Rep. Gloria Mendoza: The state does not own our children: Parental rights must be upheld
I am very concerned that families are being attacked this session at the state Capitol. Even more troubling, some lawmakers think the state should oversee your children’s parenting. These lawmakers are out of touch with most Washington parents.
Nearly 450,000 voters signed Initiative 2081—the Parents’ Bill of Rights two years ago. It passed the Legislature last year with overwhelming bipartisan support. The measure clarified that parents — not the state — are the primary stakeholders in their children’s upbringing.
Only 15 lawmakers—all Democrats—out of the 149 in the Legislature voted against the bill. Surprisingly, many of the same Democrats who last year supported the Parents’ Bill of Rights are now fighting to dismantle it.
House Bill 1296 would roll back key provisions of the Parents’ Bill of Rights. Senate Bill 5181, which has passed the Senate and is now advancing in the House, would do much of the same. These bills are very troubling!
If you are a parent of a school-age child, you need to know the essential components of this proposed legislation. It would:
- Limit access to school records, including your child’s medical and mental health records;
- Remove the right to examine your child’s textbooks and curriculum;
- Establish a state student privacy policy and remove parental rights and engagement;
- Allow schools to wait up to 48 hours to notify parents if a crime has been committed against their child, including sexual misconduct by a school employee;
- Require school districts to update their “gender-inclusive” policies to address the unique challenges that “gender-expansive” students face.
It also contains an emergency clause, which means that if this bill passes, Washington citizens cannot repeal it through the referendum process.
Senate Democratic Leader Jamie Pedersen recently defended the bill, telling reporters that if a young woman is old enough to get pregnant, she is old enough to make her own decision of what happens with her body. He added, “Parents do not have the right to change that, make a different decision, or be notified in advance.”
At age 13, children do not have the mental capacity to solely and individually make health decisions that could impact the rest of their lives. They need the love and guidance of their parents, and this legislation strips parents of those rights.
Decreased transparency and less parental involvement would lead to more failure in Washington’s public schools. It would further inflame and divide communities and create additional friction between parents, teachers, and schools.
This bill is WRONG for Washington! It is a slap in the face to every parent who loves and cares for their children. It drives a state wedge between children and their parents.
Both bills have passed their respective chambers, mostly on party-line votes, with Republicans voting no. I’m very concerned that with most Democrats supporting these bills, one could be sent to the governor before this Legislature adjourns.
Please go online to: https://leg.wa.gov/learn-and-participate/. There you will find instructions about how to participate in the lawmaking process. Look up these bills. Then call, write, or email legislators and let us know how you feel about the move to gut the Parents’ Bill of Rights.
Let’s stop this legislation before it cuts parents out of children’s lives. It’s time to send a strong message to lawmakers in Olympia. The state DOES NOT own our children!
EDITOR’S NOTE: Rep. Gloria Mendoza, R-Grandview, is the parent of three children. She is serving her first term in the Washington State House of Representatives and representing the citizens of the 14th Legislative District.
