AUSTIN, TEXAS — As Texas school districts apply for funding under the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), parents must be aware of the hidden dangers this program presents to their rights and authority over their children.

While VOCA funding purports to provide support services to victims of crime, it also enables school districts to bypass parental consent, insert government authority into private family matters, and operate under a cloak of secrecy that leaves parents in the dark about their children’s well-being.

What VOCA Funds Do — and Why Parents Should Be Concerned

One of the most alarming aspects of VOCA funding is that it allows school districts to provide services to students without requiring a police report or criminal charges to be filed. This means that children can be deemed victims of crime and funneled into counseling, legal advocacy, and other programs without any official investigation or parental involvement.

According to the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), these services are accessible to anyone classified as a crime victim, even if law enforcement is never contacted (34 U.S. Code § 20103).

By design, this funding sidesteps parents, allowing schools and third-party providers to intervene in a child’s life without oversight. This is a direct violation of parental rights, undermining the family unit and preventing parents from being involved in their child’s mental health and legal decisions.

Instead of assisting victims of crime in a transparent and supportive manner, VOCA creates a system where parental authority is disregarded in favor of government control.

A particularly egregious aspect of VOCA is its confidentiality provisions. Under federal law, VOCA mandates strict privacy protections for victims, including minors. This means that students can receive services such as mental health counseling, crisis intervention, and legal support without their parents being informed.

The OVC’s guidelines explicitly state that programs funded under VOCA must protect the confidentiality of victims, even if that means excluding parents from knowing what services their children are receiving (Office for Victims of Crime, 2021).

This provision is a direct attack on parental rights. Texas parents have the legal right to be involved in their child’s education and healthcare decisions, but VOCA funding allows schools to override these rights under the guise of victim support. Parents are left uninformed and powerless while government agencies and school administrators decide what is best for their children.

Conflicts with Texas Law and the Threat to Parental Authority

Texas law is clear: parents have the right to access their child’s medical records, consent to mental health services, and be involved in all major decisions regarding their child’s well-being.

The Texas Education Code Chapter 38 requires parental consent for school-based health and mental health services, ensuring that families remain the primary decision-makers in a child’s life.

However, VOCA directly conflicts with these state protections by allowing schools to offer services without parental consent. Under VOCA guidelines, schools can refer students to third-party mental health professionals, provide trauma-related services, and even offer legal assistance without parents being notified. Further, it sets a dangerous precedent for government intrusion into family matters.

Texas Board Policy FFA, which governs student health and safety, further emphasizes parental rights by requiring transparency and consent before students receive medical or mental health services.

VOCA funding, however, circumvents these protections, putting school districts in the impossible position of complying with both state and federal requirements. If districts prioritize VOCA guidelines, they risk violating Texas law and alienating parents from their child’s welfare.

The expansion of VOCA funding into Texas schools is just one example of increasing government overreach into family matters.

Organizations such as the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) and The Justice Foundation have warned about the dangers of allowing federal programs like VOCA to undermine parental rights. These groups argue that government intrusion into the parent-child relationship threatens constitutional protections and diminishes family autonomy.

In the case of Washington v. Glucksberg (1997), the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment protects the fundamental right of parents to direct the care, upbringing, and education of their children. VOCA’s confidentiality mandates and parental exclusion policies directly challenge this precedent, giving the state undue influence over minors without parental oversight.

Protecting Parental Rights Against VOCA’s Overreach

As Texas school districts continue to apply for VOCA funding, parents must push back against the erosion of their rights. Transparency, parental consent, and family involvement must remain non-negotiable in any discussion about victim services in schools.

If VOCA continues to undermine parental authority, Texas lawmakers must take action to reject this funding or implement stricter state protections that prioritize families over government intervention.

Schools should not have the power to make life-altering decisions for students without parental input. If the well-being of children is truly the priority, then Texas school districts must respect and uphold the fundamental rights of parents. Until that happens, parents must remain vigilant and demand accountability from their local school boards and state representatives.