Ten Republican Georgia state senators signed on to a bill prohibiting the teaching and learning of controversial gender or race subjects in schools. In this instance, the senators are targeting specific groups. PrivatePublic schools are not schools. Schools cannot be forced to dictate what children can learn, regardless of the wishes of the parents.
Senators say this isn’t what it means not to support school choice and parents’ rights.
S.B. On Tuesday, the bill S.B. The “Common Humanity in Private Education Act” is a bill that asserts “a growing number Georgia’s private schools and public schools have adopted curricula and programs grounded in critical theory. … Additionally some teachers and other personnel in private and nonpublic schools and programs have inappropriately discussed gender identity with children who have not yet reached the age of discretion.”
Private schools must agree not to teach Critical Race Theory-related concepts. The bill prohibits students from being taught that slavery was the nation’s true founding. This is the controversial 1619 Project. The law also prohibits the segregation of classes and programs, as well as excluding people from participating in them, based on race, ethnicity, or national origin.
The next section contains a portion that looks as though it was copied directly from Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay”, but is targeted at private schools rather than public ones. The chapter states that “No non-public or private school or program to whom this chapter applies shall encourage, compel or promote classroom discussion about sexual orientation and gender identity in primary grades or in any manner that is inappropriate for the age or developmental stage of students.”
As with Florida’s bill, Georgia’s bill doesn’t define “encourage” discussion or what is appropriate to discuss for students of a particular developmental age. Just like Florida’s bill, anyone “agrieved” due to a violation can bring a civil suit against the school in order to seek financial relief and reimbursement for “reasonable attorney’s fees.”
Just last week, one of the bill’s sponsors, state Sen. Carden Summers (R–Cordele), wrote a commentary for the Albany HeraldThe Parents’ Bill Of Rights is being passed through state legislature. She said, “I’m deeply grateful for the service provided by our state’s trusted educators to create a positive learning environment where children can flourish. But I think that parents have the right to ensure that their children don’t come in contact with inappropriate material.”
S.B. But S.B. If a parent wants to send their child to private school, then they can do so. Private schools must be open to parental requests if they wish to continue to operate. Summers’ bill does not recognize the rights of parents who want their kids to study Critical Race Theory and discuss LGBT issues with teachers. It does not recognize the parental rights, as Florida’s bill did. We refuseThese lessons are important. It also allows parents to veto any wishes expressed by other parents, due to the risk of litigation.
It is not all bad. Some of the provisions against the segregation of students according to race and ethnicity in educational programs have direct connections with government funding, grants for private schools, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The clear effort to suppress what students learn at the schools parents send is what burys the good part.
This makes a mockery out of school choice. These types of sensitive topics should not be discussed by parents. Parents can send their children to schools which do. Private schools cannot provide the education to which participants have agreed to pay for. This is in violation of parental rights.
Here’s another example where politicians and activists try to overrule parents. The right is more likely to be the one causing it.