Republican lawmakers passed two parental rights bills, with one going to New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte's desk, despite opposition from Democratic officials.
The bills are part of GOP leaders' efforts to try and strengthen parents' control over public schools. The two pieces of legislation, House Bill 10 and House Bill 72, grant parents several powers to request information from teachers regarding their children.
Republicans Pass Parental Rights Bills
These include the courses that students are taking, the materials that are being taught, and what kids are saying while in school. Furthermore, House lawmakers passed another bill, Senate Bill 96, which will require teachers and school employees to answer questions from parents.
Under Senate Bill 96, the Department of Education will be given authority to investigate a teacher or administrator for potential violations. They could face disciplinary sanctions by the department if found guilty.
Additionally, teachers who are found to have "willfully violated" the law would be given a mandatory one-year suspension on their teaching license. Republican leaders argue that the bill was designed to establish a state policy that parents direct the upbringing of their kids, according to the New Hampshire Bulletin.
Rep. Jim Kofalt said that it was time for lawmakers to deliver on their promises to Granite Staters by affirming that parental rights are fundamental. On the other hand, Democratic officials denounced the passage of the bills, saying they force teachers to disclose information about students to their parents that the children do not want to share.
Milford Democratic Rep. Peter Petrigno said that Senate Bill 72 would only damage schools and leave students, who do not feel safe sharing certain things with their parents, with very few options.
Democrats Oppose Bills
He noted that if these students confide in their teachers, the latter might be mandated to share the information they receive with the children's parents whenever they ask. Petrigno argued that the bills make troubled kids unable to talk with either their parents or their teachers about sensitive information, Yahoo News reported.
Republicans defended the bills, saying that in most cases, a child's parent is considered the best person to receive such information about their kids and not educators. Rep. Debra DeSimone said that most parents are more trustworthy than teachers such as Pamela Smart.
Supporters of the bill also cited provisions in two of the bills, House Bill 10 and House Bill 72, which allow teachers to withhold information from parents, but only if they have "clear and convincing" evidence that the infringement upon parental rights is necessary to prevent the child from suffering from abuse, as per the News From the States.
