Wisc. Republican’s bill condemns single parents for ‘child abuse and neglect’

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A Wisconsin Republican has introduced a bill to the state Senate that would force the state’s Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board to print literature that calls unmarried parents “a contributing factor to child abuse and neglect.”

The directives put forth in S.B. 507 would see the state board creating educational materials that condemn “nonmarital parenthood.” Associated third party groups that receive state grants would also be required to include that message in their own literature.

Those materials, along with pamphlets issued by third party groups that receive state grants, would also be required to “emphasize the role of fathers” in safeguarding a child’s well being.

The requirement is a bit startling, especially to single parents who ended their marriage to prevent child abuse or neglect. And that’s not a small group of people either: 31 percent of Wisconsin parents are single, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

The bill’s author, state Sen. Glenn Grothman (R), did not respond to a request for comment.

(H/T: RH Reality Check)