Eagle Forum Applauds House Passage of H.R. 5, The Parents’ Bill of Rights
“Last Friday, the House of Representatives recognized the rights of parents to know what is happening in public schools. This common-sense legislation provides transparency and notice regarding what is being taught, how money is being spent, and what is happening in the schools. We at Eagle Forum do not understand why there was any opposition to this bill. More information is a good thing. What is it that the schools are trying to hide?” said Eagle Forum President Kristen A. Ullman.
Eagle Forum has a long history of advocating for the rights of parents and students, especially regarding pupil privacy. This bill strengthens those rights by clarifying that student data cannot be shared with tech companies without parental approval and schools cannot sell student data for commercial purposes. Parents must consent before any medical exam takes place at school, including vaccinations, mental health or substance use disorder screenings, and before students are surveyed. “The privacy rights of students are vitally important and must be protected. In addition, parents deserve to consent before any exams are performed. These measures are not controversial!” said Ullman.
“Democrats have complained about what is not in this bill – a laundry list of teachers’ unions demands having nothing to do with the rights of parents to school information. The Parents Bill of Rights protects the privacy, education, and autonomy of children by allowing parents access to what they are learning. Instead of keeping parents in the dark, schools will be required to provide a list of books and curricula, documentation of budget and spending, and notification of violent activity. These should be non-controversial measures. We encourage the Senate to pass it as well,” said Tabitha Walter, Executive Director of Eagle Forum.
