Submitted by Emily O’Connor
I would like to attempt to clear up some veiled language that is being used by school board candidates to protect their legitimacy with bipartisan voters— “Parents right to know” — has most of its local support from common sense people who take the phrase literally: “If something is going on with my child, I want to know about it.”
Unfortunately, this phrase also encompasses the opinion of those who believe that homosexuality is a sin and, under threat of eternal fire, must prevent their children from expressing any notions of queerness, especially while at school where they cannot direct what they do.
I can tolerate this belief in my community even if I disagree with it, but I will not stand by while someone’s religious beliefs attempt to direct policy at our federally funded public schools. Even more unfortunately, the expectation has fallen onto public school teachers to put aside education in order to use their precious time to report to parents about the gender identities of their students: If Sally is suddenly going by Sam at school, a teacher should refuse to use that chosen name until they have the consent of Sam’s guardian. Never mind that this teacher will have to halt their lesson plan to do so; never mind that this teacher will have to prioritize religious ideologies over education; never mind that the teacher/student relationship that education is founded on becomes deteriorated.
And suddenly what should be a parent’s responsibility (to get to know their child) has become a teacher’s responsibility. If you don’t think teachers work hard enough, please let them know by also making them accountable for the relationships between you and your kid. And no one is saying this out loud because it would look crazy to push a religious agenda on a public school system. Call it “Parents Rights” and hope that no one asks any tough questions.
But as most of us know (I hope) constitutionality in public schools forbids religious discrimination by law— Freedom of religion includes freedom from religion. Ask your school board candidate if they are placing their religious ideology ahead of constitutionality.
Protect education and keep discrimination and homophobia out of our schools and school boards.
