School curriculum, book bans and parents’ rights: Who should decide? | Opinion

The parental rights debate rose dramatically during COVID over one question: To mask or not to mask?

Recently, bills have passed in Idaho, Florida, and Oklahoma regarding parental rights in a host of school issues, including the ban of certain classroom materials and library books.

Challenges have centered on critical race theory (CRT), state and national histories, gender studies, and graphic scenes in novels.

These controversies also have reached our community, where parents’ rights groups such as Moms for Liberty have made their presence felt.

Candidates campaigned for school boards promising to eliminate CRT from curriculum.

Last month the Kennewick School Board called an emergency hearing before passing a resolution to oppose two bills requiring Washington state schools to include lessons on contributions of LGBTQ+ and other marginalized groups. The bill was eventually signed into law.

On Thursday, May 9, the Columbia Basin Badger Club will offer an interactive online forum exploring questions of parental rights.

First, what is meant by parental rights? Usually, this phrase refers to the perception that some parents feel left out of decisions on curriculum and library books.

Some insist what is taught in schools undermines what is taught at home.

In fact, since the 1920s, the U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed the general right of parents to determine the education of their children. Yet the court also struck down a Nebraska law that banned the teaching of French and German.

The question then becomes not, “Do parents have rights?” but rather, “To what extent?”

We live in a pluralistic society. K-12 education is a public endeavor. What interest does the state and broader community have in a student’s education?

Why have standards and compulsory education if not to develop certain abilities in all students? What latitude should local school boards have within that context? How do we balance public and parental interests?

More practically: Which parents or groups get to determine curriculum? Who decides which books to shelve in a library? What would the decision criteria be?

Is one scene or paragraph enough to justify elimination of a book, or should the novel or textbook be considered in its entirety? Can reasonable options be offered to accommodate students and parents, or would this create an unworkable burden on schools?

How do we navigate such cultural and political divides? Can we live in a pluralistic society where we listen to and respect one another?

The Badger Club’s forum will feature a panel of four speakers with different perspectives on these issues: Rick Jansons, a Richland School Board member; Micah Valentine, a Kennewick School Board member; Annette Rose of Moms for Liberty; and Carrie Hallquist of Stop Moms for Liberty.

This program will use a new interactive format allowing the panelists to be questioned both by the audience and each other. Join us for what should be an enlightening discussion.

You can register for this event at www.columbiabasinbadgers.com to receive a confirmation and links to join the Zoom forum and a half-hour “Table Talk” open-mic session afterward.

Cost is $5 for nonmembers, while club members can join for free.

Dan Clark is a retired English teacher and Badger Club board member.