by Dick Hall-Sizemore
Do parents have a RIGHT to be in charge of their children’s education?
Should parents be at the head of the table when it comes to what their kids are learning at school?
Governor Youngkin’s PAC, Spirit of Virginia recently sent out a fundraising letter headed by these questions. It declared that “Governor Youngkin believes the answer to all of these questions is YES.”
I realize that subjecting campaign literature to logical analysis is a fool’s errand. Nevertheless, let’s look at these questions a little bit closer.
What does it mean that parents have a right “to be in charge” of their kids’ education? Does that mean that parents can keep their kids from going to school? Does that mean that statutes requiring attendance and requiring parents to cooperate with school officials when their kids miss too many days should be repealed? What if a parent objects to a textbook selected by the school? Can that parent demand the school use another textbook, or, at least, let his child use a different text? What if another parent wants another textbook to be used? How does a school or teacher reconcile conflicting demands of various parents, all of whom “have a right” to be in charge? Suppose that a parent thinks his child is getting too much or too little homework? Does the teacher have to accommodate the homework demands of each set of parents? A similar situation could arise related to tests—some parents may think they are too hard; others, too easy. In such a case, because the parents are in charge, should the teacher have the parents develop the tests and grading system for each of their kids?
Moving on to the second question, similar issues arise. Assume I don’t like what is being taught my child in history, do I get to dictate what is being taught? What about the parents who disagree with me? Another scenario: I feel that high school students are not being taught enough grammar and writing skills. As “head of the table,” can I demand the English teacher restructure the whole curriculum?
The fundraising letter ends with this extraordinary and ludicrous warning: “And if the far-left wins in November, when control of Virginia’s ENTIRE LEGISLATURE is at stake, extreme liberals will be in charge of our children’s education instead of parents. They will shut parents out of the classroom and keep parents in the dark about what their kids are learning.” [Emphasis added.] Don’t conservative parents talk to their kids about what is going on in their classes? Can’t conservative parents review their kids’ textbooks (or laptops in this modern era) to learn what their kids are learning? Can’t conservative parents review their kids’ assignments and tests to get a good idea of what they are learning? If conservative parents “are in the dark about what their kids are learning” it will not be due to the actions of “extreme liberals” but, rather, to the parents’ indifference.
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