Click Bishop. All they’re missing to get the old gang back together is Senator Imathief.
Senate Republicans are flaked out. She’s got her cronies in the Senate that will back her. I find it interesting how all stick together in voting…Giessel supports Jesse Bjorkman, whom is a schoolteacher contributing $1000 to his campaign in the APOC reports.
I was in jail when I was 14 because I could not talk to my parents. I support this amendment 100%.
It’s not too late to transition, Frank.
We don’t care Frank.
And this is just another reason why we homeschool …
Everyone who voted for her should be forced to watch her performance on Gavel Alaska. Same for Kelly.
She just wanted to kill Dunleavy’s bill
Exactly
Parents who love their teenage children, who accept and support them as they are, and who are involved enough with their kids so that they fully understand their kids should have no worries about this bill.
SA, when our children have influencers like you that encourage them to do things behind their parents back without their parents consent then parents have big reasons to worry and parents need to fight this.
“…..a registered Republican and someone who just a few years ago presented herself as something of a conservative.” Except for changing “herself” to “himself,” this is what we are going to be reading about NBIII in a couple of years.
Actually, I think we could say this about Warfield also.
So many hate people who love humanity!
Great photo of Giessel. She looks like she’s straining to release a gas plume.
Flare off in the state Senate.
🤣