Parents Bill of Rights Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act. I thank Representative Letlow and Chair Foxx for their leadership in defending the God-given rights of parents and protecting kids as well.

Parental involvement in their children's education is paramount to a student's success. However, in recent years, we have seen a push by some to exclude parents from their children's education. This is why I recently introduced the PROTECT Kids Act with Senator Tim Scott which has been included as an amendment to H.R. 5.

The PROTECT Kids Act would require any Department of Education-funded elementary or middle school to seek and acquire parental consent before changing their child's pronouns or preferred name on any school form.

This provision is straightforward, common sense, and will safeguard the critical relationship between parents, schools, and children.

When a child goes on a field trip or fails a test, their parents are told and are often required to sign an acknowledgment or a permission slip.

Why should relatively small things require notification but something as significant as a child's pronouns or a change in accommodations can be withheld from the people who raise and love them?

Recent polling shows this has the broad support of the American people. Three-quarters of Americans believe schools should be required to obtain consent from parents.

Parents have a fundamental right to raise and educate their children how they choose. We must pass the Parents Bill of Rights Act to help mitigate issues we have seen nationwide and to support parents who need the support to do right by their kids as well.

On this side of the aisle, we believe this is the right way to go, and we believe that in the end it will promote education, family, and individualism as well.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source