Just this past month, the ACLU was involved in what I deem to be yet another ruling against common sense and decency. The Washington State Supreme Court ruled that a mother had broken the law by listening in on her 14 year-old daughter’s phone conversation in which admissions were made to knocking down an elderly woman and robbing her. Apparently, a young child’s "right to privacy" takes precedence over a parent’s right to proctor and protect their child.

Friends, I’m afraid that we have allowed "political correctness" get in the way of "biblical parenting." As a parent, you have a God given obligation to protect and insure the safety of your child. Therefore, you have the right to check on your child’s safety by knowing what your child is getting into - whether it be involvement with friends, performance at school, following family rules, who he/she is talking to on the Internet, etc.

As a parent, if you have suspicion of harmful behavior or attitudes with regard to your child, you not only have the right, but the responsibility to intervene and be a parent. Will you, as a parent, stand idly by and not search a child’s room even though you have strong suspicion of substance abuse? Will you, as a parent, stand idly by and not check your child’s computer files, when you have strong suspicion that your child is chatting with people who could very well endanger your child’s life? Will you, as a parent, not try to learn what your child is feeling and thinking, when he or she exhibits suicidal tendencies? Of course you will, and should!