Proposition 15: Enshrining Parental Rights in the Texas Constitution

November 4th marks a critical moment for Texas families. Texans will vote on Proposition 15, a constitutional amendment that would definitively assert in our state’s foundational law that parents have the inherent and fundamental right to care for, control, and guide the upbringing of their children.

What Proposition 15 Means for Families

A “Yes” vote will amend Article I of the Texas Constitution by adding Section 37. This addition affirms two important truths:

1. Parents have the responsibility to nurture and protect their children.
2. Parents hold a fundamental right to exercise care, custody, and control over their child, including decisions about upbringing.

The full text reads:

“To enshrine truths that are deeply rooted in this nation’s history and traditions, the people of Texas hereby affirm that a parent has the responsibility to nurture and protect the parent’s child and the corresponding fundamental right to exercise care, custody, and control of the parent’s child, including the right to make decisions concerning the child’s upbringing.”

This amendment elevates parental rights from judicial interpretations to the highest legal authority in the state, making them harder to erode with future laws or court decisions. It provides clarity and protection for families against those who may try to infringe on this special and sacred relationship.

Widespread Support

Protecting Texas Children is common sense. Thankfully, in the Texas Legislature, this measure enjoyed widespread support. Senate Joint Resolution 34 (SJR 34), introduced by Senator Bryan Hughes, passed through the Legislature with robust support. The Senate voted unanimously to approve this measure, while it passed the House with bipartisan support.

Why This Matters–Now More Than Ever

Our rights as parents are already recognized through decades of case law, notably in Troxel v. Granville, where the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that parental authority is one of the oldest and most fundamental liberties recognized by our nation. But relying solely on case law leaves these protections vulnerable and scattered. Without constitutional clarity, a single unfavorable judge or shifting judicial interpretation could undermine parental rights and responsibilities.

By voting “Yes” on Proposition 15, Texans will permanently safeguard parental authority–from decisions about ethics and education to health and moral guidance–for generations to come.

What You Can Do

• Make sure you’re registered to vote by the October 6th deadline. Your registration should reflect your current address and any recent name changes, so take two minutes today to double-check it online!
• Mark your calendar for November 4th and vote! That’s the day to defend family rights at the ballot box.
• Spread the word! Talk to your fellow parents, neighbors, and community leaders. Voting is better with friends.
• Stay involved beyond election day. Protecting Texas Children will continue to fight for parental rights and the well-being of our children.

Parental rights are inalienable and rooted in history, freedom, and family. You do not co-parent with the government, and while Proposition 15 does not create any new rights, it protects and affirms rights we already know exist, ensuring they remain unshakeable. This November, vote Yes on Proposition 15.

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Minnesota Tragedy Exposes Critical Parental Failures in Upholding Biological Truth

In the wake of the horrific shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on August 27, 2025, where two innocent children lost their lives and 18 others were injured, Protecting Texas Children calls for a nationwide reckoning on parental responsibility.

The shooter, 23-year-old Robert Paul Westman, who ended his life at the scene, is a heartbreaking case of unaddressed mental turmoil and ideological confusion that could have been prevented through vigilant parenting grounded in biological truth and divine purpose. 

As an organization dedicated to safeguarding the innocence of every child by affirming biological truth, we must examine how Westman’s parents fell short of these standards, allowing a path of destruction that shattered families and communities.

Westman, born Robert Paul Westman in 2002, legally changed his name to Robin in 2020 to align with a gender identity transition. This decision, supported by his mother, Mary Grace Westman, who filed the petition, directly contradicts the affirmation of biological truth that PTC upholds as fundamental to children’s healthy development. By enabling this change rather than guiding the child toward accepting their God-given biology, the parents failed to protect Westman’s innocence and purpose, potentially exacerbating underlying mental health struggles. Research and advocacy from groups highlight how such departures from biological reality can lead to increased depression and identity confusion, issues that Westman’s journal entries vividly illustrate with cries of despair and suicidal ideations.

Warning signs appear to have been prevalent in Westman’s life, yet they seem to have been ignored or improperly addressed by the parents. As early as seventh grade, Westman was suspended for discussing school shootings with classmates, an obsession that persisted into adulthood. Journal entries reveal a fixation on mass shooters like Adam Lanza, with detailed plans for violence and pleas for help, such as “FIND ME I AM BEGGING FOR HELP.” Police records show multiple calls to the family home over the years, including welfare checks for mental health concerns and juvenile behavioral issues involving siblings. In 2018, authorities responded to a mental health-related welfare check at the Eagan townhouse where Westman lived with his mother. Despite these red flags, no formal mental health interventions were pursued, allowing Westman’s “dark energy”—as noted by a family member—to fester unchecked.

PTC’s standards, rooted in Scripture like Genesis 1:27, demand that parents champion their children’s health by intervening early in signs of distress, rather than permitting paths that deviate from biological and moral truths. Mary Grace Westman, a former parish secretary at the very church targeted in the attack, struggled with her Catholic faith regarding the transition, yet did nothing to stop it despite the Church’s clear teachings on the subject. This internal conflict shows a failure to prioritize the child’s well-being over societal pressures. The father’s role remains less documented, but the family’s overall support system, described by Westman as “loving,” evidently did not extend to affirming biological truth.

The ideological motives behind the shooting bolster the case that there were parental lapses. Westman’s writings mixed anti-Catholic hate and nihilistic calls for societal collapse, including references to events like Waco and Ruby Ridge. 

Targeting a Catholic Mass during back-to-school services suggests a deep-seated rejection of Christian and family values that parents, especially one embedded in the church community, could have instilled more firmly. By not addressing these destructive ideologies at their root, the parents allowed a “hate-filled ideology” to culminate in domestic terrorism, as classified by the FBI.

We pray this tragedy spurs action. PTC urges families dealing with similar struggles to remain committed to protecting innocence. Failing to do so not only endangers their children, it also imperils society.