STATEMENT: PDE Action Supports PROTECT Kids Act

September 10, 2024

It is an established fact that parental involvement is crucial to a child’s academic success. Studies prove that there is a direct correlation with increased parent interaction and higher student academic performance.

Despite these widely accepted truths, there is a toxic trend of parental exclusion policies that are being implemented in school districts across the country. Our partner organization, Parents Defending Education, has found that there are more than 1,100 school districts, impacting nearly 12 million students, that have policies in place meant to keep information from parents. In California, Gov. Newsom recently enacted this corrosive and anti-parent policy statewide.

Not only do these policies run the risk of negatively impacting student performance in the classroom, but they are highly unpopular with parents. A poll by PDE found that an overwhelming majority of parents actually want the exact opposite – more than 70 percent support legislation requiring schools to tell parents if their child wants to change their gender identity at school, which include 71 percent of Independent voters and even 63 percent of Democratic voters.   We need policies in place that align with what families need and not destructive bills designed to cater to radical progressive interest groups. That is why PDE Action is proud to support and endorse Rep. Walberg’s Parental Rights Over the Education and Care of their Kids Act (PROTECT Kids Act). This is a straightforward measure that looks to help strengthen parental involvement in their children’s education and seeks to hold those trying to hide information from parents accountable for their bad policies. School districts should not be in the business of selectively deciding what information to share with parents – PROTECT Kids Act will ensure this does not happen and will empower parents with more access to information about their own children. 

The full text of the bill is available here.