Lakeside Union School District Board President Andrew Hayes and regional school board members announced a call to action for a Parents Bill of Rights aimed at amplifying parental input in education. The move comes amid concerns about state mandates that, according to Hayes, sideline parents from critical decisions about their children’s welfare.

Hayes, who is also a candidate for the 75th assembly district seat and the only endorsed Republican in this race, is advocating for policies that would enforce parental notifications and approvals in various educational and health-related scenarios. This includes detailed disclosures of educational materials, parental opt-out rights for certain topics in the curriculum, and consent requirements for medical treatments administered at school.

Chrissy McCullough, a parent advocate supporting Hayes’ initiative, expressed dismay at current policies allowing significant decisions without parental knowledge, likening the situation to “an Orwellian nightmare.”

The proposed Parents Bill of Rights would also address issues such as the right to challenge content in school libraries, the notification of changes in school documents related to academic achievement and gender, as well as ensuring privacy in sports programs and facilities.

Hayes emphasizes the need for a district-level, parent-centric approach to education, stating, “The law must first and foremost protect our kids.” This policy proposal, Hayes argues, is a step towards reinstating parental authority in educational matters.

The endorsement from the Republican party highlights Hayes as a front-runner in the assembly district race, with his campaign focused on parental rights and education reform. Hayes and his coalition are preparing to present these policies to their respective school boards and urge the California State School Board Association to adopt similar measures.

School Board President Hayes Leads Coalition Calling for Parent’s Bill of Rights

Hayes: Woke Policies Preventing Parental Involvement in Their Kid’s Education

Lakeside – Lakeside Union School District (LUSD) Board President Andrew Hayes, Parent Advocate Chrissy McCullogh, Cajon Valley Board member Anthony Carnevale and other regional board trustees today called for a Parents Bill of Rights to ensure local school districts can ensure parents have input and control over their children’s education.

“California’s Woke policies are not only preventing parental involvement in children’s education,” said LUSD Board President Andrew Hayes, “but allowing principals, teachers, nurses, and counselors to take actions which affect children’s health, safety, emotional welfare, and the quality of their education, without any notification of parents.”

Parent Advocate Chrissy McCullough said: “It’s outrageous that school officials can expose young children to often vial curriculum, and even refer my kids for medical procedures without even being notified, said McCullough. “It’s like some Orwellian nightmare.”

Hayes and other trustees indicated they will be asking their school boards to adopt these policies and urge the California State School Board Association to follow suit.

“The law must first and foremost protect our kids,” said Hayes.

Others supporting this coalition included: Gary Woods, Grossmont Union High School District; Priscilla Schreiber, Literacy First Charter School; Jim Miller Cajon Valley School District, Jee Manghani, Rancho Santa Fe Union School District; Dan Summers, Ramona Unified School District.

Background

Lakeside School Board President Hayes has organized a coalition of local school board members with the intent to develop a “parents bill of rights” to counter the State of California’s mandates which are removing parents from not only being involved in their kids education, but eliminating even basic notification of actions which affect their children’s health, safety, emotional welfare, and the quality of their education.

President Hayes, parent advocates and other regional school board trustees recommended each district develop its own parent-centric process to ensure parental notification surrounding issues, including but not limited to:

• Curriculum. Public listing/disclosure of all educational materials.
• Detailing of age-inappropriate library books, ensuring parents ability to restrict access to objectionable books.
• Parent’s ability to “opt out” of what they deem to be inappropriate topics including sex education.
• Notification of any official or unofficial actions related to bullying, suicidal intent, sexual transitioning, academic achievement, etc.
• Parental notification of state mandated or district initiated modifications to restroom and locker room facilities which impact children’s privacy.
• Parental written approval for administering all medications or medical treatments from cold medicines, insulin, sex hormone therapy, etc.

A detailed outline of the proposed policies follows:

1)    Establish or reconvene a parent advisory committee to review and make recommendations regarding parental notification, student privacy matters, selection and implementation of curriculum and supplemental instructional materials.

2)    Cease or modify enforcement of Administrative Regulation 5145.3 because of recent litigation in San Diego County that indicates AR 5145.3 encourages districts to violate parents’ FERPA rights.

3)    Ensure parents are notified and aware of the opportunity to object to instructional materials used in the district and procedures for withdrawing their child from any portion of the school district’s comprehensive health education which includes sex education or any instruction regarding sex, sexuality, and related controversial topics.

4)    Amend district school library policies to ensure that parents have the right to monitor and challenge non-curricular reading materials in the school library and within a classroom library.

5)    Require the district to establish policy to notify parents if official or unofficial district documents are changed with respect to academic achievement, gender, bullying, disruptive behaviors, suicidal intent, and require parental consent before a school socially transitions a child.

6)    Require the district to establish a policy to publicly disclose a listing of the learning materials and activities used for student instruction in the current school year, including but not limited to textbooks, articles, and other required reading materials.

7)    Protect children’s opportunities, safety, and privacy by ensuring districts notify parents of their rights regarding school sports programs and facilities based on biological sex.

8)    Protect the health of children by requiring parent/guardian written approval prior to the administration of any medications at school. This includes over the counter cold medicines, insulin, puberty blockers, cross sex hormones, etc. Prohibit the district from participating in the referral of minors for medical operations without parental notification.

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