KELLER –– Keller ISD’s Board of Trustees introduced a parental bill of rights at Wednesday’s meeting, which was followed by a fierce public comment period.
“Keller ISD Board of Trustees is committed to honoring the rights of parents/guardians and promoting their involvement in the District,” the purpose section of the bill of rights reads. “The School Board recognizes the fundamental rights of parents/guardians to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their minor-age children.”
The measure used language that echoed scrutiny standards established in multiple Supreme Court cases.
“The District shall not infringe on these rights without demonstrating a compelling governmental interest that is of the highest order and narrowly tailored to meet this interest and cannot otherwise be met through a less restrictive means,” it reads.
The first right specified concerns academic transparency.
“Parents/guardians have the right to know what is being taught in their children’s classrooms and in student clubs and organizations.” In response to a request from a parent, the district will “document, review, or approve lesson plans” and disclose “a listing of the teacher and staff training materials” and “a listing of the learning materials and activities used for student instruction at the school in the current school year.”
The second right specified focuses on parental consent regarding student medical care. This right affirms a broad power for parents to have access to their children’s medical records “unless prohibited by law or if the parent is the subject of an investigation of a crime committed against the minor child and a law enforcement agency or official requests that the information not be released.”
The third right was one of the shortest. It states that the district will comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
“FERPA gives parents the right to inspect and review records maintained by the school. These rights transfer to the student when he or she turns 18 or enrolls in an institution of higher education. Parents and students have the right to request corrections on records they allege are inaccurate,” the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas states on its website.
The fourth right would give parents control over what their children are called in school. The fifth right would reaffirm the division of sexes for gender-specific activities. The sixth right would reaffirm “protections for gender-specific spaces accessible to students.” The final provision prohibits bullying and cyberbullying as defined by state law.
During the public comment period, around a dozen members of the public spoke, nearly all of them in opposition to the parental bill of rights.
“From the lens of a parent … exceptions in the nickname policy [for situations where parents cannot pronounce names] is discrimination … it isolated a group. It does not line up with Galatians, ‘The fruit of the spirit,'” Jennifer Ramsey said.
“Should a child be afraid of their parents? I think the answer is ‘no,'” Madeline Ramsey said rhetorically. “You are creating an environment if this bill is passed where that will happen.”
“These new policies adopted by the board will be extremely harmful to LGBTQ students,” one speaker, who claimed to be a former Timber Creek High School student, said.
The opponents of the policy cited suicide prevention as the main reason for their position.
Two members of the public supported the bill.
“The Keller citizens support you,” Jennifer Matchett said in support of the policy. She condemned other speakers for repeatedly impugning the trustees’ race and Christian faith and denied that the board was “anti-gay.”
“I want to thank you for protecting the girls, the students of Keller ISD, and the teachers,” said Haley Salavee. She then commended the district for strengthening parents and celebrated the district’s cell phone policy, which largely prohibits mobile phones in the classroom.
When the public comment period ended, the board pivoted to other matters, including the employee health plan, campus security, and student cellphone usage. They also voted unanimously to dissolve the NDAs parents had to sign when they joined Keller ISD’s book review committee.
When the trustees returned to the topic of parental rights, they appeared to broadly favor adopting the policy. However, they did not vote on it on Wednesday, but their discussion indicated it would be adopted at some point in the future.