Member-only story
Parental Bill of Rights?
Sounds Great, but …
You know, I was in public education for nearly thirty years, all in Texas. I’ve taught all ages, including adults, I’ve worked with parents extensively, and I know what I’m talking about with regard to public education. Granted, there are some minor differences between states in terms of how they run their schools, but for the most part, they’re pretty similar.
I could go on and on about the state of public education and give you all kinds of reasons why it needs to drastically change, but today, I’d like to focus on the new buzz words, “Parent Bill of Rights.” It sounds pretty reasonable doesn’t it? I hear things on the news like, parents should have access to what is being taught in public schools, and I couldn’t agree more.
What you may or may not find surprising is, at least for the decades I worked in education, parents have always had access to the curriculum in schools. Every state has a list of standards — in Texas they’re called the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, or TEKS. They’re available online whenever anyone would like to see them. If you have an issue with something, there’s a process you can go through to voice any concerns and have questions answered.
What you cannot do is change the curriculum in schools on a whim, and that’s a very good thing. Parents should…
