MenuItem::getParent PHP Method

    public function getParent()
    {
        return empty($this->parent) ? '---' : $this->parent->title;
    }

 public function addMenuItem(MenuItem $inMenuItem)
 {
     $permissionEngine = PermissionEngine::getInstance();
     if (!$permissionEngine->currentUserCanDo("userCanAddMenuItems")) {
         return false;
     }
     $database = Database::getInstance();
     if (!$database->isConnected()) {
         return false;
     }
     $menuID = $database->escapeString($inMenuItem->getMenuID());
     $linkText = $database->escapeString($inMenuItem->getLinkText());
     $linkHref = $database->escapeString($inMenuItem->getHref()->getRawHref());
     $weight = $database->escapeString($inMenuItem->getWeight());
     $parent = $database->escapeString($inMenuItem->getParent());
     if ($inMenuItem->hasChildren()) {
         $hasChildren = 1;
     } else {
         $hasChildren = 0;
     }
     if ($inMenuItem->isEnabled()) {
         $enabled = 1;
     } else {
         $enabled = 0;
     }
     $results = $database->insertData("menuItem", "menuID, linkText, href, weight, hasChildren, enabled, parent", "{$menuID}, '{$linkText}', '{$linkHref}', {$weight}, {$hasChildren}, {$enabled}, {$parent}");
     if ($results === false) {
         return false;
     }
     return true;
 }