Parents Bill of Rights Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. CRANE. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Chair, I think it is pretty sad that we even have to offer this bill and that I have to offer this amendment, but I think the American public realizes and is completely outraged with what is going on in this country--how they don't feel like they have a voice anymore, how they don't feel like they are being recognized in their rights to be parents and have authority over their own children.
It is also very disgusting, quite frankly, what has been going on in our kids' schools. Parents across this country--Democrats, Republicans, Independents, all of us--are furious with what is going on at these schools. That is why we even have to do this.
My amendment adds a private right of action for parents to hold schools accountable for not honoring the rights set forth in title I and title II of this bill. It seeks to strengthen enforcement mechanisms within the Parents Bill of Rights Act. My amendment, if passed, would ensure parents can sue if school districts force teachers or students to accommodate critical race theory curriculum, compel students to observe obscene or sexual material without parental consent, use pronoun changes without parental consent, violate student privacy without parental consent, or neglect to report sexual assault or harassment on school property.
The bill as it is currently written puts the protection of parental rights in the hands of Department of Education bureaucrats. It is not enough for Congress to leave enforcement to Department of Education bureaucrats or wait for the corrupt Department of Justice to file a lawsuit on a parent's behalf. I don't trust the Biden administration to go after woke school administrators that force dangerous ideologies on innocent children.
Parents should have the opportunity to sue these schools. For far too long, the public school system has undermined parental involvement in education decisions. If we want to truly empower parents' rights, we should give parents the tools to enforce those rights through this amendment, not leave it in the hands of bureaucrats.
Madam Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Good).
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Mr. CRANE. Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.
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