Half-Day Conference 

# The State of Parental Rights, 100 Years after *Pierce v. Society of Sisters*

Date and Time 

May 29, 2025 9 AM - 1 PM EDT 

Location 

Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC 

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One hundred years ago, the US Supreme Court famously wrote, “The child is not the mere creature of the State; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations.” That ruling was *Pierce v. Society of Sisters*, which launched the parental rights movement that has become especially ascendant, but also controversial, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this special conference, we will first tackle the idea of parental rights broadly, including its application in everything from health care to public school transparency. In the second panel, we will focus on the movement perhaps most influenced by *Pierce*: school choice. We will conclude with a lunch and keynote speaker.

Please join us to mark this very important anniversary.

### Schedule

9:00 - 9:05 AM 

**Introduction**

[**Neal McCluskey**](https://cato.org/people/neal-mccluskey) 
Director, Center for Educational Freedom, Cato Institute

9:05 - 10:05 AM 

**Parental Rights: What Do They Include? Where Do They End?**

**James Dwyer** 
Professor, William and Mary Law School

**Melissa Moschella** 
Professor, University of Notre Dame

**Tiffany Justice** 
Cofounder, Moms for Liberty

Moderated by 
[**Thomas Berry**](https://cato.org/people/thomas-berry) 
Director, Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies, Cato Institute

10:10 - 11:10 AM 

**Educational Freedom: Have We Hit Escape Velocity? Is That Good?**

**Michael Bindas** 
Senior Attorney, Institute for Justice

**Jon Valant** 
Director, Brown Center on Education Policy, Brookings Institution

[**Neal McCluskey**](https://cato.org/people/neal-mccluskey) 
Director, Center for Educational Freedom, Cato Institute

Moderated by 
[**Colleen Hroncich**](https://cato.org/people/colleen-hroncich) 
Policy Analyst, Center for Educational Freedom, Cato Institute

11:15 AM - 12:00 PM 

**A Conversation with Rep. Virginia Foxx (R‑NC)** with [**Jordan Brewer**](https://cato.org/people/jordan-brewer), Manager of Government Affairs, Cato Institute, and [**Neal McCluskey**](https://cato.org/people/neal-mccluskey)

12:00 - 1:00 PM 

**Lunch**

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