“It doesn’t matter [what] the color of your skin [is] or your wealth, when you have a child that is the most important thing in your life… one thing we know in this country, education is the great equalizer. We want to parents to feel empowered and that’s what we’re doing here,” said Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Empowering parents and promoting the well-being of children is a top priority of the House Republican majority. That’s why the Parents Bill of Rights was a critical piece of the House Republican Commitment to America, and that’s why the Parents Bill of Rights was introduced in the House as H.R. 5.
The Parents Bill of Rights has 5 pillars to ensure parents have the right to have a voice in their kids’ education:
- Right to know what’s being taught in schools and to see reading material
- Right to be heard
- Right to see school budget and spending
- Right to protect their child’s privacy
- Right to be updated on any violent activity at school
To highlight the unveiling of the legislation, Speaker Kevin McCarthy (CA-20), Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (NY-21), House Education and the Workforce Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (NC-05), Representative Julia Letlow (LA-05), Representative Aaron Bean (FL-04), and Representative Erin Houchin (IN-09) met with concerned parents to hear the parents’ stories and detail how the legislation would impact American education.
To learn more or to sign your name onto the Parents Bill of Rights, click here.
Takeaways from parents are below.
Neeley McAllister: “Despite all the consequences caused by heavy-handed mandates forced onto us by bureaucrats and teachers unions, there was a silver lining: parents in Fairfax County and in school districts across the country had a front row seat to what their kids were learning in school. And in most cases, we were dismayed and appalled at the adult subject matter that was not only on the bookshelves of taxpayer-funded libraries, but also being forced upon them in the classroom.”
Nicole Solas: “I am a mother from Rhode Island who was sued by the teachers union because I simply wanted to know what my Kindergartner would be learning in school… the largest teachers union in the country, the National Education Association, did file a lawsuit against me to bully me and harass me and to send a message to other parents that if you ask questions they will come after you.”
Stacey Whomsley: “I currently serve as school director for the Westchester Area School District and was elected in 2021. I ran for this position after struggling to be heard as a parent, taxpayer, and concerned member of my community… transparency in public education is a cornerstone of… my advocacy for my community.”
Scott Smith: “I went to the school board meeting to speak up for my daughter and to get some answers that we deserved. But instead of putting her safety and our safety of other students first the Loudoun County School Board tried to hide the facts and protect their administrators at all cost. We now know that three young girls were attacked by the same now convicted sexual predator. The school board has failed each of these young girls and their families every step of the way, and continues to do this every day.”