Bill Overview
Title: Empowering Parents Act
Description: This bill prohibits certain actions by elementary and secondary schools. Specifically, the bill prohibits schools from compelling a teacher or student to adopt, affirm, adhere to, or profess racial discrimination theory or any idea in violation of Title IV or Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; compelling a student to observe or espouse obscene or sexual materials without parental consent; instructing or requiring an employee to refer to a student using a pronoun not associated with the biological sex of the student without parental consent; acting as the agent of a parent for purposes of providing verifiable parental consent or receiving a notice or other information required to be provided to a parent; or neglecting to report sexual assault or sexual harassment on school property to the appropriate law enforcement authorities. A parent aggrieved by conduct prohibited under the bill may commerce a civil action against the school.
Sponsors: Rep. Good, Bob [R-VA-5]
Target Audience
Population: Children attending elementary and secondary schools
Estimated Size: 50000000
- Elementary and secondary school students will be directly impacted due to changes in how education content is delivered and how personal identifiers like pronouns are used based on parental consent.
- Teachers and school staff are affected by restrictions on teaching certain theories and ideas, particularly those related to racial discrimination theories and sexual content without parental consent.
- Parents are empowered by the bill to have more influence on what their children are exposed to in schools regarding certain topics and materials.
- Changes will likely affect approximately 2 billion children globally attending elementary and secondary schools, considering the vast number of countries adopting various forms of schooling and approximating population data.
- School policies worldwide may need to be adjusted to comply with similar legislation if enacted globally, impacting the local education systems.
- Many countries have educational systems where parental consent for certain teachings already play a role, suggesting a potentially smaller incremental change in these regions.
Reasoning
- The target population includes approximately 50 million students plus their parents and teachers, hence the policy's impact might be directly observed in educational settings.
- A budget of $100 million in Year 1 would need to prioritize schools with critical needs for compliance and those reporting the most grievances under previous school practices.
- By Year 10, with the roll-out budget expanded to $1 billion, this would allow for more widespread adoption and potentially legal defenses due to civil actions commenced by parents.
- Diverse perspectives will exist ranging from strong support by parents seeking more control to opposition from educators concerned about restrictions on teaching practices.
Simulated Interviews
Teacher (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I feel conflicted about this policy. On one hand, parental involvement is important, but on the other, it could restrict educational freedom.
- Worried about how to approach topics like racial history within the restrictions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 8 |
Parent (Austin, TX)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I strongly support this policy. It empowers parents to have a say in what their children are exposed to.
- The school used to enforce material I disagreed with, now I can be more involved.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
School Principal (Chicago, IL)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This bill is challenging because our school must realign certain curriculums and practices.
- We will need additional resources to ensure compliance which may strain our budget.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Student Advocate (New York, NY)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm concerned this policy could negatively impact LGBTQ+ students and their ability to express themselves.
- We anticipate a rise in complaints and require support in navigating the policy changes.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 8 |
Parent (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm worried this might limit inclusive education.
- My kids go to a diverse school, and I want them exposed to various viewpoints.
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 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 9 |
Teacher (Seattle, WA)
Age: 30 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy seems to stifle open discussion, especially on sensitive topics important for growth.
- Fear of parental backlash might curb effective teaching strategies.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 9 |
School District Administrator (Miami, FL)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's crucial to strike a balance between parental rights and educational integrity.
- We will need guidance and funding to properly implement and monitor this policy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 8 |
School Counselor (Denver, CO)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The focus on reporting is positive for safety, but I'm worried about how we'll manage high volumes of minor cases.
- We need resources to deal with the additional administrative burden.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 9 |
Civil Rights Lawyer (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy raises substantial constitutional questions and may invite numerous lawsuits.
- It will take years to see how courts balance this policy with existing rights.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 10 |
High School Teacher (Boston, MA)
Age: 37 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We need clear teaching guidelines to balance compliance with educational standards.
- Fear of lawsuits may discourage innovation in teaching methods.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 9 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $100000000 (Low: $50000000, High: $150000000)
Year 2: $100000000 (Low: $50000000, High: $150000000)
Year 3: $100000000 (Low: $50000000, High: $150000000)
Year 5: $100000000 (Low: $50000000, High: $150000000)
Year 10: $100000000 (Low: $50000000, High: $150000000)
Year 100: $100000000 (Low: $50000000, High: $150000000)
Key Considerations
- The potential for increased legal cases requires attention as this could create a significant financial obligation for school districts.
- The bill might require additional administrative processes, including record-keeping and modifications to current practices regarding parental notifications, likely to incur recurring costs.
- Compliance with this bill could lead to cultural and operational shifts within schools, affecting both students and staff dynamics.