When Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed the Parental Bill of Rights Tuesday, nobody was happier than Speaker of the House Sherm Packard (R-Londonderry).
While pro-parent politics might appear to be a no-brainer, Granite State Democrats had successfully blocked the legislation in the past, frustrating Republicans and many GOP grassroots supporters. In a sign of the bill’s importance, the Speaker made himself the prime sponsor of the legislation.
“We promised that we would deliver for the citizens of New Hampshire and put the parents back in control of their children, and that’s what we’ve done,” Packard told NHJournal after the signing.
Among the parental rights codified by this new law are:
The right of parents to access and review all school records related to their child, including academic and disciplinary records.
The right to learn about a minor child’s course of study.
The right of a parent to opt their child out of curricula they find objectionable.
The right to know about the clubs and campus organizations their children are participating in.
The provision that generated the most controversy was the state’s ban on schools having policies that forbid teachers and staff from answering questions about a child’s behavior at school related to sex and gender. Currently, school districts like Manchester have policies that mandate keeping information secret from parents, or even lying to parents if necessary, about their children’s activities.
“Parents can now inquire about the education of their children without fear of being lied to or kept in the dark. HB10 ensures that parents have the ultimate say in the education of their children,” said House Children and Family Law Chairwoman Deb Desimone (R-Atkinson).
Democrats have focused their fire on that aspect of the bill.
“School personnel would be forced to answer any and all questions directed by parents,” Rep. Peter Petrigno (D-Milford) complained during testimony on the bill. And, he added, the policy “puts children in harm’s way.”
That premise – parents are too dangerous to be allowed to have the same information as schoolteachers and staff – has been the basis of Democrats’ objections to the bill for years. Democratic legislators have claimed children would be harmed, or even killed, if parents were informed about their behavior.
Asked about this view of parents that Democrats have, Ayotte told NHJournal, “No one loves a child more than a parent, and we want parents to be engaged, and this is about making sure the parents have information about what’s happening in their schools.”
And, Ayotte added, empowered parents also have responsibilities.
“This is about the rights of parents, but it’s also about the responsibilities of parents to have that information, to be engaged, to be working with their schools or their educators,” Ayotte said. “We need parents to be engaged, and that’s what this bill does.”
Some political observers put parents’ rights in the same category as border security, protecting girls’ sports, and supporting law enforcement — issues where Democrats are out of step with voters. Republicans believe being the pro-parent party is a winner, and they aren’t being shy about taking a victory lap.
“New Hampshire is now leading the way—trusting citizens, championing freedom, and setting a national example. This is what it means to govern with purpose and principle,” Packard said Tuesday. “The momentum is with us, and Republicans will always put families first.”
