Pa. Court: Dad Can Teach Daughter Polygamy

[Stanley M Shepp]

Anyone care to comment?


The Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision in the Shepp v. Shepp case:


http://www.courts.
<http://www.courts.state.pa.us/OpPosting/Supreme/out/J-97-2004mo.pdf>
state.pa.us/OpPosting/Supreme/out/J-97-2004mo.pdf

Pa. Court: Dad Can Teach Daughter Polygamy


http://abclocal.
<http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=local&id=4607786>
go.com/wpvi/story?section=local&id=4607786
6abc.com WPVI-TV/DT Pennsylvania

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) - September 28, 2006 - A father may teach his minor
daughter about polygamy if the discussion does not present her with "a
grave threat of harm," the Pennsylvania Supreme Court said in a
custody-case ruling released Thursday. 

  _____  

The 5-1 decision allowed Stanley M. Shepp, a York man whose Mormon
fundamentalist beliefs endorse polygamy, to talk about plural marriages and
multiple wives even though bigamy is illegal. 

"Where, as in the instant matter, there is no finding that discussing such
matters constitutes a grave threat of harm to the child, there is
insufficient basis for the court to infringe on a parent's constitutionally
protected right to speak to a child about religion as he or she sees fit,"
wrote Justice Sandra Schultz Newman in an opinion joined by three others. 

A county judge had prohibited Shepp from teaching the child about his
polygamist beliefs - at least until she turned 18 - and that decision was
upheld by the state Superior Court. 

The girl's mother, Tracey L. Roberts, testified that Shepp's interest in
polygamy broke up their marriage, and expressed concern that he may
introduce the girl to men in preparation for marriage at age 13, according
to the court opinion. 

The ruling did not say how old the girl is. In December 2003, she was 10.
Roberts and Shepp have joint custody of her. 

Newman wrote that the state's interest in enforcing the anti-bigamy law "is
not an interest of the 'highest order"' that would trump a parent's right
to tell a child about deeply held religious beliefs. 

(Copyright 2006 by the Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) 

 

 

Stan Shepp

Somewhere in the West

Center of the Universe

stanshepp at yahoo.com

 

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