What Are Parental Rights in Education?

            Eyes are on Florida Governor DeSantis because he signed the new Parental Rights in Education law. However, other states are introducing similar legislation in response to parental dissatisfaction with the education of their children. According to Maggie Hroncich, Alabama, Ohio, Kansas, Iowa, and Indiana have joined the fight to stop teachers from teaching the gender ideology to young children. 

            Parents want transparency in the classrooms of their children, and they are asserting their rights as parents to make decisions for their children. Hroncich linked to a report from The Heritage Foundation where I found the following quote:

Lawmakers around the country are considering parents’ bills of rights that affirm that parents are their children’s primary caregivers, prevent schools from compelling students to affirm ideas that violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964, require schools to receive parental permission before administering health services to children, and authorize parents to view the list of books and instructional materials for K–12 classrooms.

            According to the report from The Heritage Foundation, four components should be included in any parental bill of rights: (1) Affirm that parents are their children’s primary caregivers, (2) Protect children from racial discrimination, (3) Require that schools receive permission from parents before administering health services to students, and (4) Allow parents – and taxpayers – to view the material that educators are teaching students.