Should Parents Be Involved with Teacher Contract Negotiations?

When parents are involved with the education of their children, families, communities, states, and nations are stronger. One way that parents can help their children is to pay attention to contract negotiations between school districts and teachers unions.

According to Paul Runko, the director of strategic initiatives in K-12 programming for Defending Education, parents across America are “reading the fine print” in proposed contracts “increasingly alarmed.” They have discovered that “many collective bargaining agreements – which should be focused on wages, working conditions, and student achievement – are instead being used to embed divisive ideology and sidestep parental rights.” 

As an example, Runko wrote in his article that concerned parents in Denver sent a letter to Denver Public Schools “urging the removal of politicized diversity, equity, and inclusion mandates from its upcoming union contract.” He added other concerns, such as race-based mentoring programs, mandatory ideological training for staff, and other initiatives that prioritize identity politics over academic outcomes.”

Runko explained that the above issues “are not minor provisions” because they “represent a broader trend of using labor contracts as vehicles to secure activist agendas in schools. He continued his explanation by stating that it is not enough to criticize. A better action is to “articulate what a better contract could look like.” Such a contract is “one that affirms educational excellence, respects parents, and upholds the law.” He suggested the following “three constructive priorities that should be included in future collective bargaining agreements.”

1. Affirm Federal Title IX Law as Originally Written

Title IX was passed to protect students and staff from sex-based discrimination in education. It is a civil rights landmark – designed to ensure that girls and boys alike have equal access to academic and scholastic athletic opportunities. But in recent years, this statute has been stretched far beyond its original meaning.

Teachers union contracts should affirm a clear and accurate interpretation of Title IX. That means protecting all students from harassment while also safeguarding the integrity of women’s sports and the rights of students to maintain sex-separated spaces like locker rooms and bathrooms.

The Biden administration’s attempted redefinition of sex to include gender identity…. Unions should do a complete 180 on this issue and assert Title IX as it was written and originally intended.

2. Respect the Right of Parents to Opt Out of Gender and Sexuality Content

In Mahmoud v. Taylor, parents challenged a school district over its refusal to let families op out of instruction related to gender identity and sexual orientation in elementary classrooms. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of religious parents’ right to opt their children out of such controversial instruction.

Future collective bargaining agreements should affirm this simple principle: Religious parents have the right to opt their children out of age-inappropriate or controversial instructional materials – especially those related to LGBTQ+ ideology in grades K-5.

That’s not discrimination. It’s respecting parental authority to direct the education and upbringing of their children….

3. Guarantee Parental Notification and Opt-Out Rights for Student Surveys

Too often, schools administer invasive surveys to students with questions on sexual activity, drug use, mental health, and religious beliefs – without ever informing parents. This violates federal law (namely the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment) and erodes trust between families and schools….

A better contract is not only possible – it’s necessary. Let’s start writing it.

Wise parents can no longer sit back and let other people determine the policies for their schools. These parents must be involved to ensure that their children are taught acceptable material and not have their freedoms infringed. By doing so, wise parents can strengthen their family, community, state, and nation.