The Michigan House today approved Rep. Annette Glenn’s plan to affirm and protect the rights of parents in public schools.

House Bill 5703 would require all public schools to prominently post an affirmation of the parental rights provided by state law in administration offices and school board meeting rooms. The bill, approved with bipartisan support in the House, advances to the Senate for further consideration.

“The rights of parents in our public schools are deeply enshrined in Michigan state law – for good reason,” said Glenn, R-Midland. “This measure affirms and protects those rights with a public and prominent notice for everyone in our schools and the broader community – including parents themselves. These public postings will make more people aware of their rights under state law.”

Two passages would be included in the postings required in public schools, noting the importance of education and parental rights:

From Michigan’s Revised School Code: “It is the natural, fundamental right of parents and legal guardians to determine and direct the care, teaching, and education of their children. The public schools of this state serve the needs of the pupils by cooperating with the pupil’s parents and legal guardians to develop the pupil’s intellectual capabilities and vocational skills in a safe and positive environment.”

From Article VIII of the Michigan Constitution: “Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall be forever encouraged.”

Glenn’s legislation is modeled after federal and state laws that for decades have required workplaces to publicly post notices of legal protections related to employment, safety and other areas.

Glenn said the importance of her initiative was reinforced when the Michigan Democratic Party earlier this year posted a Facebook message questioning the role of parents in the state’s public schools. After receiving sharp public criticism, the post was deleted.

The Democratic Party’s post included: “Not sure where this ‘parents-should-control-what-is-taught-in-schools-because-they-are-our-kids’ is originating …The purpose of a public education in a public school is not to teach kids only what parents want them to be taught. It is to teach them what society needs them to know.”

Glenn compared the Michigan Democratic Party’s post to similar comments last year by Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe of Virginia, who lost in an upset to newly sworn-in Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

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