Every Child Safe Act Petition

URGENT: Across the U.S., “parental rights” and “religious freedom” are being weaponized to weaken homeschool oversight, expand religious opt-outs, and further isolate children—all under the claim of protecting families.

But here’s the truth: Most child abuse is committed by a parent, caregiver, or someone close to the child. In authoritarian religious homes, obedience to doctrine often comes before a child’s safety. These new laws will put thousands of children in even greater danger.

I grew up in one of those homes—isolated six miles from town, dressed like the Amish, sporadically “homeschooled” just enough to fool the state. When I tried to escape at 18, I was sent to a real Amish community, where I endured further abuse—including sexual assault by a church leader.

This isn’t rare. It’s happening right now. In states like Texas and Utah, lawmakers are gutting protections and removing oversight—leaving kids trapped in abusive homes, unregulated religious schools, and institutions with no accountability.

Lawmakers speak about protecting children, yet they pass laws that strip away safeguards and silence abuse victims. Enough is enough—Congress must choose between protecting abusers or protecting kids.

What the Every Child Safe Act MUST do:

  • Require all schools—public, private, religious, homeschool—to teach age-appropriate sexual abuse prevention (Erin’s Law), with no opt-outs

  • Mandate abuse prevention training for all clergy, educators, and homeschooling parents

  • Require background checks and mandated reporter training for anyone caring for or educating children—no exceptions

  • Enforce accountability for abuse and cover-ups through:

    • Loss of tax-exempt status

    • Criminal liability

    • Non-recognition of diplomas from noncompliant schools and homeschools

In addition, Congress must:

  • Incentivize states to eliminate statutes of limitations for child sexual abuse

  • Ban child marriage under 18—with zero exceptions

  • Develop model laws and national child safety standards

  • Prioritize federal funding for states that adopt these protections—and condition access for those that don’t

Why is this important?

This isn’t radical. It’s the bare minimum.

We can’t keep piecemealing child safety and pretending “parental rights” always mean protection. The U.S. claims to champion human rights abroad—yet here at home, we allow religion and ideology to silence abuse victims.

The United States is the only country in the UN that has not ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child—and likely never will, due to entrenched opposition around national sovereignty and so-called “parental rights.”

Far-right groups like Moms for Liberty are pushing for total parental control over education while ignoring the fact that children are being abused under their watch. Expanding “parental rights” without guardrails is not protection—it’s complicity.

Think of Jonestown. Waco. Ruby Franke. The Turpins. The Duggars. Warren Jeffs.
I was one of those kids.

We must confront a hard truth: “Freedom of religion” has too often meant freedom to harm—and freedom from accountability. Court decisions like Wisconsin v. Yoder have left generations of children vulnerable by placing religious and parental rights above basic safety. While religious freedom is vital, it must have common-sense boundaries—especially when it comes to protecting children. It’s time to face this issue head-on and establish clear legal limits that put child safety first.

Child safety must come first. Always.

Kids deserve to know how to protect themselves. We can’t fight abuse if we keep it hidden.

Sign now to demand Congress pass the Every Child Safe Act.

 Share this petition. Use #EveryChildSafeAct to break the silence and protect kids nationwide.

We have the power to create a country where every child is protected, educated, and free from abuse. Let’s make that real.

"Child abuse casts a shadow the length of a lifetime." - Herbert Ward