PROTECT Kids Act Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act
Impact
Should SB200 be enacted, it would impose significant restrictions on school policies concerning gender identity and expression. Schools would be required to consult with parents before allowing any changes that affect a student's gender identification in school records or accommodations such as locker room access. This could tighten control over how schools address issues of gender diversity and require them to reevaluate existing protocols for student support concerning gender-related matters, thereby standardizing such practices across federally funded institutions.
Summary
SB200, also known as the Parental Rights Over The Education and Care of Their Kids Act or the PROTECT Kids Act, mandates that elementary and middle schools receiving federal funds must obtain parental consent prior to making any changes to a minor child’s gender markers, preferred names, or pronouns on official school forms. The bill emphasizes the importance of parental involvement in children’s education, asserting that schools must not hide information about gender transitions from parents, which it claims undermines familial rights and the parent-child relationship.
Contention
The bill has faced considerable debate and scrutiny. Proponents argue that it protects parental rights and guarantees that parents remain informed and involved in critical decisions affecting their children. On the other hand, opponents express concerns that the bill could inhibit the ability of educators to support students through their gender identity exploration safely. Critics fear that requiring parental consent may create a hostile environment for students whose families may not be supportive of their gender identity, thereby potentially affecting the well-being and mental health of such students.
Parents Bill of Rights Act This bill establishes various rights of parents and guardians regarding the elementary or secondary school education of their children. Local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools must comply with the requirements of the bill in order to receive federal education funds. Specifically, the bill requires schools to notify parents and guardians of their rights regarding the education of their children. These rights include the right to review the curriculum of their child's school; know if the state alters its challenging academic standards; meet with each teacher of their child at least twice each school year; review the budget, including all revenues and expenditures, of their child's school; review a list of the books and other reading materials in the library of their child's school; address the school board of the LEA; receive information about violent activity in their child's school; and receive information about any plans to eliminate gifted and talented programs in the child's school. Additionally, the bill directs each LEA to post on a publicly accessible website (or otherwise widely disseminate to the public) the curriculum for each elementary and secondary school grade level. The LEA must also include in its annual report card the overall budget of the LEA and the budget for each elementary and secondary school. The bill also provides for additional family educational and privacy rights, including by prohibiting schools from selling student information for commercial or financial gain.