Bill Overview
Title: My Child, My Choice Act of 2022
Description: This bill prohibits an elementary school from receiving federal education funds unless a teacher requests written parental consent prior to teaching a lesson specifically related to gender identity, sexual orientation, or transgender studies. In particular, the bill requires a teacher to request written consent from the parent of each student enrolled in the class prior to teaching the lesson. If a parent does not submit written consent to the lesson, then the school must provide the student with an alternative period of learning or study hall. Further, the teacher may not teach the lesson if the principal does not receive written consent from the parents of at least 50% of the students enrolled in the class.
Sponsors: Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2]
Target Audience
Population: People involved in elementary education regarding lessons on gender identity
Estimated Size: 36370000
- The bill targets students in elementary schools where lessons on gender identity, sexual orientation, or transgender studies might be part of the curriculum.
- It affects teachers who would be required to obtain parental consent before teaching such topics.
- Parents are directly impacted as they are required to provide consent for their child's participation in these lessons.
- In the U.S., there are millions of elementary school students who could potentially be affected due to changes in their curriculum or class structure.
- Globally, the concept of legislating parental consent on specific educational topics can influence educational norms in other countries or inform similar legislative actions elsewhere.
Reasoning
- The policy primarily affects students, parents, teachers, and school administration within the elementary education system. Any changes in curriculum require careful management of resources to accommodate changes in teaching strategies, consent collection, and alternate class arrangements.
- Although the policy mostly affects parents, who have to provide or withhold consent, teachers need to adjust their lesson plans and possibly deal with fragmented class participation. This might alter the efficacy and impact of their teaching strategies.
- The American target estimate suggests that over 36 million individuals might be involved or affected at various levels due to this policy, especially those directly involved with elementary education.
Simulated Interviews
Elementary School Teacher (Austin, Texas)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I believe the policy complicates our curriculum unnecessarily.
- I understand parents want to have a say, but this method might limit the education kids receive about different identities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 6 |
Parent (Cleveland, Ohio)
Age: 35 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I welcome the policy as it gives parents the right to choose what their kids are learning.
- However, it might also mean more work for schools to manage consent forms and alternative lessons.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 6 |
Activist (San Francisco, California)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy is a step back from inclusive education.
- Restricting teachers can restrict the learning and understanding of important LGBTQ+ issues.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 2 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 2 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 2 | 5 |
School Principal (Atlanta, Georgia)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy will require significant administrative efforts to ensure compliance.
- Managing resources to provide alternative lessons can be challenging for larger classes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 6 |
Parent (New York, New York)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I personally would like my child to learn about LGBTQ+ topics, and this policy might hinder that opportunity.
- I'd prefer if schools handle the curriculum inclusively without needing heavy parental intervention.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 7 |
School District Administrator (Chicago, Illinois)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy adds layers of complexity to our implementation strategies for curriculums.
- Resources will be stretched to ensure both compliance and quality education for all students.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 6 |
Diversity Consultant (Phoenix, Arizona)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Policies like this hinder progress in normalization of diverse identities in education.
- It's restrictive and creates barriers to understanding important social identities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 5 |
Non-profit Worker (Denver, Colorado)
Age: 30 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Limiting discussion on gender identity and sexual orientation in schools sends the wrong message.
- It suggests that these are taboo topics, which they are not.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 3 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 2 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 2 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 2 | 5 |
Elementary School Parent and Volunteer (Portland, Oregon)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am worried that this policy will lead to more fragmented education as information is not uniformly distributed.
- Knowing is better than not knowing, and we should enhance learning, not constrain it.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 6 |
Retired Teacher (Miami, Florida)
Age: 60 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy reflects a worrying trend towards educational censorship.
- Understanding starts with learning, and policies like this prevent students from engaging with diverse realities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 5 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $50000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $70000000)
Year 2: $52000000 (Low: $31000000, High: $73000000)
Year 3: $54000000 (Low: $32000000, High: $76000000)
Year 5: $58000000 (Low: $34000000, High: $82000000)
Year 10: $65000000 (Low: $37000000, High: $92000000)
Year 100: $100000000 (Low: $50000000, High: $150000000)
Key Considerations
- Parental consent handling could affect school administrative costs and workloads.
- The bill could lead to increased scrutiny or changes in how sensitive topics are approached in educational settings.
- Potential conflicts between school policies and state education standards could arise.
- Monitoring and compliance could become complex, given diverse population and differing state laws on education.