“Parental Rights” Legislation (H 7781)

We strongly opposed a bill purporting to enhance parental consent and involvement in their minor’s academic interests, but which instead seeks to dictate curricular and educational decisions in ways that are not only censorious and contrary to fundamental pedagogical principles, but impractical to implement in all but the most arbitrary fashion. Among the problematic provisions of this bill was language which would allow for parents to remove any curriculum material that they deemed harmful to “morality” and a broad ban on providing requested health services to minors unless parental consent is first obtained. This bill died in committee.