Staff Reports
According to a recent survey conducted by Parents Defending Education, parents nationwide are opposed to schools facilitating their children's gender transition without their consent. The study indicates that 74% of registered voters believe that schools should not support students in their social transition without the permission of their parents. Additionally, 71% of registered voters are against schools keeping information about their child's gender identity from parents. Across ethnic groups, 76% of black voters, 71% of white voters, 66% of Hispanic voters, and 59% of Asian voters oppose such policies.
Read the full polling results⬇️https://t.co/9Vn0IhdpIT
— Nicki Neily (@nickineily) March 21, 2023
Furthermore, the survey indicates that 71% of registered voters support a law that requires schools to notify parents if their child intends to "socially transition" and alter their gender identity while at school. Conversely, 75% of registered voters endorse a law that mandates schools to obtain parental consent before assisting a student with changing their gender identity while at school. The study involved 1,600 registered voters surveyed between March 15th and 20th and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.45 percentage points.
EVERY parent deserves:
•The right to know what’s being taught in schools & see reading materials.
•The right to be heard.
•The right to see school budgets & spending.
•The right to protect your child’s privacy.
•The right to be updated on any violent activity at school. pic.twitter.com/3lFFkqvLeS— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) March 1, 2023
Nicki Neily, who is the president and founder of PDE, commented on the poll results. She stated that the statistics indicate that these policies are unethical and harm the parent-child relationship. Neily further added that officials responsible for education at the local, state, and federal levels have shown a lack of concern for parental rights, which emphasizes the importance of courts and policymakers taking action to put an end to this excessive overreach.
The "Parents Bill of Rights," also known as H.R. 5, is a recently proposed legislation that safeguards parental involvement in education. This bill grants parents the right to receive information about their children's education, review the reading materials used in school, participate in decision-making about their child's education, access school budgets, ensure their child's privacy is respected, and be notified of any violent incidents that occur in school.
The results of the survey affirm that parents should be the primary decision-makers when it comes to their child's education, rather than the government. This viewpoint transcends politics, race, and income. Caroline Moore, who serves as the vice president of PDE, commented that parents have been demanding transparency and accountability from school districts, but their pleas have been ignored. As a result, parents are turning their attention to states that are at the forefront of enacting legislation that supports parental rights in education.
The poll results have exposed that constant whispering at kids that their parents are the enemy is damaging families everywhere. Parents everywhere want nothing but the best for their children, and it’s time for education officials at all levels and policymakers to start recognizing that parental involvement is crucial in every aspect of children’s lives.
