Parental Bill of Rights
Why adopt this policy?
Trust between teachers, administrators, and parents is at an all-time low. Repairing these relationships are key to promoting student achievement, especially since parents are key motivators for their children. Districts that adopt policies to protect or promote the role of parents are taking a step towards rebuilding that trust and encouraging broader community involvement in the outcomes of the school district.
Text:
A parent/guardian shall have the right to play a central role in a child’s education, to obtain critical information about what is being taught or provided in the classroom and to make inquiries when a parent feels that the quality or content of a child’s education does not align with the values and expectations the parent expects and deserves.
Every parent of a child in [School District] shall have a right to direct the upbringing, education, care and mental health of the parent’s child. The following parental rights are reserved to each parent of a child in this district:
(1) The right to direct the education and care of such child
(2) the right to direct the upbringing and the moral or religious training of such child
(3) the right to request, access and inspect all written and electronic records maintained by a school relating to such child
(4) the right to be informed of and {able to} inspect the curriculum, instructional materials and any other materials that are made available or taught to such child in the child’s school
(5) the right to attend publicly designated meetings of the local school board and the right to question and address school officials during designated public comment periods or through letters, electronic communications or in-person meetings
(6) the right to make healthcare and medical decisions for such a child, including the right to make decisions regarding vaccinations and immunizations. In accordance to [State Law] as an alternative to the certification required a pupil shall present annual written statement signed by a licensed physician stating the physical condition of the child to be such that the tests or inoculations would seriously endanger the life or health of the child, or a written statement signed by one parent or guardian that the child is an adherent of a religious denomination whose religious teachings are opposed to such tests or inoculations
(7) the right to expect that such child, and each teacher and educator of such child, shall not be compelled to affirm, believe, profess or adhere to any idea that violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964
(8) the right to expect that no course of instruction or unit of study shall direct or otherwise compel the child to personally affirm, adopt or adhere to any idea that violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964
(9) the right to expect that the child’s school shall not contract for teacher professional development with providers that promote racially essentialist doctrines or practices that have been held to violate the Civil Rights Act of 1964
(10) the right to expect that each teacher and educator of such child will endeavor to present facts without distortion, bias or personal prejudice
(11) the right to expect that each teacher and educator of such child shall work to eliminate coercion that forces teachers and educators to support actions and ideologies that violate individual professional integrity
(12) the right to expect teachers and administrators will not withhold, either inadvertently or purposely, important information related to a child, including, but not limited to, information relating to health, well-being, and education.
(13) the right to assert any other inalienable or constitutional right that is reserved to the parent and the child pursuant to state or federal law
The board of education shall develop and adopt policies to guarantee a parent’s right to be involved in a child’s education. Such policies shall be developed in consultation with parents, teachers and school administrators and shall include policies and procedures for a parent to:
(1) Be informed of and have the ability to inspect any materials, activities, curriculum, lessons, syllabi, surveys, tests, questionnaires, examinations, books, magazines, handouts, professional development and training materials and any other materials or activities that are provided to the parent’s child
(2) inspect and review any educational or health records maintained by the school that pertain to the parent’s child
(3) object to any learning material or activity on the basis that such material or activity harms the child or impairs the parent’s firmly held beliefs, values or principles and withdraw such child from the activity, class or program in which the material is used
(4) challenge the material or educational benefit of any book, magazine or any other material available to students in the school library such that a successful challenge results in the removal of the book, magazine or material from the school.