- House GOP passes Parents Bill of Rights Act to give parents more rights over school policies
- Democrats criticize the bill, with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez likening it to "fascism"
- Rep. Julia Letlow defends the bill as not being an attack on hard-working teachers
House Democrats criticized their Republican counterparts for passing an education bill to give parents more rights over school policies.
Members of the GOP in the House unanimously voted in support of the bill that seeks to protect parent rights despite some on the left, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, likening it to "fascism."
House Republicans Pass New Education Bill
The bill, known as the Parents Bill of Rights Act, received a vote of 213-208, with only five GOP members opposing the measure. None on the Democratic side voted for the bill to push through.
In a statement, Rep. Julia Letlow, who authored the bill, said that it was simple enough as she defended it from the House floor. She added that it was not supposed to be partisan or polarizing to lawmakers.
Letlow also said that despite what others may hear from her colleagues from the Democratic side, the bill is not an attack on hard-working teachers, who she said will always be the heroes in her eyes, as per the New York Post.
The bill was also championed by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and came from GOP conference chairwoman Rep. Elise Stefanik. Schools must disclose all curricula, reading lists, library books, and budget costs. The new bill would also mandate administrators and teachers to ask for parents' consent before they change a child's gender status on records.
In a statement following the bill's passing, Stefanik said that parents are considered the "primary stakeholders" in their kids' education. She added that House Republicans were working to protect their rights to know what was happening inside the classroom.
Democrats Blast Bill, Likening it to "Fascism"
On the other hand, Letlow said that the bill was not made in an attempt to have Congress dictate their curriculum or determine what books go into a school's library. She argued that the bill seeks to bring more transparency and accountability to education and allow parents to be informed and address their concerns and questions.
The bill's passing comes at a time when GOP members are accusing Democrats of painting parents as a threat. According to The Hill, it also follows contentious school board meetings across the United States.
The recently passed legislation also says that school and government officials should never take advantage of law enforcement to criminalize the lawfully expressed concerns of parents. Furthermore, it argues that the First Amendment guarantees parents and other stakeholders the right to assemble and express their concerns and decisions that would affect their kids and communities.
Ocasio-Cortez argued that the bill is the GOP asking the government to force LGBT people to come out before they are ready. AOC also said that when talking about progressive values, it is something similar to freedom instead of fascism, said Fox News.
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