Parents make rules, and expect their children to follow them, regardless of what subject matter they may address or the effects that they may have. In some cases the rules are meant strictly to protect the child such as imposing a curfew or limiting a range of travel. While Children may protest these executive decisions they can still see why the decision is being made and that these limitations are meant to insure their safety and well being. However, lines can become more blurred when parents make decisions based on their personal beliefs or morals that their children may not be in agreeance with. While a student is still a minor and under the care of their parents until they are 18, they are still entitled to make their own decisions when it comes to matters of personal philosophy and principles.

We are raised to by our parents to stand up for what we believe in and do what we believe is right, until the second that our beliefs disagree with their own. At this point our beliefs and principles become childish and unreasonable. We are told we don’t have enough life experience to accurately make these decisions, and our right to our voice is taken away from us. While we are expected to start making decisions that are going to permanently affect our future such as where we are going to go to college, we are also being told that we are too immature to form our own opinions. While we are still minors and under our parents control this doesn’t automatically mean we should take their word as gospel and they shouldn’t expect us to.

At what point do our parents have to relinquish control of our public opinions so as to not sound hypocritical? How long do our parents get to filter and dictate what we speak without becoming complete tyrants?