Putting Parents in Their Proper Place
The "Promise to America's Parents" pushes for greater accountability, choice, and transparency in children's education and healthcare.
An attorney and education policy expert in Washington, D.C., sent me information about the “Promise to America’s Parents” that I would like to share with you. It gives a comprehensive picture of why parents from all backgrounds are becoming more involved in their children’s K-12 public schools.
The “Promise to America’s Parents” is an initiative launched last week by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a legal organization at the forefront of the fight to protect children that represents multiple parents in lawsuits brought against school districts. The Promise brings together parents, grass roots organizations, and legislators to strengthen parental rights and push for greater accountability, choice, and transparency from government when it comes to education and healthcare decisions for children. And, straight from the Promise, here is why it’s needed:
“Local, state, and federal government policies are imposing ideologies that divide children by race and promote the falsehood that a boy can become a girl or vice-versa. Some schools are treating children as if they are the opposite sex without the permission of parents. Medical professionals are performing harmful experiments on children who are emotionally distressed about their bodies. To protect children, parents need laws that protect their rights.”
The Heritage Foundation hosted a forum on July 27 to explain the “Promise to America’s Parents.”
In a panel discussion led by attorney Emilie Kao from ADF, attorney Matt Sharp from ADF and Joseph Kohm from the Family Policy Alliance affirmed that the Constitution gives parents the right to guide their children’s care, upbringing, and education. Nevertheless, Congress and state legislatures need to clarify to the courts and federal, state, and local governments that parents’ rights are first-tier rights, and parents must be able to hold government at all levels legally accountable when those rights have been violated.
Parents also need choice when it comes to which schools their children will attend and what type of in-school healthcare will be provided to their children. Heritage policy expert Lindsey Burke acknowledged that parents want to be partners with their children’s school to make sure they get what they need. Often, though, the best school for their children may be different from their “government-assigned, government-compelled, and government-funded school” if it does not align with their values or their expectations for curriculum, standards, and academic rigor. Jay Richards from Heritage also talked about the psychosocial interventions that many schools are providing without parental consent and how parents should be the ones guiding such decisions. School choice can solve these dilemmas.
Finally, Heritage’s Jonathan Butcher and Ginny Gentles from Independent Women’s Forum stressed that schools must be transparent with their policies and curricular choices. Unfortunately, schools are driving a wedge between parents and children when policies encourage teachers and administrators to keep secrets as with crafting a “gender support plan” at school. Panelists also discuss why President Biden’s recent proposed changes to Title IX that will redefine “sex” to include gender identity has dangerous implications for our nation’s children in public K-12 schools—and will only compound the lack of transparency.
If there is anything in education politics that you need to care about, this discussion will cover it and get you up to speed on why 15 states have already passed parental rights bills into law and why the movement is growing. It is well worth your attention.