Parental Rights and Education

Our nation boasts some of the best public (and private) educators in the world. Unfortunately, we also have some teachers and administrators whose work and worldview are less than ideal.

Too often, the area of education sees the tension between parents and a group of professional elites who believe they can better make decisions for all children.

  • Public School: "No Parents Allowed" - Laws in a majority of states limit or entirely deny to parents any “right” to be present on school grounds where their child is in attendance.
  • Public School: Parents Are Losing Say Regarding Content - The Ninth Circuit in Fields v. Palmdale (2005) held that, “Parents…have no constitutional right…to prevent a public school from providing its students with whatever information it wishes to provide, sexual or otherwise, when and as the school determines that it is appropriate to do so.” (emphasis added) See below for some specific examples.
  • Homeschool: Parental Rights to Educational Choice Being Questioned - Several academic journals over the last few years have featured claims by academic elitists “that public education should be mandatory and universal.” See below for several examples of homeschool families who, although homeschooling legally, had their decision undermined.

Real Stories; Real Problems

Teachers Unions Are Wrong: Parental Rights Are NOT ‘Anti-Education’!

By Natalie Clarke | August 3, 2022

With a nod to the country classic, “The Night the Lights Went out in Georgia,” now we are celebrating the day they came back on! On April 28, Georgia Governor…

Parents Across the Nation Are on the March

By Sheila Roberts | January 13, 2022

Our team has been working nonstop with our volunteers across the nation in these first few days of 2022. Already, the hard work we all have been doing for the…

Does AG Memo Hold Threat to Activist Parents?

By Sheila Roberts | October 13, 2021

On October 4, Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a memorandum regarding “Partnership among federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement to address threats against school administrators, board members, teachers,…

McAuliffe: Parents can’t be trusted

By Sheila Roberts | October 6, 2021

Note: this article was originally published as an email by HSLDA. Late Tuesday night, former Virginia governor and current gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe communicated one of the most radical policies…

Minnesota to End All Private Education?

By Sheila Roberts | March 11, 2020

A new proposal in Minnesota would create a constitutional provision that “all children have a fundamental right to a quality public education,” which could threaten the natural and constitutional right…