I am against the idea of parenting license as it intervenes in individual freedom, violates the human right to ‘procreate’, and promotes practices such as forced abortion and sterilization.
It is a rather an idealized perception that children can be raised by the adoption and practice of ‘impartially correct and approved’ ways. Cases of neglect and abuse of children could be evidently identified that indicate a clear threat to the child’s wellbeing. There are many cases whereby children are malnourished and fed poorly, mistreated, and physically and emotionally injured. Intervention in such cases is truly reasonable and acceptable. Nonetheless, the application of ‘impartial’ principle on a wider scale jeopardizes portraying families to be wicked who devotedly desire to look after their children pursuing their values and beliefs. It is important that parenting ways and educational standards shall not be considered to be idealized matters as they are constantly confronted and deliberated. Parents even also have rational and sincere apprehensions concerning the medical areas such as fears about vaccinations (Kaufmann & Lambert, 2005). Therefore, the proposition of ‘good parenting standards’ questions almost all parents concerning their parenting ways and not just those who demonstrate extreme behaviors while rearing their kids. Thus, it is fairly understandable that not every child or parent is perfect. For the same reason, parent licensing is a ridiculous idea as a large human population has the right to establish their individual connections with no fear of interference. Licensed parenting would undoubtedly create an apprehensive and uneasy environment for families (Westman, 2009).
The parent licensing would, without a question, make sterilization and forced abortion commonplace. This is because reproduction would be permissible for a restricted number of ‘qualified’ couples. As a consequence, matrimony would be avoided by a large number of people ultimately altering the image of ideal family. This situation may result in the deconstruction of societal values and traditions. Thus, there is no doubt that parent licensing is a violation of human rights to procreate and follow his/her sexual desires and the desire to have children (Hannan, Brennon, & Vernon, 2015).
References
Hannan, S., Brennan, S. J., & Vernon, R. (2015). Permissible Progeny?: The Morality of Procreation and Parenting. New York: Oxford University Press.
Kaufmann, S. H., & Lambert, P. H. (2005). The Grand Challenge for the Future: Vaccines for Poverty-Related Diseases. Basel: Birkhäuser Verlag.
Westman, J. C. (1996, November). The Rationale and Feasibility of Licensing Parents. Retrieved August 29, 2016, from http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/little/readings/westman.html
Westman, J. C. (2009). Breaking the Adolescent Parent Cycle: Valuing Fatherhood and Motherhood. Lanham: University Press of America.
