New Ohio Bill Allows Parents To Review School Lessons of Their Children

Ohio Bill on Academic Transparency Academic Transparency House Bill 722 Parents' Bill of Rights Act Parent's Involvement on School Lessons Parents' Bill of Rights Act New Ohio Bill

By Jo Anne Hubert , Parent Herald Oct 01, 06:30 pm

A new Ohio bill can allow parents to be more involved in their children's school lessons. The fight for parents' rights in their children's education continues as a bill that could provide more academic transparency is being heard in the Ohio House of Representatives, NWEF reported.

House Bill 722, or the "Parents' Bill Of Rights Act," once given a go signal in the committee, would provide parents with authority to review school lessons that include "sexually explicit content," and give them the right not to allow their children to participate in the class.

"The focus is to ensure that parents are empowered to be involved in their child's education inside and outside the classroom. In Ohio, we value parents taking an active role in their child's life. When parents are involved, their children succeed. When children succeed, the future of Ohio becomes brighter," Rep. D.J. Swearingen (R-Huron) explained.

Backlashes

The bill is still in committee until the Ohio House of Representatives reconvenes in November. However, it has been creating a rise of different opinions and backlashes.

Rep. Sara Carruthers (R-Hamilton) argued that parents need to know if their children are learning the content at appropriate ages.

Public Policy Director for Equality Ohio, Maria Bruno, however, declared in an interview with Fox 8 that the bill is a "recipe for disaster."

She thinks that having a parent show up at school to say that they do not want this particular lesson to be taught will be chaotic as every parent has a different idea of what a public school curriculum should be like.

Bruno further stated that when parents choose the schools they want their children to be part of, they are already saying that they agree with the school's curriculum, support it, and have no right to dictate against it.

Moreover, despite this bill having the best intentions, Bruno said a real harem would be created when counselors are forced to reveal information about a student that might not be consistent with what the parents think or feel.

Schools and parents working hand-in-hand

The new bill would require schools to create a policy that promotes parental involvement in their child's education, leaving Ohio school districts powerless in discouraging or prohibiting involvement from parents in making "critical decisions" regarding a student's mental, emotional, physical well-being.

School districts would be required to notify a parent of any changes in their student's services or monitoring related to their mental, emotional or physical health. They are to inform parents of each health care service the school offers and make sure that they work alongside parents in creating a health care plan for the students, according to The Center Square.

Carruthers expressed that the goal is to have schools and parents work "hand-in-hand" for the student, as this is how it should be in the first place.