. Jack C. Westman, who teaches psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin Medical School, believes that people should be required to secure a license if they want to become parents. Securing the license would require that parents be a minimum age (18), that they sign a pledge not to abuse or neglect their children, and that they complete a certified course in parenting. If not, then under Dr. Westman’s proposal, the children people bring into the world would be taken from them, at least until they satisfy the necessary requirements for the parenting license. Dr. Westman, who works intensively with abusive and neglectful parents in his psychiatry practice, believes that much abuse and mistreatment would be prevented by his proposal.

Should Dr. Westman’s proposal for licensing parents be adopted? If so, why? If not, why not?