HOLD: UN Treaty Decides Handicapped Kids Care

September 21, 2012

Dear Daily Herald Editor,

The U.S. Senate is likely to soon vote on ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). I have contacted Illinois Senator Durbin and Senator Kirk to urge them to vote against the ratification of this treaty because I am deeply opposed to it.

This treaty, if ratified, would effectively put us under international law when it comes to parenting our special needs children. It concerns me that while this treaty may on the surface appear to protect those with disabilities, it actually gives the government the power, with direction from the U.N., to decide what is best for our children. That is wrong and not something we should see in the United States of America. 

I am deeply concerned about this treaty because one provision in the treaty would give the government, acting under U.N. instructions, the ability to determine for all children with disabilities what is best for them.  The treaty would also give the U.N. discretion over decisions about how we educate our special needs kids and could potentially eliminate parental rights for the education of children with disabilities.

This treaty is bad and should not pass the Senate. Every child in this country is unique, especially those with special needs, and parents who know their children best should be the ones making decisions about their care, not the federal government and especially not the UN.

Steven S. Polit

Mount Prospect, Illinois 60056