Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced plans to amend the state’s Constitution with a “Parental Bill of Rights” should he be reelected.
While speaking at an event hosted by the Founders Classical Academy of Lewisville on Thursday night, Abbott criticized the influence of critical race theory in school curricula along with school policies and mandates that have stripped parents of their decision-making power.
“No government program can replace the role that parents play in the education of their children,” Abbott said. “Our focal point is to ensure that parents are put at the forefront, both of education of their children as well as the decision-making for their child’s healthcare.”
The Republican governor’s plan follows the lead of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who signed a Parents Bill of Rights law in June 2021.
Abbott promised that Texas parents will control decisions concerning all matters and specifically outlined easy access to school curricula, promising that concerns would be heard quickly and respectfully. He also stated that parents will have the option to choose whether a student repeats a grade.
Additionally, the Parental Bill of Rights plan would ensure knowledge of all educational options and that children’s privacy is protected from being sold or shared outside the educational system.
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Abbott further proposed that any school personnel convicted of providing minors with obscene content would be placed on a “do not hire list.”
In November, Abbott told the Texas Education Agency to develop statewide criteria for preventing obscene content in Texas public schools. The governor also directed the agency to look into the availability of pornography in public schools and refer any criminal activity for prosecution.
Former U.S. Secretary of Education Bill Bennett attended the event virtually and affirmed Abbott’s commitment to the role that a parent has.
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“Not every teacher is a parent, but every parent is a teacher,” Bennett said. “We know that the parents influence on the child is the greatest influence of any adult. … We need to restore the priority of the parent to the classroom and to the child’s education which is what you are doing.”
Abbott stated that parental decision-making authority is being threatened by government and that it must end.
