Malliotakis Joins Colleagues in Introducing Parents Bill of Rights Act

(WASHINGTON, DC) - Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) joined Congresswoman Julia Letlow (R-LA) and nearly 80 of their Republican colleagues in introducing the Parents Bill of Rights Act that would put practices in place to facilitate dialogue between families and schools, allow parents to have more input throughout the learning process, and establish more transparency and accountability. This bill comes after the Department of Justice issued a memo to the FBI and federal prosecutors likening concerned parents to domestic terrorists.

"With divisive curriculum such as Critical Race Theory being taught in schools, and parents who are expressing concerns about curriculum and policy being treated as domestic terrorists by government agencies, it's critically important to protect parents' rights to transparency regarding their child's education," said Congresswoman Malliotakis. "This legislation gives power back to parents by requiring accountability and transparency on the part of school districts, allowing parents to know what's being taught and push back on curriculum they believe is inappropriate or harmful to their child's education. Personal politics have no place in the classroom and this legislation seeks to prevent that."

The Parents Bill of Rights Act is built on five core principles that would apply to all schools nationwide that receive federal funding:

• Parents have the right to know what their children are being taught.
  • School districts must make the curriculum publicly available and provide parents with a list of books and reading materials available in the schools' library.
  • States must provide the public with a copy of any revisions to the state's academic standards or learning benchmarks.
  • Parents must be given timely notice of any plan to eliminate gifted & talented programs.
• Parents have the right to be heard.
  • Teachers must offer two in-person meetings with parents each year.
  • Parents must be allowed to address the school board on issues impacting the education of their child.
  • Educators and policymakers must respect the First Amendment right of parents as well as their right to assemble and have a say in their child's education.
  • School districts should consider community feedback when making decisions.
• Parents have the right to see a school’s budget and spending.
  • School district budgets must be publicly disclosed, including revenues and expenditures.
• Parents have the right to protect their child’s privacy.
  • Schools must not share student data with tech companies without parental permission or sell data for commercial purposes.
  • Parents must have a say when school districts develop or update student privacy policies and procedures.
  • Parents must consent before any medical exam takes place at school, including mental health or substance abuse screenings.
• Parents have the right to keep their child safe.
  • Schools must notify parents of violent activity occurring on school grounds or school-sponsored events while still protecting the privacy of the students involved in the incident. 

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PARENTS BILL OF RIGHTS ACT, CLICK HERE