Parents Bill of Rights Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCORMICK. 5.

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Mr. McCORMICK. Mr. Chairman, I rise today to discuss my amendment to H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act.

I speak to all of you as a father of seven, an educator for 4 years, both in public and private schools, and a youth minister for over 20 years.

It is important to note that as we discuss this legislation, we are not guaranteed just local control in our Constitution, but we are also guaranteed inalienable, individual rights even when inconvenient to the local government, because the ultimate minority we need to protect is the individual.

For amendment No. 16, it clarifies H.R. 5's language to ensure parents have the guaranteed opportunity to address the school board regarding any violation of their parental rights. This right is implied within the bill but deserves stronger language.

As we have seen too frequently across the country, including two counties within my district, concerned moms and dads have been silenced, thrown out, and threatened when standing up for their children. This is simply unacceptable.

Amendment No. 16 serves as a form of accountability. We must ensure parents should be able to provide school boards with feedback to make necessary changes when the rights of the parents or the children are infringed upon.

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Mr. McCORMICK. Mr. Chair, the attitude that only some parents should be considered, that only some parents should be heard, and that some parents should be arrested is not what we are talking about.

We are not talking about the parents who were arrested for doing violent things, and that is a very rare exception. We keep on using these rare exceptions to make a rule.

Clearly, there is a need for us to step up and represent these parents that are unheard, because when parents are told they cannot come before a school board, there is a reason for us to step up and take action.

I think it is simply untrue to say that we already have laws that cover this and you already have access to your school board when clearly, just in my district alone, that right has been denied.

That is what we are fighting over right now, a parent's right to address a school board when a school board says: Nope, I don't want to listen to you. That is what we are arguing about right now.

If it weren't happening, I wouldn't be standing in front of you right now. In fact, I probably wouldn't have been elected, because this is one of the main things that parents want, are their rights back for them and their children.

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Mr. McCORMICK. Mr. Chairman, may I inquire how much time I have remaining?

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Mr. McCORMICK. Mr. Chair, I take offense in thinking that mob rule is a parent standing up for their child.

I take offense in thinking that teachers and school systems are the only ones that can say so.

I take offense that just given the opportunity for a parent to give feedback to a school board is something other than the most representative sort of government that we have.

The First Amendment allows us to speak openly against our government, against our elected officials, and to express our opinions freely, and that is what my amendment is about.

There couldn't be any more constitutional amendment. There couldn't be any more freedom and democratic process. There couldn't be any more representative thing for your child than you.

I am empowering you as a woman, as a mother; me as a father--all of us. This isn't just for Democrats or Republicans. This is for every parent to be able to speak freely to their representative body of governance for their schools. That is what this amendment is about.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
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Mr. McCORMICK. Mr. Chair, my amendment No. 17 is a simple addition to H.R. 5 that states that parents have the right to be informed of any non-curriculum-based initiatives or events, and parents have the right to opt-in their child to such events, excluding birthday celebrations and Federal holidays.

Examples of these events that my amendment seeks to address include: National French Week, Firefighter Appreciation Day, Democracy Day, or any other politically motivated or controversial extracurricular activities.

Some of these activities are great. However, it is important that parents aren't simply aware of the activities their children are participating in, we also want to give parents the ability to be proactive in their child's education and especially their extracurricular activities. This is their right.

This amendment has nothing to do with technical careers or college prep. It only applies to initiatives and events outside of the curriculum.

The American Psychological Association has confirmed what common sense already tells us, which is that parental involvement in education is vital. Students with parents who are involved have a higher chance to get better grades and test scores, have better school attendance, and even better social outcomes.

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Mr. McCORMICK. I think that is an excellent point. What do we require opt-in for right now?

Right now, for free and reduced lunch, you have to opt in. For a field trip, you have to opt in. For lots of activities you have to opt in. Things that are good for the children.

If the child wants to go, I guarantee, as a father of seven, they are going to come to me and say, Dad, I want to go to this, and I am going to opt in if it is something that I want them to participate in.

This is not unprecedented. This is something that gives you power, once again, control of what you want your children to be exposed to, that has nothing to do with academics. Nothing to do with academics.

This could be used in positive ways or negative ways, depending on you how view your children's education.

There are already plenty of measures to make the content and the curriculum accountable to parental oversight, but the non-curriculum- based events and initiatives don't have these measures.

Further, this amendment doesn't state how schools have to get consent from parents; one event at a time. The language is drafted so that the school can determine how to best inform and receive a parent's consent. It can be done for the entire year all at once. That is up to the school.

Once again, it empowers parents to have control of things that are outside of academics, which we already have a precedent for.

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Mr. McCORMICK. Mr. Chair, clearly, I am not talking about recess. Let's not get crazy about what kind of things we are claiming right now.

I am talking about--you're right, it could be anything from let me dress up as something vulgar, or let me--it could be anything controversial or noncontroversial. It doesn't really matter.

Once again, we get back to the content of something we already do. You are right, your kids might benefit greatly from going down to the power station for a field trip, but you already have to opt them in. You are doing that already.

I am talking about things that have nothing to do with academics. This has to do with empowering parents, just like they already are on several occasions, to have control of what their children are exposed to. That is what parental rights are all about. That is empowering each individual, as a parent, and each student, to be exposed to only what they think is pertinent to their education in a way that they want to be presented.

Mr. Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

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