Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the First Amendment rights of parents at school board meetings shall not be infringed.

Bill: 117-hres-738
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Stauber, Pete [R-MN-8]
Introduced: 2021-10-21
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Constitution and constitutional amendments

Elementary and secondary education

Family relationships

First Amendment rights

Law enforcement administration and funding

Public participation and lobbying

School administration
Latest action: action_date: 2022-11-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security.

Summaries:
action_date: 2021-10-21
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This resolution (1) supports the constitutional rights of parents to assemble and petition school boards, and (2) condemns the weaponization of federal law enforcement agencies against parents exercising their rights.</p>

tv_txt: IV 117th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 738 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 21, 2021 Mr. Stauber (for himself, Mr. McClintock , Mr. Bost , Mr. Grothman , Ms. Herrell , Mr. Pence , Mr. Posey , Mr. Rutherford , Mr. Rice of South Carolina , Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania , Mrs. Steel , Mr. Joyce of Pennsylvania , Mr. Mullin , Mr. Tony Gonzales of Texas , Mr. Good of Virginia , Mr. Hagedorn , Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania , Mrs. Hartzler , Mr. Norman , Ms. Malliotakis , Mr. Balderson , Mr. Cline , Mr. Bishop of North Carolina , Mr. Chabot , Mrs. Fischbach , Mrs. Miller-Meeks , Mr. Emmer , Mr. Gohmert , and Mr. Babin ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the First Amendment rights of parents at school board meetings shall not be infringed.

Whereas the First Amendment to the Constitution reads, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. ; Whereas schools, under political pressure, have implemented critical race theory, which teaches children to divide themselves from their classmates, as part of curricula; Whereas schools have implemented mask mandates, jeopardizing learning potential and disrupting classrooms; Whereas schools have implemented vaccine mandates in violation of personal choice and medical freedom, thereby creating thousands of teacher vacancies nationwide; Whereas parents have exercised their protected First Amendment right to assemble and express concerns at school board meetings; Whereas interest groups, in response to parents participating out of concern for policies impacting their children’s well-being and safety, requested the Department of Justice label parents as domestic terrorists ; Whereas, on October 4, 2021, the Attorney General, as appointed by the President, has directed the Federal Bureau of Investigation to prosecute parents who exercise their First Amendment rights at school board meetings; and Whereas, on October 15, 2021, sitting members of the United States Commission on Civil Rights wrote to the Attorney General to express concern that protected political speech by parents could be prosecuted under the October 4 directive, in direct violation of their First Amendment rights, because of political disagreement: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1) supports the rights enumerated in the Constitution of parents to assemble and petition school boards; and (2) condemns weaponization of Federal law enforcement agencies against parents exercising their rights.