We have a terrifying suspicion that Republican state Rep. Wayne A. Smith s proposal to exempt parents from Delaware s privacy laws will pass constitutional muster. The rebelliousness of today s young people is different from that of other generations. But rebellion against authority is nothing new. Good parents find ways to deal with it without becoming spies. Parents should keep close tabs on their children.
Parents have a right to know where children go and with whom they spend time.
They have a right to ensure that illegal substances are not used. They have a right to put strict limits on behavior. Parents who truly believe they could not control their children without tapping the telephone and setting up secret video monitors have lost control already. Such a dysfunctional family likely would not find answers in spying. Covert parental tactics more likely will drive a wedge so far and so deep between parent and child that reconciliation would be impossible.