Mary DeMoss
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Mary Panton, née Mary DeMoss, is a member of the Church of Scientology and founder of the Foundation for Religious Tolerance of Florida, a group which, in 2000, protested the production of the anti-Scientology film, The Profit.[1][2] She has also served as Executive Director of Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) Florida, the Scientology anti-psychiatry group.[3]
Panton (DeMoss) was also one of group of more than 200 Scientologists that filed affidavits claiming that the criminal prosecution of the Church stemming from the 1995 death of Scientologist Lisa McPherson had hurt them personally. They urged the Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Court to dismiss the case.[4] The charges against the Church of Scientology were dropped after the state's medical examiner changed the cause of death from "undetermined" to an "accident" on June 13, 2000.
In 2005, Panton lobbied the Florida Legislature in support of bills (HB209 and SB1766) that prohibited "requiring a student to be prescribed or administered psychotropic medication as a condition of receipt of educational services" and required that Florida schools inform parents of their rights as regards mental health screening or treatment of their children. Critics of the legislation argued that the bill would attach additional stigma to treatment and discourage parents from taking advantage of school psychological services.[5]The House bill passed and was submitted the Governor. Although Florida Governor Jeb Bush vetoed the bill on May 26, 2005, he approved on that same date a related Senate bill, SB1090, which included similar provisions, e.g. "A public school may not deny any student access to programs or services because the parent of the student has refused to place the student on psychotropic medication."[6][7][8][9]CCHR took the passage of SB1090 as a victory and vowed to help address Bush's concerns on HB209.[10]
[edit] References
- ^ Farley, Robert (2001-08-02). Man's film a veiled look at Scientology. St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
- ^ Persall, Steve (2001-08-24). Real problems with a fictional movie. St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
- ^ Sharon Hillestad - Improving Education - Freedom Magazine - Scientology in Clearwater
- ^ Tobin, Thomas C. (2000-03-09). Scientologists decry toll of criminal case. St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
- ^ Ulferts, Alisa (2005-04-09). Scientologists push mental health law. St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
- ^ HB 209 - Administration of Medication to Public School Students
- ^ Session :Bills : flsenate.gov
- ^ Session :Bills : flsenate.gov
- ^ Bush vetoes school drug bill, signs second with similar language : State : Naples Daily News
- ^ Florida Expands Parental Rights to Reject Psychiatric Treatment in Public Institutions
[edit] External links
- http://www.cchrflorida.org/ CCHR Florida
