America First Parents is a free service that allows the public to see all the school districts across the country as well as the board members for each district. Enter a District name in the search below or select your state from the map.
Sign up for regular updatesOctober 25, 2024
In the Cupertino Union School District (CUSD), a teacher at Dilworth Elementary School has been placed on administrative leave following parental complaints regarding her discussions about “gender identity” and expression with her students aged 4 and 5. Parents claim the teacher hung graphic photographs inside the classroom showing males wearing skirts. The teacher mentioned identifies as “nonbinary” and uses pronouns “they/them.” A concerned parent told NBC Bay Area that the teacher crossed a line, as “we believe the content in the poster and conversations between the teacher and the young students is not age appropriate.” She added that 4-year-olds are not ready for advanced discussions about gender topics and has since pulled her child from the school. As part of a Thursday school board meeting, the considered a new policy allowing teachers to discuss certain topics that “shall be suitable to the age and maturity of the students.” “What is a controversial issue? Because that is not defined in the Board policy,” said Superintendent Stacy Yao. The CUSD confirmed to NBC Bay Area that the teacher has been placed on leave. It stated that it “cannot comment on personnel matters involving staff” but “took immediate steps to investigate these concerns, and the investigation is still pending.” Impressionable young children should focus on learning counting, spelling, state capitals, and countries—not on their teacher’s LGBTQ agenda.
October 11, 2024
Peter Vlaming, a former French teacher at West Point High School, just won a large settlement against the school board who wrongfully fired him. In 2018, Vlaming was fired from his 7-year tenured position because he refused to use a student's preferred pronouns that were inconsistent with their biological sex. The school board voted in unanimous 5-0 decision to fire him because he wouldn’t comply with a district policy that violated his first amendment rights. Vlaming used the student’s name, but the school board still called it a violation. The settlement comes in the wake of Virginian Governor Glenn Youngkin’s overhaul of the state’s Department of Education. In it, Youngkin laid out the guiding principles for public education that “parents have the right to make decisions with respect to their children... policies shall be drafted to safeguard parents’ rights with respect to their child, and to facilitate the exercise of those rights.” The Department also requires that school boards maintain and uphold these rights; more policies like this are encouraged to protect children, the rights of parents, and the dignity of education. In addition to sound policy, Vlaming’s case is a prime example of why elections matter. School boards hold immense influence over the curriculum and rules of the school district. In Vlaming’s case, the irrational rules lead to his termination and deprived his students of a sound education. This is all in light of low voter turnout for school board elections. If parents want to uphold their rights and protect their children, more attention should be brought to local school board elections and made easier for them to vote.
October 9, 2024
A recent study from John Hopkins Institute for Education Policy showed that homeschooling is on the rise. Prior to the pandemic only a couple of states like Louisiana, South Carolina, and South Dakota had a steady increase, while most states showed a decline in homeschooling; the COVID pandemic changed schooling States that were once on the decline, such as North Dakota, Rhode Island and Wyoming, rebounded. Rhode Island showed a 67% increase while Wyoming rose 8%, hitting an all-time high. Georgia, Louisiana, and South Carolina, although impacted by the pandemic, continued to have a steady increase. An explanation for this trend is the increasing political fervor of teacher unions. In 2020, the Chicago Teachers’ Union believed reopening schools was “rooted in sexism, racism and misogyny.” In addition, teachers' unions, such as the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers, have donated to radical campaigns advocating for the destruction of school choice, such as Harris and Walz. The policies elected officials enacted and teachers' unions supported drove students and parents out of public schools and into homeschooling As teachers' unions move forward with their agenda, it is important for parents to recognize they still have a say over their child’s education and have options: homeschooling and taking back the school boards. Legislators should provide more support to parents who choose to homeschool. Providing tax credits will be an effective way to support homeschooled students in attaining a quality education. In public schools, School board elections should be moved to “on cycle” years so parents can easily elect school board members that value their children’s education and wellbeing, not indoctrination.
September 30, 2024
On September 17, a young student raised her concerns to the Wake County Board of Education about sexually explicit and incestual material found in her required reading. Lorena Benson, a 15-year-old student, left Athens Drive High School after feeling, “... deeply bothered and deeply disappointed” over her curriculum. In a board of education meeting, Benson read excerpts from the material which detailed an inappropriate interaction between cousins. When this was read during class, Benson recounts her and several students being uncomfortable with what was depicted. Although not specifying the title, it can be ascertained from the scenes depicted that the short story is “Tomorrow is Too Far,” which is authored by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Materials like this are unacceptable and detrimental to the development of children. As Benson notes from another honors course she took, “I was taught that the teenage brains, like mine, are not fully developed yet and that we must be careful about what we engage [in] during these years. Based on this logic, I am a teenager, my brain is not fully developed, and I should not have graphic, incestual, sexual content taught to me in my classes...” Parents should encourage legislators to uphold their rights to protect their children against dangerous content, such as this.
September 24, 2024
As schools go back to session the Chicago Public Schools believed it was a prudent decision to once again double down on radical theories about student education. On September 18, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) unanimously voted to pursue “Together We Rise,” which, as CPS Chief Executive Officer Pedro Martinez states, “is done through an equity lens... to define student success more holistically." CPS say they aim to correct the outcome imbalance between different school districts. Throwing money at the issue and theorizing about equity, however, is not the answer. CPS is suffering from a teacher shortage like many school districts across the country. The situation has become so dire that students themselves have stepped up to teach each other. One sentiment that is commonly felt is a sense of forgottenness, as RCAA Sophomore Carolina Carchi says, “They forgot about us.” Considering this, it is important to hold our school boards accountable to protect parental rights and ensure a well-rounded, stable education for students. Instead of spending money on radical theories, school boards should look to balance the budget, ensure an education based on core subjects, and provide transparency to parents and the community on the school’s goals and operations.
September 18, 2024
At Merit Academy, parents and faculty are celebrating their students who scored double digits higher than their public-school peers. Different than other schools across the nation, Merit Academy prioritizes improving the wellbeing of the student by offering a classical education emphasizing the arts and sciences rather than pushing a political agenda. Mrs. Priest, a former public-school teacher who now teaches at Merit Academy, captures the mission of the school, “Test scores are not everything. However, when we look at them, it does demonstrate the growth that we're striving for." The school currently has 500 students and continues to grow rapidly. This year will be the academy’s first graduating class with many more students to follow. Considering Colorado’s 2023 law to erode parental rights, the success of the Merit Academy should encourage state legislators across the nation to support charter schools and pass school choice policies so parents can watch their children flourish both academically and personally.
July 24, 2024
On July 15, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 1955 titled the Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth Act (SAFETY Act). This is radically progressive legislation that prohibits parents from controlling the upbringing of their children. Public schools may not “disclose any information related to a pupil’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression to any other person without the pupil’s consent.” The law is constructed around the idea that “Pupils have a constitutional right to privacy when it comes to sensitive information about them” but makes no reference to case law. However, courts have routinely affirmed the precedent that the government cannot obstruct the relationship between parent and child unless extenuating circumstances are relevant. Meyer v. Nebraska (1923) and its’ progeny, Pierce v. Soc’y of Sisters (1925), are both unanimous decisions by the Supreme Court finding that parents may control the upbringing of their child as they see fit under the protections of the 14th Amendment. While students certainly have a right to privacy, California cannot effectively disregard a century of precedent under the misguided notion that privacy always trumps parental rights.
July 12, 2024
Amid the chronic mental health crisis plaguing American adolescents, Virginia’s governor is taking decisive action. Gov. Youngkin signed Executive Order 33 into law on Tuesday, July 9. Children spend nearly 5 hours daily solely on social media. Rates of suicide among girls and boys have increased 167% and 91% respectively since 2010. On average, students who utilize social media during class could see a 5% grade decrease —half a letter grade—on exams compared to their peers who did not. Parents, public health professionals, and educators have each expressed concerns over these alarming statistics. In acknowledgement, Gov. Youngkin directed the Secretary of Education, the Secretary of Health & Human Resources, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the State Health Commissioner of Virginia to implement eight directives. Notably, the executive action directs schools to model implementation plans and draft guidance that facilitate a “cell phone-free education.” "Creating a cell phone-free education environment in public schools is not only a prudent measure but an essential one to promote a healthier and more focused educational environment where every child is free to learn," Youngkin, a Republican, said in the order.
July 9, 2024
Attorney General of Virginia Jason Miyares spearheaded a “friend of the court” brief legally referred to as amici curiae. Fifteen other attorney generals joined Miyares to petition the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) to weigh in on Parents Protecting Our Children v. Eau Claire Area School District. The lawsuit results from Eau Claire’s administrative guidance requiring staff to respect the “gender identity” of students irrespective of parental consent. The guidance “blocks parents from learning more about certain aspects of their children’s conduct in school.” Yet, the lower court undermined parental rights by unconscionably siding with the school district. Parental rights are deeply rooted in the history and tradition of the United States. Therefore, the rights of parents warrant the highest of safeguards that the constitution affords all fundamental rights. If SCOTUS grants petition, the conservative majority could decisively protect the interest all parents have in the care, custody, and control of their children. “The parent-child relationship is directly harmed when a school district tells ‘minor students that secrets from their parents—including an entire double life at school— are not only acceptable but will be facilitated by the District.’”
July 3, 2024
Unlike the divisive 1619 project, which seeks to fundamentally reframe American history as a distinctly racist nation, the latest wave of educational changes in Oklahoma refocuses American history on its Judeo-Cristian heritage. Following Louisiana’s landmark decision to require a copy of the Ten Commandments in all public classrooms, Oklahoma’s state superintendent followed suit. Ryan Walters, Oklahoma’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, blames the radical Left for distorting American history by “driv[ing] God out of schools.” In a decisive act of restoration, his memo directs Oklahoma schools “to incorporate the Bible, which includes the Ten Commandments, as an instructional support into the curriculum across specified grade levels.” Walters reinforced that the Bible is interwoven into American history and principles. As a result, the memo seeks to add historical perspective surrounding the origins of American exceptionalism. The mandatory directive is effective immediately. "The left can be offended, that's fine," Walters said. "They can be offended all they want, but what they can't do is rewrite history. That is our history. That is the history of this country."
June 28, 2024
Virginia’s Department of Education (VDOE) is far from perfect, but parental insights are beginning to amend the system. This year marks the fourth year in a row that the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) has held VDOE in noncompliance. Among various shortcomings, Virginia’s state guidance allowed for improper adjudication of individualized education programs (IEPs) for special education students. Notably, a research audit of Virginia’s special education system revealed that 37% of parents believed that IEPs for their child were only “somewhat” or “not at all appropriate.” A significant percentage considering that over 178,000 students are enrolled in Virginia’s special education services. Across the commonwealth, impassioned parents are now testifying through the Special Education Dispute Resolution system. Yesterday, June 27, was the final of five hearings scheduled before the Commission on Youth in June. The commission intends to continue to hold monthly hearings, and, in August, a consultant will provide a series of recommendations based on parental concerns. “I’m here not for her, but here for everyone else’s kids who don’t have the capacity, the means the know-how, or the emotional bandwidth to stand before you today and share how profoundly flawed the system is," shared one parent.
June 25, 2024
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is set to take up the controversial case concerning the constitutionality of “gender-affirming care” in the next term. Under the leadership of Governor Bill Lee, Tennessee’s conservative legislature passed SB 1—a bill imposing various civil penalties on physicians practicing “gender-affirming care” on minors. Notably, SB 1 provides that parents have a private right of action and extends the statute of limitations to thirty years after the minor reaches legal status. Before the bill took effect on July 1, 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed suit and sought injunctive relief. The DOJ’s claim was brought under the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, citing to standards by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health instead of judicial precedent. The Sixth Circuit upheld the constitutionality of SB 1, and the DOJ appealed the decision. Upon accepting the petition for a writ of certiorari, United States v. Skrmetti will now be heard before SCOTUS. If SCOTUS decides on the merits of the case instead of a legal technicality, then “gender-affirming care” could be in the crosshairs of the conservative court. The case will be heard this fall, and a decision is expected by next summer.
June 24, 2024
Governor Jeff Landry’s outflow of traditionally conservative legislation pinnacled on Wednesday after he signed into law HB 71—an act prescribing the display of the Mayflower Compact, the Declaration of Independence, the Northwest Ordinance, and the Ten Commandments in all publicly funded Louisiana classrooms. According to the Office of the Governor, HB 71 was one of nineteen bills signed into law on Juneteeth as part of the governor’s “Dream Big” educational roadmap. Although described as “common sense bills,” this conglomeration of legislation is a watershed victory for conservative lawmakers. Notably, HB 71 received heavy criticism by Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a civil liberties group. Governor Landry simply retorted that “I can’t wait to be sued.” Louisiana’s decision tests the tension between the Free Exercise Clause and the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. As a constitutional question, federal courts will scrutinize if HB 71 serves a historical or religious purpose. Section 1 of the law emphasizes that “In 2005, the Supreme Court of the United States recognized that it is permissible to display the Ten Commandments on government property in Van Orden v. Perry.” As a plurality opinion, Perry’s rationale is all but clear. Now, federal courts are positioned to unambiguously describe the constitutionality of compulsory laws that entail the display of religious material.
June 19, 2024
On June 27, 2022, Justice Gorsuch authored the majority opinion in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District. The court reaffirmed that when it comes to Coach Kennedy’s “free speech claim, our precedents remind us that the First Amendment’s protections extend to ‘teachers and students.’” Coach Parks recently found himself in an eerily similar situation after speaking out against transgender males in women’s sports. Parks, Lake Oswego’s track and field coach, wrote numerous letters to the Oregon Student Activities Association, as well as his state Senator, Rob Wagner. As a coach, Parks expressed concerns over Oregon’s transgender laws because they are a disservice to girls’ sports. In one letter, Coach Parks referenced the International Olympic Committee’s hormone testing mandates and advocated for a distinctly separate transgender division. Following these letters, Parks’ tenure as a coach was terminated. Parks represents the many coaches and athletes marginalized as a result of truly inequitable transgender laws. He plans to appeal his termination. "I'm going to fight now because I got wronged," he told the news station. "I... am fighting for girls, I'm fighting for female sports, and I'm fighting that it be fair for everybody."
June 18, 2024
Following a four-year hiatus, Stanford University announced that they would once again return to a pre-covid entrance policy—a standardized testing requirement. ACT and SAT requirements emphasize a common core curriculum, giving little consideration to classically educated students. Although standardized test scores are only part of the larger picture considered by admission officers, standardized tests do evaluate the potential trajectory of prospective students. As a result, some homeschooled and traditionally learned students may be at a competitive disadvantage because the common core curriculum can be a foreign concept to them. While higher education reinvigorates old entrance standards, over 250 colleges and universities are now accepting the Classic Learning Test (CLT). The CLT is a classically inspired test accepted by some colleges and universities in place of the ACT or SAT. From Hillsdale College to Liberty University, conservative colleges provide children who hail from classical backgrounds with equal opportunity by allowing both classical and standardized admission tests. “Stanford will resume requiring either the SAT or the ACT for undergraduate admission, beginning with students applying in fall 2025 for admission to the Class of 2030. Stanford will remain test-optional for students applying in fall 2024 for admission to the Class of 2029.”
June 17, 2024
After dawning on a “Make America Great Again” hat, Jimmy Heyward filmed his campaign speech as a likely candidate for St. Bonaventure Catholic School’s commissioner of patriotism and school spirit. The middle schooler’s patriotic campaign was just one step closer towards his aspirations of serving in public office. The school’s principal, however, did not share the same sentiment. Although Jimmy was campaigning for patriotism, the principal banned his speech unless all patriotic references were removed. Like many patriots before him, Jimmy refused to comply and was forced to awkwardly watch as fellow students assembled without him. Just recently, at the conclusion of the school year, the Heyward Family was further notified that Jimmy and his two sisters were no longer welcome at the school and expelled in accordance with the Student-Parent Handbook. St. Bonaventure Catholic School Parent-Student Handbook states that “Only in exceptional cases shall the expulsion of an eighth-grade student who has been in the school one or more years be allowed.” Although the Heyward family has not brought any action against the school, schools should remember the holding of Tinker v. Des Moines: students do not “shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.” "I didn't remove the patriotic part of the speech, that's the most important part. I'm not removing it," said Heyward, the expelled student. You can read more about Jimmy’s story here.
June 14, 2024
While Texas Governor Greg Abbot stands as a NorthStar for parental rights, Texas Children’s Hospital has not followed suit. On May 16, 2023, Dr. Eithan Haim, a 33-year-old surgeon, blew the whistle on Texas Children’s Hospital for mutilating minors under the facade of “gender affirming care.” Following hopes of putting the hospital on trial, Dr. Haim now faces a trial of his own. Dr. Haim told Blaze News, “Within 24 hours of the story's release, what we had exposed was voted to become illegal, and I'm the one being investigated." He now faces four potential felony charges under HIPPA, and this should be extremely concerning to parents across the country. The law isn’t slanted against Dr. Haim, however. The Whistleblower Safe Harbor at 45 C.F.R. § 164.502 (j) provides that whistleblowers have amnesty if they believed “in good faith” that the entity acted in an unlawful manor or otherwise violated “professional or clinical standards, or that the care, services, or conditions provided by the covered entity potentially endangers one or more patients, workers, or the public.” Dr. Haim, like all doctors, took the Hippocratic Oath to “First, do no harm.” He has done that, and Texas Children’s Hospital did not.
June 5, 2024
As of late last week, the ACLU of Washington, Legal Voice and QLaw are spearheading a lawsuit against the state of Washington in an attempt to block the implementation of Initiative 2081, a key bill that aims to protect parental rights. The bill would ensure that Washington parents have the right to receive or be notified of academic, medical, safety, and law enforcement matters. It would also protect parents’ rights to examine certain materials and records and opt their children out of certain activities and was initially set to take effect on June 6. The ACLU’s lawsuit claims that the state has misled lawmakers, that it fails to disclose how it revises laws, and that the bill could harm LGBTQ+ youths. As usual, woke organizations are grasping for straws to make sure that parents can’t protect their young kids from radical teachings, gender-affirming medical treatments, and dangerous policies. The ACLU is trying to block parents from knowing what is going on in their children’s minds and their lives, and parents should not tolerate it. This is a disgusting, pathetic move by this organization. Brian Heywood, a hedge fund manager and strong backer of the bill, remains hopeful that the Attorney General will follow through on implementing the bill.
June 3, 2024
This past Friday, radical teacher groups like NYC Educators for Palestine and Teachers Unite instructed high school students to leave their classrooms and march towards the NYC Department of Education headquarters to demand a ceasefire. The groups published instructional walkout toolkits stating, “high school students across New York City will walk out of school to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza & an end to U.S. support for Israel’s genocide of Palestinian people.” Organizers said that the rally was in protest of "Israel’s genocide of Palestinian people." While antisemitism on college campuses has been widely reported on, similar walkouts and protests have been occurring at the K-12 level since the attacks on October 11th and, unfortunately, they are not stopping. It is vital that we protect our children against radical teacher groups that push hate and falsity. NYC Department of Education Chancellor David Banks spoke out against the planned protests, which should serve as a signal for other leaders to do the same.
April 26, 2024
Last week, the Biden administration unveiled new rules to Title IX that threaten women’s safety and opportunity in sports, and several state governments are speaking out against the changes. State education officials in Oklahoma and Florida have told their schools not to follow President Biden's changes to Title IX policies which would unlawfully expand the scope of the rule off campus, lower due process protections, and validate the idea that biological sex is different than gender. On Wednesday, Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. called the new guidelines absurd, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis instructed the state not to comply. Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced Thursday morning that he has taken similar measures, instructing schools within his state not to comply with the Biden administration's changes to Title IX. Other states must follow suit and stand up against these dangerous changes to protect young women.
April 3, 2024
A recent poll conducted by Noble Predictive Insights found that most people feel that schools focus on teaching the basic subjects like math, reading, and science—not the misteaching of American history. According to the poll results, 51% of likely voters said race discussions should not be mandatory in K-12 school, with only 7% of Republicans feeling strongly that it should be mandated. When asked about core subjects, though, Democrats, Republicans, and Independents were largely in agreement that they must be prioritized. 87% percent of voters indicated that schools should place focus on math, reading and science. This poll has proven not only that a large percentage of voters are against race discussions, but also that a majority believe there must be more focus on core subjects. Clearly, people have taken notice that children are struggling and failing to perform well on reading and math tests. It’s time for schools to be accountable instead of pouring resources into unpopular radical curriculum.
April 2, 2024
On March 19, the Center for American Liberty filed a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Unified School District due to their refusal to release curriculum records. Despite a petitioner’s request in August of 2022, the district hasn’t released any of the materials on topics like transgenderism, Critical Race Theory, and inclusion. The suit cites the district as repeatedly failing to comply with California’s Public Records Act in a timely manner…or at all. A distinct element of this suit is the district’s failure to disclose information about “gender support plans,” which often include confidential documents to allow transitioning—such as pronoun changes—without parental consent. This lawsuit is the first step in holding Los Angeles Unified School District accountable not only for infringing on parental rights, but committing crimes that could harm young students.
February 28, 2024
The Mid-Vermont Christian Highschool girls’ basketball team was banned from play after their coach forfeited a game against a team with a transgender player. The school spoke out in support of the coach, stating that playing against a transgender player would be “irresponsible and asking for an injury of a smaller female athlete.” In response, the Vermont Principals Association (VPA) banned the team from playing in all athletic events in the state. The statement from VPA said the school has every right to teach their beliefs to its own students but cannot “impose those beliefs on students from public and private schools; deny students from other schools the opportunity to play; or hurt students from other schools because of who those students are.” The has continued to defend the decision, stating that males and females are created differently. Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal advocacy group, filed a lawsuit on behalf of Mid-Vermont and said they feel confident they'll win this case.
February 23, 2024
On Wednesday, the Florida House committee approved HB 1349, a bill that would establish a Communism Education Task Force and require all Florida students to learn about communism. The Florida Senate Education Appropriations Committee unanimously approved the bill which would take effect in the 2026-2027 school year and start educating students on communism as early as kindergarten. The lessons would reportedly include teaching concepts such as the “atrocities committed in foreign countries under the guidance of communism, and the economic, industrial, and political events that have preceded and anticipated communist revolutions.” This bill represents a strong step towards restoring historical education and away from radical curriculum.
February 20, 2024
A recent U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation study conducted ahead of President's Day found that 7 in 10 Americans lack civic literacy on topics like the three branches of government and the number of Supreme Court justices. The survey polled 2,000 registered voters with basic quiz questions and found only 25% say they are "very confident" they could explain how our government operates. Unfortunately, this does not come as a surprise to those of us who have borne witness to the steep decline in student outcomes that continues to worsen in many states. It is vital that we address these knowledge gaps immediately to ensure that our youth is equipped with the knowledge and education needed to preserve our democracy.
February 15, 2024
A Georgia bill that would require parents to be informed before private schools "address issues of gender identity, queer theory, gender ideology, or gender transition” has finally advanced. The majority of republicans passed Senate Bill 88 out of the Senate Education and Youth Committee on a party-line vote on Tuesday, despite dissent from pro-LGBTQ+ groups. This bill, which would require written consent from parents before discussing their “gender identity,” is an exemplary step towards restoring parental rights in Georgia. Legislation like this is necessary to combat the onslaught of radical gender studies infiltrating American schools.
February 13, 2024
The influence of the National School Boards Association (NSBA) is dying, and a new wave of reformist school board associations is proving to be a strong force in the educational freedom fight. The NSBA has a long history of promoting concepts such as institutional racism, sexual nonconformity, and the "equitable" redistribution of students' grades. In September of 2021, the NSBA requested that the Biden administration use the power of federal law enforcement to silence parents who opposed their radical policies. Since then, school boards have been replacing this radical ideology with an academically focused competitor, called School Boards for Academic Excellence. These alternative school board associations are expanding in many states including Arizona, California, the Carolinas, Kansas, Nevada, Texas, Wisconsin, and many other states. To date, more than half of NSBA’s constituent school board associations have disaffiliated, and the fight for accountability has only just begun.
February 7, 2024
Students of the Glassbrook Elementary School in the San Francisco Bay Area are struggling with some of the lowest math and reading scores in the state after the school invested $250,000 in federal funds on a program called “Woke Kindergarten.” There has been a 4% drop in both areas in the last two years, and less than 12% of the students can read at their grade level. The “Woke Kindergarten” website includes information about their pro-black, queer, and trans liberation stances. The organization also posts "Woke" words of the day like "ceasefire" "abolish" and "Woke Wonderings" about challenging the Supreme Court, abolishing the police, and the military. Despite multiple teachers speaking out against the dangerous and ineffective training program, Hayward Unified School District Superintendent Jason Reimann defended the choice to hire "Woke Kindergarten” by stating that attendance has gone up and ignoring the colossal damage to student outcomes.
February 6, 2024
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said he supports the decision by the Board of Education to end a contract with the Chicago Police Department, meaning he is in favor of removing all officers from school grounds. Currently, local school councils have the power to remove school resource officers (SRO’s) if they choose to, but district leaders are now taking away that local control. Several principals of Chicago public schools are speaking out, deeply concerned for the safety and wellbeing of their student bodies. Principal Grishaber of William Taft Howard High School, who opted to keep principals in school during a 2020 vote stated, "If the Mayor and the Board really believe what they say, that the safety of our students is their number one concern and the mayor, and the board really believe in listening to student and community voices then the decision should be crystal clear.” If the Board of Education moves forward with these extreme plans, all officers may be removed by next fall, even from the schools that want and need them most.
February 2, 2024
An illegal teacher strike taking place in Newton, Massachusetts has caused school cancellations for 11 days. The strike, led by the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) and motivated by the desire for a new contract deal, is the longest to occur in Massachusetts in decades. Despite all-night negotiations with the school committee, an agreement has yet to be reached. The NTA’s latest counterproposal would cost $4 million more than the city’s most recent offer, which is down from $15 million the day before. Negotiations are set to continue today, and the school committee is optimistic that children will be back at school soon. Unfortunately, this is just the latest example of unions deprioritizing the education of our nation’s youth in the name of conceit and, in this case, illegality.
January 31, 2024
On January 10th, the board of education in one Maryland county unanimously voted in favor of a policy to restrict “sexually explicit” material from schools. The now approved policy states that "sexually explicit content is defined as unambiguously describing, depicting, showing, or writing about sex or sex acts in a detailed or graphic manner." This is a big win for parental rights groups such as Moms for Liberty, who have dedicated much time and effort to ensuring that their children are not exposed to inappropriate materials in school. Moms for Liberty Chapter President Kit Hart stated that the unanimous vote indicated that all parents are in favor of such bans.
January 24, 2024
Kicking off National School Choice Week 2024: Tune in for a robust conversation between the top school choice leaders in the country. In a discussion facilitated by AFPI Chief Engagement Officer Ashley Hayek, Center for Education Opportunity and Center for the American Child Director Dr. Laurie Todd-Smith, Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Cameron Sexton, and Pennsylvania parent powerhouse Sharon Sedlar will reflect on the unprecedented school choice wins occurring across the nation, discuss a growing surge in parental power, and outline steps we can collectively take to ensure that this momentum continues in the new year.
January 10, 2024
A Connecticut teacher is suing Hartford Public Schools after fighting back against “Identity and Privilege” training, a critical race theory (CRT) module, got him in hot water. John Grande says that the district has violated his First Amendment rights, claiming that the school targeted him with an investigation after he spoke out against the training and refused to endorse it. His goal with the lawsuit is to get a disciplinary letter rescinded, obtain damages, and challenge the unconstitutional conduct of school officials. “They threatened my career to silence me, but with this lawsuit, I’m leveling the playing field and forcing school officials to answer for trampling my rights.”
September 7, 2023
After 3 students got infected with COVID-19, Rosemary Hills Elementary School in Montgomery County has reinstated a masking mandate for a third-grade classroom. The policy requires students to wear N95 masks for at least 10 days, depending on virus transmission. According to the mandate, the school plans to require extended periods of masking during any confirmed outbreaks, and this even includes students at the pre-kindergarten level. This comes after expert consensus that SARS-CoV-2 and its variants will not go away and are now a part of life, much like the flu.
August 31, 2023
Earlier this week, California mom Jessica Konen settled a case regarding her daughter, who was transitioned at school without her consent. The case involving Spreckels Union School District in Monterey County has made national news and represents a landmark victory for parental rights. Jessica’s 11-year-old daughter, Alicia, was socially transitioned at school—told to use male pronouns and male bathrooms. When Jessica found out, she pressed charges against the school. Now that she has settled for $100,000 and Alicia has chosen to return to a female identity, Jessica is committed to continuing the fight for parental rights.
August 30, 2023
A public charter school removed a boy from school because a pin on his backpack of the Gadsden flag, the famous yellow flag that states that states “Don’t Tread on Me,” was thought to have “origins with slavery.” That flag was associated with the American Revolution. In fact, this claim was so radical that even the progressive Colorado Gov. decided to weigh in and call the flag “a proud symbol of the American Revolution.” To remedy the situation, the school board called an emergency meeting and found that the student could attend school with the flag.
August 29, 2023
Spreckels Union School District settled for $100,000, after being sued because they secretly transitioned a student’s gender identity without parental consent. Specifically, the school was allowing the student to use the men’s bathroom and male pronouns. The student now re-identifies as her original gender, however, showing the school’s actions might have been more harmful than good for the student.
August 24, 2023
A high school in Selma, Alabama has recently been given a grant to fund a field trip to visit a 'queer heritage site'. The grant was distributed by "It Gets Better Project,” a non-profit which exists to advance and empower LGBTQ+ initiatives in all 50 states. All funding comes from the American Eagle and Aerie brands, and both companies declined to comment on the matter. Additionally, Selma High School has refused to comment. This is the latest example of a K-12 school pushing a leftist agenda and refusing to take accountability.
August 23, 2023
Bunnell Elementary School in Flager County, Florida recently singled out black fourth and fifth graders in an assembly focused on improving standardized test scores. During the assembly, “model students” with high test scores were made to stand at the front of the stage while bribes such as gift cards were offered to black students as an incentive to raise their scores. This sparked outrage amongst parents as they were not informed of the event until the damage was already done.
August 16, 2023
The U.S. Court of Appeals recently dismissed a case that was brought by parents of students at Montgomery County Public Schools. The district has been implementing “gender support plans” which includes safe spaces and support networks for transitioning students. This means parents aren’t informed about their children’s preferred pronouns, athletics, extracurriculars, or bathroom/locker room use. The parents argued that this policy violated their Fourteenth Amendment rights. While the judge noted the persuasiveness of their arguments, the case was dismissed because the parents didn’t have transgender children themselves so were not affected by the “gender support plans”. Unfortunately, this decision leaves students at risk and parents in the dark.
August 8, 2023
The New Jersey State Board of Education recently approved an “equity code” which mandates the use of gender-neutral terms in schools. The code, which was originally adopted in 2003, has been amended to require elimination of gendered nouns and pronouns. The terms “female” and “male” will no longer be accepted in educational settings and will be replaced with the term “all.” Many concerned parent groups attended the meeting and urged board members to vote no. Now that it is approved, many parent advocates are threatening lawsuits to fight these radical requirements.
August 4, 2023
Article: Free medications to aid in gender reassignment are being distributed to children as young as 11 at a Seattle public middle school clinic linked to the Black Panther Party. The independently operated facility in question, Meany Health Center at Meany Middle School, provides “gender-affirming care” and “medical referrals” to young students. They provide medications such as estrogen, androgen blockers, and testosterone. While parents must sign a form to approve of medications and injections, parent consent is not required for abortion and birth control (hormonal) services.
June 28, 2023
Christian and Muslim parents alike have taken a stand against the sexualization of children taking place at Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland. The school district recently made changes to its English and Language Arts curriculum by requiring readings of certain LGBTQ books. The changes will go into effect next year. The parents rallied together to see one crucial change made, the ability to opt their kids out of reading the books. The school board has not only said no to these parental rights but limited participation in its most recent school board meeting.
June 28, 2023
Florida’s Department of Education released new rules that would ensure parental rights are protected. First, students may not attend an “adult live performance.” This regulation is vital based on the uptick of children being admitted to obscene drag shows in the name of LGBTQ equity. Second, while some school districts are hiding students’ attempts to change their names from their parents, Florida is upholding parental rights by ensuring the parents, not the schools get to choose “deviation from their child’s legal name.” Third, "TikTok would be prohibited on district devices or over schools’ internet.” This ensures the protection of school districts’ and students’ data from the threat that the app poses of enabling China to access private information.
June 26, 2023
Three school districts, Middletown school district, Marlboro school district, and Manalapan-Englishtown Regional school district, passed policies upholding parental rights, New Jersey AG Matt Platkin filed suit just 24 hours later. These policies require schools to notify parents of a student’s change in name, pronouns, or bathroom usage, information that parents have a right to know. New Jersey’s AG says that qualifies as outing transgender students and is dangerous. But the districts are standing strong for parental rights.
June 26, 2023
The Institute for Free Speech has sued Kern Community College District for First Amendment violations. Professor Johnson stood up for America after Professor Bond used extremely derogatory language against the U.S. As a result, Professor Bond filed a complaint against, and the district started an investigation into, Professor Johnson. Professor Johnson stood up for his rights by suing the district. Subsequently, the district’s Vice President, John Corkins, has been noted saying that those who oppose diversity, equity, and inclusion should be taken “to the slaughterhouse.”
June 21, 2023
Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center hosted a four-hour online workshop where teachers and school administrators gathered together to discuss how they circumvent laws designed to protect children and parental rights. Specifically, these teachers focused on helping students secretly transition genders without informing their parents. One teacher even brought up teachers “addressing 'sexuality'” with 5-10 year olds. Not only are these teachers funded by tax-dollars, but the organization that hosted this meeting is funded by the Department of Education.
June 13, 2023
The National Council of Teachers of English, which focuses on improving the teaching of language arts to students, has decided that standards are racist. A report released in May says standards have been used to create a curriculum “absent of Black and Brown lives.” The report goes on to say that since the 1600s, literacy has been focused through a lens of whiteness. Their solution? The council instead wants teachers to utilize “culturally responsive education,” which focuses teaching with the themes of “anti-racism” and understanding “oppression.” The report also seems to suggest that “apolitical” textbooks are a negative, which suggests that they would rather see the politicization of education.
June 13, 2023
Governor Abbott has signed four bills that uphold parental rights in Texas, passed by the recently ended state legislative session. The four bills do the following: HB 900 – prohibits the use of age-inappropriate books in the school. HB 1605 – allows parents to review what is being taught to their children. HB 1926 – empowers parents of students with special needs. HB 3803 – gives parents the ability to decide if students should repeat grades.
June 7, 2023
The Southern Poverty Law Center maintains a “hate map” of groups throughout the U.S. that they deem bigoted. Some groups such as the KKK are well-known hate groups, yet more recent additions show the group has transformed its map from a resource to propaganda material that falsely labels groups that disagree with its values. Moms for Liberty and other parental rights groups are the most recent groups to see their chapters nationwide placed on the infamous “hate map.” They donned the group that helps represent parental rights in education with the same title as the KKK.
June 7, 2023
Following the release of the 1619 Project, the Pulitzer Center scooped up the failed narrative to try and create curricula that turned revisionist history into further indoctrination. Their most recent project combines the history of America with Algebra lessons to encourage students to research “whether or not reparations should be paid to the descendants of enslaved people.”
June 6, 2023
Ray Shelton, a 5th-grade teacher at Glendale Unified School District, California, and who is gay spoke up at the school board meeting against the recent transgender movement. His speech explained how the movement ignores common-sense and true biology and is “anti-woman.” After that moment, it turns out California didn’t care that he was part of the LGBTQ community. He was placed on paid leave because “’several comments’ were lodged against him.” Instead of being respectful of his privacy pending the investigation, the principal used the district’s email to say that Shelton as accused of “hate speech and hate symbols.”
June 6, 2023
Progressive legislators in the Big Apple have proposed a bill mandating schools teach curriculum about the LGBTQ community, their contributions, and “their lifeways.” They argue this bill will be more inclusive, yet curricula nationwide that focus on these objectives show a consistent attempt to sexualize and indoctrinate children.
May 30, 2023
Osseo Area Schools District in Minnesota has reportedly allowed a book, Call Me Max, to be available to Kindergarteners during independent reading time. Call Me Max is about a girl, who believes she is transgender and starts her transition to boyhood by changing her name, questioning what bathroom to use, and more. This book was brought to the school board’s attention when one parent raised concern over it at a meeting. The parent points out that these books are being used when children are learning to read, they should not be confusing children about their gender at the same time.
May 30, 2023
The University of Colorado Boulder took “inclusivity” to a whole new level when their Pride Office released a pronoun guide that stated that misgendering is not only oppressive but can be violent. The guide goes on to say that individuals should use gender-neutral pronouns until they know someone’s pronouns. These gender neutrals include going against the English language by using a plural pronoun of “they” or creating new words like “ze.” This goes beyond inclusivity to the absurdity of ignoring the inherent uniqueness of men and women.
May 22, 2023
The University of Minnesota is hosting a summer research program, which specifically excludes white people. AFPI’s Chair for Opportunity Now and Vice Chair of Center for 1776 Jack Brewer, who played football at the University, joined Fox and Friends to express his disgust with seeing his alma mater not just go woke but blatantly racist. As Brewer points out, this program treats people of color as victims, and they are not victims, they are living the American Dream.
May 19, 2023
State Rep. Tommy Hoyt (NH-D) received an email from a parent asking him to support a Parental Bill of Rights. Rather than support the pro-American legislation, or at least having the professionalism and courtesy to respond respectfully to the parent, Hoyt showed a fundamental disrespect for parents’ God-given right to direct their children’s education. The parent screenshotted the reply stating the following:
May 18, 2023
Jennifer Leja, a middle school teacher in Clark County School District, Nevada, posted a Tik Tok series in 2021 making racist, woke claims. Leja, a white teacher, made audacious statements ranging from “Education is inherently racist” to “History is white-washed,” and went so far as to say “White teachers are problematic.” What’s worse is the video implied that these messages came from her students and she agrees with them; they are not just her talking points on social media.
May 18, 2023
The New Jersey Attorney General is suing Hanover Township School District over a civil rights claim against their district policy that requires district staff to notify parents if their child comes out as LGBTQ. The Attorney General states this targets LGBTQ students. The policy, however, ensures that parents know what is happening with their children and focuses on more than just a student’s sexual orientation and gender identity.
May 17, 2023
69 years ago today, the Supreme Court handed down a win for Americans of all races and creeds by deciding Brown v. Board of Education. In this landmark case, the Court noted that “separate is inherently unequal,” that is, segregation based on race was unequal and un-American. However, the sad truth is that progressives have started viewing the segregation of races as a key to overcoming racism. As we remember Brown v. Board, let us also remember to never try to repeat this era.
May 17, 2023
Rep. Michelle Steel says her constituents know first-hand the terrors of communism and refuse to see that become an issue in America. However, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) often promotes its communist propaganda through Confucius Institutes, which receive Chinese funding, in American Universities. Rep. Steel has a plan to combat this by having these universities file as foreign agents since they are receiving funding for promoting foreign agendas.
May 16, 2023
Oakland Unified School District just saw the end of an almost two-week long strike by the teachers’ union that ended when the teachers received higher pay and the creation of a Black reparation task force. While the school remained open, almost 34,000 students did not get education for the last two weeks, towards the end of their semester when they are typically wrapping up their studies.
May 16, 2023
Woodland Park School District stood against the Colorado Education Association when the teacher union passed a resolution stating that Capitalism is exploitive and prevents “fully addressing” woke objectives. As a result, the school district board passed a resolution standing with “economic freedom” and the "principles of the Constitution.”
May 1, 2023
One of the most frustrating aspects of nonpartisan local elections is having to vet the candidates to ensure that what they say is really how they will vote! iVoter Guide has put together a resource for over 50 districts in Texas to help inform voters on where the candidates stand. Make sure to vet, verify, and vote!
April 9, 2023
Judson Independent School District has an elective course for juniors and seniors titled “Women and Gender Studies.” While the applicable knowledge that is intended for students’ benefit is hard to find, the course does teach lessons on gender neutral language. This means that, while the nation sees falling education numbers, students can critique the terms “policeman,” “fireman,” “housewife,” and “you guys.”
March 24, 2023
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released the following statement from Brooke Rollins, President and CEO of AFPI, on the House passage of the Parents Bill of Rights Act, which is designed to strengthen transparency in the classroom:
March 24, 2023
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Parents Bill of Rights on Friday with a total vote of 213-208. Among many pro-parent policies, this bill requires every public school to publish curricula as well as share what books are in the library. Moreover, this bill ensures that the National Association of School Boards cannot repeat their past attacks on parents, including by calling them domestic terrorists, by stating that the government should not use law enforcement as a response to parent’s voicing their opinions about their children’s education.
March 23, 2023
Texas has become the most recent state to see its elected officials rally around school choice legislation. This pro-parental rights policy would create Education Savings Accounts (ESA) allowing up to $8,000 dollars per student to be allowed to be spent on private school education. This program allows tax dollars to follow the student, not the district, so parents are not required to send schools decided by government drawn lines. The specific bill, SB8, that accomplishes this goal also has taken on the sexualization of children that has been happening in schools across the nation.
March 22, 2023
Under Governor Sarah Sanders, Arkansas is putting parents and children first! The newest law the Governor signed into law ensures that students will only be able to use bathroom and locker rooms that correspond with the student’s biological sex. The bill also allows for transgender students to use single stall bathrooms, if they choose to not use one’s that identify with their biological sex.
March 21, 2023
At California’s Sacramento City Unified School District, district officials have put their constant sexualization of children on full display when they flew a transgender flag on the same flagpole as the American flag and California state flag. Not only does this act show the school district taking a quite political stance, but it also furthers California’s continual assault on parental rights to decide how to raise their children in regard to biology, gender, and sexual knowledge.
March 21, 2023
Austin Independent School District has chosen to once again host their “Pride Week” that blatantly defies Texas law. Last year, the district’s pride week included teachings involving sexual materials and encouragement from teachers to hide what they teach. Attorney General Ken Paxton stated the Pride Week violated state law, yet the district has decided to repeat the week this year. Moreover, parents also are disgusted by this week of sexualizing children calling it “repulsive,” “degeneracy,” “child abuse,” and more.
March 20, 2023
The Parent Empowerment Coalition, a coalition of organizations leading the fight for parental rights including America First Policy Institute, America First Works, the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and more are hosting a Parent Empowerment Day near the Texas State Capitol on March 21 with special guest, Governor Abbott!
March 20, 2023
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released the following statement commending state-level legislation that protects parents rights while promoting transparency and integrity in education.
March 20, 2023
The Parent Empowerment Coalition, a coalition of organizations leading the fight for parental rights including America First Policy Institute, America First Works, the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and more are hosting a Parent Empowerment Night at Cypress Christian School in Houston, Tx on March 21 with special guest, Governor Abbott!
March 17, 2023
Back in January an elementary music teacher in Mounds View Public Schools, Kourtney Ryan, posted a video that takes pride in children being confused about their gender. In the video, one teacher describes how students were unable to figure out if they were a boy or a girl, the teacher responded “that’s the goal. That’s the goal.” In response, this video has recently made a comeback on social media as users angrily realize just how far the sexualization of our children has gone.
March 17, 2023
A sixth-grade teacher, Kim Cutler, in Nebo School District is pushing the progressive climate change agenda in the classroom through a homework assignment that required students to write an essay discussing the human consumption of insects, with which students could not disagree. What is more frightening is that the teacher took the progressive agenda a step further by giving extra credit to students who chose to eat insects. Cutler claims that the teaching material “was provided in a district training.”
March 4, 2023
Independent Women’s Forum exposed Poudre School District in Colorado for taking an anti-parental rights stance when they hid their attempt to help a student change genders from the student’s parents. According to the emails released, both LGBTQIA+ Coordinator Shayna Seitchik and Chief Equity and Academic Officer Marlena Gross-Taylor noted the district should use the student’s preferred name and pronoun in school but opt to use the student’s legal name and pronouns when talking to the parents.
March 3, 2023
Washington Elementary School District has had a partnership with Arizona Christian University allowing student teachers from the university to teach in the district for the last 11 years. That came to an abrupt halt however when the school board decided that Christian values are too dangerous for student teachers to personally hold when teaching LGBTQ+ students. Board Member Kyle Clayton took offense to the fact that the students were taught to teach “with a Biblical lens.” Furthermore, Board Member Tamillia Valenzuela, who identifies as a “bilingual, disabled, neurodivergent Queer Black Latina” and is often seen sporting cat ears, led the attack on Christianity by stating:
March 1, 2023
Wichita Public School District has revealed their gender support plan that fully encompasses woke ideology, anti-parental right stances, and the hyper-sexualization of children. The survey questions provided to students questioning their biological gender include questions about whether the student’s parents are aware of their new identity. A presentation on the issue was also seen encouraging teachers to ignore what the parents want and use the “student’s preferred pronouns.” The notes on the presentation also stated, “The lack of using pronouns could lead to death."
March 1, 2023
At the Interfaith Breakfast in Manhattan, Mayor Adams noted that when prayer was taken out of schools, guns came in. He then went on to show that it is the job of religious people to help address “societies problems.” This comes amid progressives constantly trying to use school shootings as a fear mongering tool to attack the Second Amendment rather than realizing there is a morality problem taking place in our schools and woke education is not helping.
February 28, 2023
Debra Rosenquist, a 5th grade teacher in Port Jefferson Union Free School District, is being sued, along with the district, by the parents of a student who claims his teacher was trying to induce a gender transition According to the lawsuit, Rosenquist encouraged her 5th-graders to “try ‘being gay.’” The daughter of the parents who filed the suit didn’t want to transition, yet Rosenquist continually called her Leo and used male pronouns. The parents only found out when their daughter drew a picture of a girl and wrote, “I wanna kill myself.”
February 26, 2023
Abrar Omeish, a member of Fairfax County School Board, was discussing the importance of Japanese Day of Remembrance, which focuses on Japanese-Americans, when she then mentioned the importance of reflecting on the days when “Iowa Jima unfortunately happened” and showed what “human evil is capable of." The Battle of Iowa Jima cost over 6,800 Americans their lives as they fought against the atrocities of the Japanese empire. The war is famously memorialized through a statue depicting Marines raising the flag. This isn’t Omeish’s first controversial statement; she has also made anti-Israel comments and gave a high school commencement speech where she stated:
February 24, 2023
Ethan Hooper, a middle school teacher in Orange County School District, is on forced-leave after accusations that he had White students bow to Black students. Hooper posted a video with the bowing as well as having White kids feed and fan Black kids “in honor of Black History Month.” The teacher acknowledges the activity stating:
February 16, 2023
Acalanes Union High School District invited all employees of color to an event, yet the email came with a segregating warning to non-persons-of-color. The district requested that white people not be invited because of “feelings of uneasiness and mistrust.” The email reads:
February 16, 2023
Milford School District in New Hampshire has seen conflict at the school board meetings as school board members try to implement woke bathroom policies, which endanger students by placing students in bathrooms that don’t match their biological sex. To compromise, school board members voted for one policy that would ban the use of urinals in middle and high school bathrooms. In response, students walked out in protest to stand up for pro-America policies. As a result, the district has reversed the policy.
February 12, 2023
One early childhood professor and a pre-K teacher, William Villalpando, has claimed multiple times that childhood innocence does not exist and once went so far as to claim that “not talking about queerness in the classroom is not letting children be children.” The idea that children lack inherent innocence opens the way for radical sexual education as there’s nothing to preserve.
February 11, 2023
Great Salt Bay Community School District is under fire after a mother revealed that her daughter, who secretly transitioned genders, was aided by her school. The mother claims that one of the district’s social workers gave her daughter chest binders, informed her that her parents don’t need to know, and gave her a new name and male pronouns.
February 3, 2023
The Howard County Public School System gave teachers an assignment to hand out to students titled “Privileged or Oppressed? Worksheet.” Not only does this worksheet hit the typical anti-American, woke talking points, including the idea that white people are privileged while people of color are oppressed, but it added a new oppression category: speciesism. This category describes humans as privileged and “animals/plants/flora” as oppressed. This school district also requires students to become well-versed in the Black Lives Matter movement, where some believe this worksheet came from.
February 1, 2023
Senator Tim Scott introduced a bill in the Senate that would prohibit federal funding if a school were withholding information from parents about their children. The “PROTECT Kids Act” requires schools that want to keep receiving federal funding to receive consent from parents before the district changes a student’s pronouns or gender identity or allows the student to use a different locker room than corresponds with their biological sex, etc. This ensures that parents know what is happening in schools pertaining to their children.
January 31, 2023
The Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) is on the brink of several members leaving after 9 Texas state Representatives sent a letter to every Texas School Board requesting they withdraw from the association. This is not only because the TASB took a year to withdraw from the National School Board Association after the National School Board Association (NSBA) deemed parents potential domestic terrorists, but also they changed their legal guidelines to allow students to use bathrooms that doesn’t correspond with their biological sex.
January 30, 2023
Florida Governor DeSantis has taken the fight to a new AP course, African American Studies, which focuses on perpetuating the notion of systemic racism and teaches unrelated themes like “Queer Theory.” Consequently, one professor, Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, who helped create the course, tweeted on Friday to “abolish the police.” This comes after a National Review op-ed exposing her as being a socialist was released.
January 30, 2023
The Fort Worth community rallied against a new sex-ed curriculum set to be adopted by the Fort Worth Independent School District School Board. The curriculum went against Texas standards of keeping American values in schools by focusing on teaching students “safe sex” rather than abstinence.
January 28, 2023
Stefani Harvey, an assistant principal at Providence Public School District, sent an email out to teachers soliciting money to help pay a student’s cartel coyote. The student was $2000 short of the needed $5000 to pay the cartel. Harvey described the coyote as “a group that helps people.”
January 26, 2023
In Linn-Mar Community School District in Iowa, school board member Rachel Wall posted on Facebook that reads, "the purpose of a public ed is to not teach kids what the parents want. It is to teach them what society needs them to know. The client is not the parent, but the community." Wall has since tried to clarify his saying as not being opposed to parents, but the message still clearly lacks the understanding that the parents and students are the community, and a pro-parent policy is a pro-community policy.
January 26, 2023
Loyola Chicago’s medical school is under investigation by the Department of Education after Do Not Harm filed a complaint. The complaint alleges that the surgery department of the school is setting racial requirements on its internship program, specifically prohibiting Caucasians and Asians from being able to apply. The full list of allowed ethnicities is below.
January 26, 2023
America First Legal is suing a West Shore School District in Pennsylvania over claims that they infringed on parents’ religious Liberty. Due to their faith, the parents tried to “opt their child out of a social-emotional learning class.” Multiple times the district rejected such requests.
January 26, 2023
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) has filed a bill that would defund K-12 schools that teach a dishonest history of America’s founding and concepts surrounding systemic racism. This legislation would take the parental rights movement, which has been largely state and school board focuses and advance it in the federal government. Federal legislature could ensure that states like Washington and California, where education officials continue to tread on parental rights, understand the risks of continuing the course.
January 25, 2023
In December, a story came out that a California teacher was using stuffed animals to teach children about pronouns and gender identity. Now, a North Carolina organization has created a 50-minute documentary that daycare owners were shown. In this video, a caretaker is using a stuffed animal to explain to kids that someone can be “just a kid and not a boy or a girl.”
January 25, 2023
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has taken a stand for pro-parent policies and practices to be placed in schools. Following a drag queen breakfast, which around 30 middle schoolers from Columbia Public Schools attended, Attorney General Bailey called for the school officials, who knew and allowed this event to take place without parental consent, to either resign or be fired. Moreover, he called for resolutions from school boards that declared that drag has no place in curricula.
January 24, 2023
On Tuesday, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the Students First Act creating universal school choice throughout the state. This new law through the Education Savings Account program provides $7,598 per student in taxpayer funding to help pay for private school education if a student unenrolls from public school.
Share your story of fighting for your child's education or reach out to ask for assistance and resources in your district.