CALIFORNIA, USA — A parent's bill of rights, that’s the bill a Republican lawmaker in California introduced to make it easier for parents to follow what their kids are being taught in school and to remove them from that class if they are not satisfied.
Assemblywoman Laurie Davies introduced the "Parents Bill of Rights."
“So that the parents will have information... how to opt out of comprehensive sex help classes, HIV classes, so they have the information ahead of time. I think one of the biggest parts is the curriculum, knowing what the curriculum is in advance,” she said.
It’ll also require an annual pamphlet with what clubs and activities are offered and what they do.
The Republican from Laguna Niguel said a lot of the bill is based on the "Parents Bill of Rights" that Florida passed in 2021.
“You know what, a lot of it comes from that, from that bill, that parental rights bill. But I think, when we talk about it, is it is about health care and the welfare of their children,” Davies said.
The Florida bill says a parent has the right “to direct the upbringing, education, health care, and mental health of his or her minor.”
In California however, kids 12 and older can get mental health care and reproductive healthcare without parental permission. Davies said this will not interfere with that.
“It's the 'Parents Bill of Rights' to be informed,” she said.
Alexandro Gradilla is an associate professor of Chicana and Chicano Studies at California State University, Fullerton. He received his doctorate degree in ethnic studies.
“This 'Parents Bill of Rights' is absolutely one of those types of laws where it is stirring the pot and causing fear, hysteria, that people's children are being put at risk... by being taught harmful information,” he said
He said it’s also a waste of tax dollars.
“One of the things that is key here is parents already have a process to raise concerns, and if they do not like what their public schools are offering, they have the right to take their child either to homeschool them or they can easily take them into a private religious school.”
As far the bill getting passed through the legislature, Davies said last year that she passed six out of the six bills that she introduced by working across the isle.
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