Curt Flewelling, FISM News
Republican U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Lesko has proposed an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that guarantees the fundamental right of parents to make the best educational decisions for their children.
In a press release, Lesko states that the amendment is necessary to protect parents from those seeking to “eliminate educational choices for their families.”
Parents have a fundamental right to be involved in their children’s education and to be able to choose the best educational options for their families. I am pleased to introduce this Constitutional Amendment to protect parents from far-left school board officials and government bureaucrats in the Biden Administration who have actively worked to undermine parental rights and eliminate educational choices for their families.
The legislation would ensure that parents have the right to “choose an alternative to traditional public education and make reasonable choices within public schools for their children,” stating that parents are in the best position to “direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children.”
Republicans have historically been the party that has preferred to have matters such as these fleshed out at the local level, rather than relying on federal mandates to protect these rights. However conservative lawmakers, and more importantly the constituents they serve, have become increasingly frustrated with local school boards who have been indifferent, and even hostile, to parents concerned with what their kids are being taught.
While some might feel that amending the Constitution to protect these rights is a step too far, Jim Mason, chairman of the board for the Parental Rights Foundation disagrees. He states, “The Supreme Court in 1923 said ‘the child is not the mere creature of the State,’ but many of today’s bureaucrats have lost sight of that. This amendment will permanently codify that precedent and restore a proper respect for the vital parent-child bond in America.”
Lesko and other proponents of the amendment are not willing to rely on 100-year-old case law to ensure these parental rights. A constitutional amendment is much less subject to interpretation and is harder to repeal down the road.
Josh Hawley proposed similar legislation – though not a constitutional amendment – last year that would protect parents’ abilities to have a say in their child’s education by enacting a Parent’s Bill of Rights. Hawley’s bill would “prohibit nondisclosure agreements concerning curriculum; let parents make copies of classroom material; require schools to have parents opt their children into field trips, assemblies, and other extracurricular activities; and in general require more transparency from school boards and educators concerning things like student records and safety.”
Lesko’s proposal also follows Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis passing of the Parental Rights in Education Bill in March which states that a “school district may not encourage classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity in primary grade levels or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.”
At the time a poll revealed that the legislation was popular even amongst Democratic primary voters with 52% saying they were in favor of the legislation, while only 36% were opposed.
Many voters have applauded the legislative efforts of conservative politicians on the matter. A Parental Rights Foundation poll from earlier this year showed that 80% of Americans agreed with the statement, “In general, parents have the constitutional right to make decisions for their children without government interference unless there is proof of abuse or neglect.”
Despite the unpopularity of the liberal agenda, the assault on parental rights continues to increase in both frequency and reach. As FISM previously reported, one Virginia state legislator recently introduced a bill to criminalize parents who don’t affirm their child’s self-identified sexual identity. Additionally, in California, a new law creates a “sanctuary state” for child “sex changes”.
The issue of parental rights in education could have a big impact on midterm results, as parents are telling pollsters that the issue is one of their top concerns influencing how they plan to vote in November.