Despite Internal Opposition, Republicans Force Through Anti-Student, Parent, and Educator Legislation
WASHINGTON – Today, House Republicans advanced the Politics Over Parents Act (H.R. 5) despite opposition from parents, students, educators, and members of their own party. Moreover, Republicans unilaterally rejected the Democratic alternative offered by ECESE Subcommittee Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01). The Democrats’ alternative would have:
- Prevented schools from banning books;
- Created a designated parent coordinator at every public school;
- Increased funding for statewide family engagement centers;
- Increased funding for full-service community schools; and
- Prevented the censorship of Black history, Latino history, Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander history, Native history, LBGTQ+ history, women’s history, and the Holocaust.
Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) led the charge against H.R. 5. Watch his floor remarks during yesterday’s floor debate.
“First, let me be clear: House Democrats believe parental engagement is central to student success. Parental engagement in schools is closely linked to better student behavior, higher academic achievement, and enhanced social skills.
“Unfortunately, the Politics Over Parents Act does not take meaningful steps to increase or support parental engagement.
“In fact, it lists so called ‘rights’ and then declares that this allows the parents to control what is taught.
“But let’s be clear: there’s nothing in the bill to give parents the rights to dictate what their children are taught.
“Instead, this bill is one of many attempts by Republican politicians to give a vocal minority the power to try to impose their beliefs on all parents and students.
“This extreme education agenda has real consequences for students and educators.
“According to PEN America, more than 2,500 books were banned in schools during the school year 2021-22, and nearly 140 additional book bans have taken effect since July 2022.
“So, let me list some of the books that Republican politicians have gotten banned under the guise of parental rights:
- Diary of a Young Girl—the stories of a Holocaust survivor—by Anne Frank.
- The Kite Runner—a novel about the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan—by Khalid Hosseini.
- Beloved—a novel about slaves in the Civil War—by Toni Morrison.
“And on and on, books like that have been banned because of efforts like what we have before us today.
“So, let’s be clear, these books were taught at the age-appropriate level. If we have a problem with it, you should call the librarian. Yet, still, Republican politicians are actually having them removed from classrooms and school libraries.
“Simply put, the Politics Over Parents Act is an educational gag order across the nation which will prevent students from learning and prevent teachers from teaching. These efforts seek to score political points and scare parents into thinking that schools do not have their best interests at heart. Instead, we should be talking about the support that schools and families actually need to improve parent-teacher engagement.
“I urge my colleagues to vote ‘no’ on the Politics Over Parents Act and join House Democrats in an amendment in the nature of a substitute in delivering real solutions to build partnerships between schools and families.”
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