Parental rights advocates in Alaska had reason for concerned when Providence Hospital hired Dr. Barbara Knox as the medical director of Alaska CARES, an Anchorage clinic that helps coordinate investigations of suspected child abuse.
Just four months before taking her post in Alaska in 2019, Knox was placed on administrative leave at the University of Wisconsin medical school for allegedly intimidating colleagues and using overly aggressive tactics to find “proof” of child abuse without compelling evidence.
She is now under investigation for similar behavior in Alaska.
According to a Nov. 15 article published in Wisconsin Watch, Knox has received multiple workplace complaints for bullying Providence colleagues, refusing to tolerate dissenting opinions and erroneously accusing Alaskans of child abuse.
In one instance, Knox’s determination of abuse led to a nursing infant being taken from a mother, Wisconsin Watch reports.
Up until 2019, Knox headed up the University of Wisconsin’s Child Protection Program, which she left during a school investigation into charges of bullying and intimidating colleges who challenged her conclusions.
Knox was scheduled to be a featured speaker at an anti-homeschooling summit hosted by Harvard University, which was cancelled after widespread public outcry.
“Wisconsin Watch found a dozen instances in which Knox’s suspicions of abuse were rejected by officials in the criminal justice system, by child welfare workers and medical specialists,” the Nov. 15 article states. “Other defendants, proclaiming innocence, remain in prison and have appealed their cases.”
In addition to alleged misdiagnosis of child abuse, Knox was scheduled to be a featured speaker at an anti-homeschooling summit hosted by Harvard University. The 2020 event was cancelled after widespread public outcry. It had planned to feature nationally known figures who want homeschooling banned and/or heavily regulated by the state.
The Harvard conference was viewed by many homeschool advocated as coordinated assault on homeschooling parents with the goal of forming a political strategy to undermine parental rights and educational freedoms in the name of protecting children from their parents.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
One of the organizers, Professor James Dwyer, argued that the “reason parent-child relationships exist is because the state confers legal parenthood on people through its paternity and maternity laws. It’s the state that is empowering parents to do anything with children – to take them home, to have custody, and to make any kind of decisions about that.”
Fellow speaker, Samantha Field, had planned to attack the reputation of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, a nonprofit that defends the constitutional right of parents to direct the education of their children. Field said the organization is “the most powerful religious right lobby you never heard of,” and claimed they foment a culture that puts children in danger.
Another scheduled Harvard speaker maintains that homeschool students should be able to petition a judge to force their parents to send them to public school.
Alaska has a long tradition of empowering parents to educate their children through both state funded and independent homeschooling options.
16 Comments
Right on alaska,, keep leading the way down that downward spiral
Hmmm let’s see, both of my homeschooled children (k-12), now adults, college graduates both with bachelors & graduated with honors in four years, one currently in masters program, both happily married, contributing mature, responsible adults in professional careers. Yah. Downward spiral. Uh huh. Right.
YOU SHALL OBEY… YOU WILL BE HAPPY AND HAVE NOTHING…
The Smailes Doctrine!
This is a person who is hiding a dark secret.
They want to claim child abuse so they can take the children and traffic them.
The correct response to Ms. Knox is “over my dead body will you take my child from me.” It is not the law that gives me the right, it is God Almighty, and your arms are too short to box with Him.
Why isn’t this satanic trash in jail?
Downward spiral? This woman leaves a trail of destroyed families and individuals in her wake. She needs to have her license taken away and be forbidden from EVER taking a job in social services (of ANY sort) ever again. Alaskans do not want, nor will they tolerate, this type of disgusting, unprofessional behavior. Get her OUT!!!!
Providence seems to be doing their best to undermine the family and healthcare in general.
Seems so. As my experience of last week. I knew this in my marrow! That the next thing the tyrants of totalitarianism would do; come after our home schooling families, who are independent, Constitutionalists of many beliefs. Remember , V. Lenin “Give me just one generation of youth, and I’ll transform the whole world.” … “Give me four years to teach children and the seed I have sown will never be uprooted.” This is a cultural and real fight for the souls of our children. Grandma PS: What is wrong with Alaska to hire this person. Knox needs serious treatment/help!
Another scheduled Harvard speaker maintains that homeschool students should be able to petition a judge to force their parents to send them to public school.
What don’t you get!! Parents get to raise there own kids not some Woke board. That’s right homeschooling your own children. There losing control of your kids, by you taking your kids out of these woke instructions.
Good for you parents standing up!!
Providence Hospital is an evil, evil institution and has been for years. I hope Alaskans find other hospitals to go to beside that place.
Sounds like an employee that could not work and play well with others packed up and moved here to start the same shenanigans from where she left.
I guess, I would say! she got some issues, we all do!
Alaska, has some of the best homeschooling, options, you could
ever ask for!
People get worried about kids having no social! but here in Alaska! they are pushed too be social! in homeschooling!
because kids can interact with the school system? and do sports and activities!
You want too homeschool, bless your heart! if you can!
Please don’t think all people have issues because they want too homeschool!
It’s just, they feel its the best for their family! and beliefs, culture, anything wrong with this belief?
The liberty of parents to direct the upbringing, EDUCATION and care of their children is a fundamental right!