September 23, 2024
By Linda Sulzen
According to Fox News at the beginning of the 2024 school year top issues facing educational institutions include students protesting the Gaza war, AI bullying, policies regarding transgender students, school choice options and new rules in some states regarding religious practices in schools or book bans. This could seem daunting, but parents are not powerless. On average children spend 6-7 hours per day in school and parents have the right to know how that time is being spent.
Last year a Parents Bill of Rights Act was passed in the House of Representatives which holds schools accountable to the bill’s parameters in order to receive funds and allows parent’s the right to review curriculum, be informed if standards are altered, and provides for family education and privacy rights; specifically if a school consists of only grades 5-8 they need parental consent to change a minor child’s gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on school forms.
According to the Parent’s Bill of Rights Act permission is also needed from the school to allow a minor child to change the child’s sex-based accommodations. The website greatschools.org published an article that explained what parents can do regarding the education of their children; in regards to being safe the author lists how to get in contact with the U.S. department of education regarding bullying, or explains how freedom of speech is protected by the First Amendment.
Not all states have mandatory comprehensive sex education; there is variation among states and sometimes schools over what is taught. Dr. Miriam Grossman author of the book “Lost in Trans Nation” suggests ways to deal with communicating with school educators, how to opt out of curriculums, and maintain parental influence without giving it over to the educational system. Grossman gives parents’ permission backed by their rights to be assertive when their family values or belief systems are challenged by school policies or personnel and examples of how to speak or put in writing what is or is not allowed at school when it comes to their child. Grossman explains…
- As a parent you oversee the education, medical and mental health of your child.
- The parent chooses whether the child goes to public or private school or is homeschooled.
- Many states allow the parent to opt the child out of sex education classes or curricula that promotes gender identity ideology.
- It is the parent’s decision how a child who has gender dysphoria is treated, not the school officials.
- Parents have the responsibility to know what is going on at their child’s school, meet with teachers and read documents.
- Parents should ask questions about school policies concerning transgenderism, pronoun use, bathroom access, school overnight activities and sports teams.
- Communicate your parental instructions in writing to administrators and express your family values and opt out request.
Advocating for your child in the educational system can best be approached by using good social skills to get to know the teacher, principal, programs, curriculum, and by speaking up when necessary. Volunteering will give you a bird’s eye advantage in understanding classroom dynamics, policies and be beneficial in networking. Finding like minded individuals to address issues can bring about change for your child and others.
