A resolution supporting the right of parents to be the leading voice in the education of their children.

Bill: 117-sres-431
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]
Introduced: 2021-10-28
Policy area: Education
Latest action: action_date: 2021-10-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text: CR S7463-7464)

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-10-28
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This resolution supports parental involvement in decisions affecting the education of children.</p>

tv_txt: III 117th CONGRESS 1st Session S. RES. 431 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES October 28, 2021 Mr. Scott of Florida (for himself, Mr. Burr , Mrs. Hyde-Smith , Mr. McConnell , Mr. Marshall , Ms. Lummis , Mr. Rubio , Mr. Johnson , Mr. Boozman , Mr. Kennedy , Mr. Braun , Mr. Risch , Mr. Crapo , Mr. Tillis , Mr. Graham , Mr. Inhofe , Mr. Tuberville , Mr. Hoeven , Mr. Moran , Mrs. Blackburn , Mrs. Fischer , Mr. Cramer , Mr. Lee , Mr. Cotton , Mr. Grassley , Ms. Ernst , Mr. Scott of South Carolina , Mr. Barrasso , Mr. Wicker , Mr. Lankford , and Mr. Cornyn ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions RESOLUTION Supporting the right of parents to be the leading voice in the education of their children.

Whereas parents are the first teachers of their children and have the inherent and fundamental right to make decisions regarding the upbringing, education, and care of their children; Whereas parental involvement in the educational system contributes to a collaborative environment with school administrators and teachers, which enhances the educational outcomes of all students; Whereas school board officials, school administrators, and teachers are public servants, and parents are entitled to demand accountability from such public servants for policies and actions that affect their children; Whereas the public meetings of the school board in Loudoun County, Virginia, have become emblematic of the increased engagement by concerned parents across the United States with respect to school policies and educational curricula impacting their children; Whereas labor organizations representing teachers and school boards have begun advocating that administrators and teachers should not listen to parents who express concerns regarding such policies and curricula; Whereas school administrators and school board officials have alarmingly implemented policies designed— (1) to restrict parental involvement at public meetings; (2) to prohibit parental visitation with children during school hours; and (3) to limit parental input on policies and race-based curricula taught in the classroom; Whereas, in a September 2021 letter to President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., the National School Boards Association— (1) compared grassroots demonstrations and protests by concerned parents against harmful school policies and educational curricula affecting their children to domestic terrorism and hate crimes against school boards, administrators, and teachers; and (2) requested that the President use Federal law enforcement resources and legal authorities designed to address domestic terrorism, such as the authorities provided by the USA PATRIOT Act ( Public Law 107–56 ; 115 Stat. 272), to investigate and prosecute parents who protest against such policies and curricula; Whereas, in response to such letter, United States Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a memorandum, dated October 4, 2021, directing Federal law enforcement resources to be used to discourage, investigate, and prosecute parents engaged in such demonstrations and protests; and Whereas parents should be at the forefront of the decisions affecting the education and well-being of their children, and school boards, school administrators, and teachers should work collaboratively with parents to improve educational outcomes rather than treat parents as intruders in the education of their children: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1) supports the right of parents to be the leading voice in the education of their children; (2) condemns threats and acts of violence against school board officials, school administrators, and teachers; (3) denounces attempts by school board officials, school administrators, and teachers to restrict parental involvement in the development and implementation of school policies and educational curricula affecting their children; (4) rejects the threatened or actual use of Federal or State law enforcement resources to intimidate parents and silence parental involvement in decisions affecting the education of their children; (5) encourages schools and parents to enter into constructive and open dialogue regarding school policies, curricula, and instructional materials to improve the educational outcomes of all students; and (6) demands Attorney General Merrick Garland rescind the memorandum issued on October 4, 2021, that inappropriately directs Federal law enforcement resources to be used against parents advocating on behalf of their children against harmful school policies, curricula, and instructional materials.