Julie Sharkey-Villars, Sebastian, Florida 

[An op-ed piece is a short newspaper column that represents the strong, informed, and focused opinion of a writer on an issue of relevance to a targeted audience. It is a written prose piece which expresses the opinion of an author or entity with no affiliation with the publication’s editorial board.]

Julie Sharkey-Villars is the Executive Director at All Access Play, INC, who builds sports venues with playgrounds for special needs children and young adults in communities.

“It’s ten o’clock, do you know where your children are?” The phrase originated in 1967, in response to the rising surge of crime. It was a time when parents took an active role in protecting not just their children, but many of the friends of their children as well. Another popular phrase was “it takes a village to raise a child.” It takes a village to raise a child is an African proverb that means that an entire community of people must be present, active, and accountable in children’s lives for those children to experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment, according to lawinsider.com

Parents have the responsibility of monitoring their child’s exposure on the internet. Monitoring can prevent children from being exploited. The dangers children incur from just being curious can be detrimental, even harmful. It is the responsibility of adults, not just a child’s parents, to safeguard children. We must all take an active role in protecting children. 

When I saw photographs, videos and photos containing minor student’s identification on the public group page of the local Moms for Liberty I was shocked and felt obligated to inform parents.  Not one parent or minor student were aware of the posts. Some parents are employees of the school district, and they had no knowledge either. Knowing all the dangers regarding the internet, the rise in sex trafficking, predators lurking, and the exchange of sexually explicit material are examples of exposure and exploitation. 

Why would the local Chapter Chair of MFL, Jennifer Pippin repost photographs, videos, and minor student identification on the internet?  Parental permission and consent is never implied as for the risks involved that can bring harm to children. The group is steadfast regarding parental rights and the removal of sexually explicit material from school libraries. Why would she want to be responsible for the possibility of harm the reposts could bring to our children?

Jennifer Pippin, Moms for Liberty Indian River County Chapter Chairwoman

It is irrelevant if I support or oppose MFL, for it is my responsibility of being a parent that has caused me to be very concerned for the minor students in the reposts on the public FB page of MFL, Indian River County. Even if the laws regarding parental rights were not violated, why would Pippin “believe” she was not intentionally exposing or exploiting minor students? MFL is not supported by all parents. However, MFL has a platform promoting that parental rights do not stop at the classroom door. 

MFL wants to protect children from the dangers of almost everything imaginable across the entire United States. MFL “know” what all children should be exposed to, how children are taught in schools and what children are taught. The whole grassroots child safety ideology is now known to be a façade. Pippin knows the hate associated with MFL. Pippin knows that there have been threats of harm and death associated with MFL. Why would she repost, expose, and exploit our children by reposting posts from the school district and individual schools FB pages? What was the purpose? 

I think it is all about appearance! By reposting, Pippin created a façade that the students and the parents of the students support and promote MFL. Perhaps she thought parents would accepting to her actions just as MFL was accepting of utilizing quotes of a mass murderer, Hitler. MFL has been labeled as an “extremist hate” group, so why expose, or exploit minor students and especially without parent knowledge? 

The more parents I contacted the more were blindsided. She thought it was appropriate to involve our minor children while intentionally disregarding, “it takes a village.” The dangers she overlooked are countless, violating every rule of parental ethics and morals plus violating the right of privacy that every minor student is guaranteed under the law. 

What if she reposted to the FB page of the Klu Klux Klan? I willing to bet that she would know that it would not be acceptable, appropriate, or supported by MFL. So, what makes her believe that reposting our minor children on the FB MFL page is anything different? That would be viewed as exposing and exploiting children too. 

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“It’s ten o’clock, do you know where your children are”? Mine are home doing homework or are in bed for a night of sleep. No, they are not, not my kids and not other kids because we do not know how many computer screens, laptops, notebooks, or cell phones of those who can cause harm to our children are looking them up right at this moment planning what may be detrimental to our minor children. 

Pippin had no right to repost photographs, videos, and student identification to the FB page of MFL Indian River County. Forget about the group and parental rights, forget about violating privacy rights and utilize, “it takes a village,” she should be demanded to remove every child from the group page. 

Put your request in writing and be certain to check both the FB public and private pages she manages. 

They are your children; they are our children and we do not parent with MFL, for no minor child should be exposed or exploited intentionally on the internet. Her accusation of those who oppose MFL she nicknames, “groomers”, her actions can make the “appearance” that she stalks children and the photos of children and that can make her “appear” to be considered a groomer herself. 

It’s not relevant who supports or opposes MFL. It’s about safeguarding children, like the removal of library books that MFL do not support because the content is not for children. If Pippin were a book, the danger she poses would earn her a nice toasty seat next to the other books that have contents not suitable for children. She is obviously not a part of the “village.” Please leave minor children alone. 

Bless her heart.

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