Parents in Michigan have been guaranteed the right to lead their children’s education following the passage of a new resolution.
Through Senate Resolution 0107, lawmakers affirmed “the fundamental rights of parents to direct the education of their children” and reiterated that “the fundamental right of parents over the upbringing of their children has been unequivocally established in the United States.”
“Parents are in the best position to know their own child’s needs and circumstances, and therefore, should maintain authority over all decisions that could impact the health and well-being of their children,” the resolution states. “Public schools are directed to listen to and respect the wishes of parents in the development of academic standards and curricula.”
“Some education systems and elected officials across the country have been disregarding or infringing on parents’ rights related to their children’s education. For example, radical politics have permeated public school curricula, resulting in education that amounts to political indoctrination. In addition, parents who try to object are either ignored, shamed or silenced,” per the resolution.
The resolution also calls on Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to publicly acknowledge the right of parents in regards to the education of children.
A group of Republican State Senators — comprised of Lana Theis, Dr. John Bizon, Dale Zorn, Kevin Daley, Wozniak, Ruth Johnson, Roger Victory, Michael MacDonald, Rick Outman, Tom Barrett and Jim Runestad — brought the measure, which was passed on Feb. 22.
The Senate approved the resolution following a 22-16 vote after roughly thirty minutes of debate.
Democrat State Senator Stephanie Chang said, “Parents do have a say in the direction of their child’s public education.”
Chang voted against the resolution and urged her fellow lawmakers to “focus on the hopes and the aspirations that many of our parents have for our next generation” rather than “feeding on the fears of a small, small but loud set of people.”
The resolution’s leader, Theis, said during the debate, “Throughout our country, parental rights are being threatened,”
“They’re fed up with being threatened by activists within their school boards, teachers unions and leftist politicians that they are doing everything they can to separate parents from their children academically,” Theis said from the floor. “It is parents, not governors, not legislators, not educational elite, who are in the best position to know their children’s needs and circumstances.”
Copies of the non-binding resolution were subsequently sent to the Governor, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the eight members of the State Board of Education.
According to The Center Square, “The resolution was prompted by a Michigan Democratic Party social media post in January.”
The since-deleted post read “Not sure where this ‘parents-should-control-what-is-taught-in-schools-because-they-are-our-kids’ is originating, but parents do have the option to send their kids to a hand-selected private school at their own expense if this is what they desire.”
“The purpose of public education in public schools is not to teach kids only what parents want them to be taught,” it continued. “It is to teach them what society needs them to know. The client of the public school is not the parent, but the entire community, the public.”
Whitmer has not released a public statement in response to the resolution.
