Is a parent required to sign a release of liability form so that the P.O. can take her son on a TYC tour?

Going on the Texas Youth Commission tour is indeed a term of his probation, and I did not refuse permission. However, I did refuse to sign the release of liability forms, and in fact, would sue if anything were to happen to my child on this trip, during which he will be in contact with incarcerated juveniles who have assaulted, etc. (My son brought two uncontrolled non-felony painkillers to school.) Not to mention all of the wrongdoing that the TYC administration has been up to lately!
At any rate, his probation officer said that she was going to call the judge and that we might need to set a court date. He is due to be off of probation at the beginning of August.
Isn't it my legal right as a parent to not sign forms releasing this government agency and TYC from liability? Note that I AM NOT refusing to let him go, as it IS a term of his probation. I don't think it should be OUR legal problem if he can't go because I didn't sign these forms, though. Help appreciated.


Answers:
The right to seek redress of wrongs in a court of law is protected. The state may not require you to sign away this right. More then likely the release of liability will not prevent you from bringing suit against the state if they are liable for harm to your child. It might complicate things but probably isn't strong enough to completely protect them.
Here are some suggestions.
1. Consult with a lawyer. That’s the best suggestion if you can afford it because they will have easy access to the laws and courts and they will be taken seriously while a court may treat you less seriously alone.
2. Do your own research. Your states laws will usually be available at the state supreme courts website or state attorney general or in a public library. Then refuse to sign citing the laws that support you or make your own permission slip stating that you will hold the state liable for harm to your child and send that in.
3. Accompany your child and transport him there yourself. Notify the court that you are complying with the tour and the method of transporting your child was not a part of the terms of probation. Assuming it isn't.

The child is either in your custody or the states. If you are the responsible legal guardian of your child then you may not be forced to give up your right to redress wrongs to your child. If you could be then schools would have been immune from lawsuit for decades now.

ADDED: The fifth amendment to the constitution and the fourteenth are applicable here but more then likely tour state has it's own laws protecting you. Probably the PO created the release form to try to protect him/her self. But a lawyer is still the pat solution if you can afford one. The biggest guns usally win the argument.
it is a very normal thing to seek a release when taking minors into places. that someone could get hurt