Parent’s Bill of Rights

‘The government school is not our co-parent!’ That’s been the outcry of parents across the Commonwealth. But what are the actual rights of parents with kids in public schools—and how are those rights put into practice inside the classrooms?

In general, federal courts have recognized the fundamental rights of parents to direct the “upbringing and education of children.” Virginia law also makes clear that a “parent has a fundamental right to make decisions concerning the upbringing, education, and care of the parent's child” (Code of Va. §1-240.1). But how does that play out in public schools? To provide more clarity, we've unveiled a new resource on our Protect Every Kid website: An easy-to-use Parents’ Bill of Rights that spells out how parental authority should be acknowledged under federal and state law. It lists 10 key parental rights, including "the right of parents to review any books, curricula, or instructional materials being taught or made available to their child; the right to opt their child out of any instruction or assignments containing explicit or graphic sexual content; and "the right to know who is instructing their child, including any outside presenters or lecturers."

Share this key resource today with your school board members to help reassert these rights into the public school record and provide an example of a sample resolution they can adopt. To access and share the 'Parents' Bill of Rights,' click below: 

Keep in mind, this resource lists the typical rights you can expect to find under Virginia and federal law, but they should not be read as an absolute guarantee—due to the fact that courts have not always been helpful in explaining the exact specifics of this area of law. But it’s a great starting point to create clarity between parents and local school officials and outline rights parents should have, such as reviewing the school’s curricula and observing their child’s classes. Plus, parents can discuss this ‘Bill of Rights’ document with school officials as a way to express how they expect to be involved with their child’s education.

Remember—Parents' rights don't end in the public school parking lot!