Bill seeks to clarify parents' rights

COEUR d'ALENE - Sen. Mary Souza, R-Coeur d'Alene, co-sponsored legislation in the Senate Education Committee asserting parents' rights in the public education system.

While the bill has not been assigned a number, it was introduced for printing on Monday. The bill is co-sponsored by Sen. Lori Den Hartog, R-Meridian.

"I'm not saying parents didn't have rights to begin with," Souza told The Press on Monday. "This just makes it clear what those rights are."

Souza said she has been approached by many constituents who would like the Legislature to clarify their rights as parents, and to remove any ambiguity from the law.

"Idaho law doesn't specify what those rights are as well as some other states do," she said, adding the bill is patterned after laws in Utah and Oklahoma.

"It's a bill that basically says a student's parent or guardian is responsible for the education of that student," she said. "It establishes that a parent is the primary decision-maker."

The bill goes on to clarify that the state is secondary and plays a supportive role to the parent or guardian.

Souza said the legislation adds Chapter 46 to Title 33 of Idaho code, outlining how school districts and public charter schools shall plan for and facilitate parental involvement in the education of their children.

It will require schools to develop a plan designed to improve parent and teacher cooperation in such areas as homework, attendance and discipline, the legislation states.

The legislation would also require public schools to "develop a process by which parents may learn about the course of study for their children and review learning materials, including the source of any supplemental educational materials."

A process must also be developed so "parents who object to any learning material or activity on the basis that it is harmful may withdraw their children from the activity or from the class or program in which the material is used," the legislation says. "Objection to a learning material or activity on the basis that it is harmful includes objection to a material or activity because it questions beliefs or practices in sex, morality or religion."

Souza said the bill would also require an annual notice of parental rights be distributed to parents and guardians.

A fiscal note attached to the bill states there will be no fiscal impact on the general fund. There is no anticipated impact to the budgets of individual school districts, either.

Title 1 schools are already required to have in place a parent participation plan, the note stated. And school districts currently send their discipline and conduct policies to parents and guardians.