(JUST THE NEWS) – A new parents bill of rights took effect Thursday in Washington, but State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal is telling school districts to ignore it.
The measure approved by lawmakers back in March was introduced by a voter initiative. Supporters said it was a way to ensure parents don’t feel left out of their child’s education and, among other things, have access to medical or counseling records if children are questioning gender identity or sexual orientation.
During a March public hearing on the bill, Jennifer Heine-Withee, with the Family Policy Institute, listed stories of parents who felt their rights were ignored by teachers and schools across the state, including children being taught about race, gender pronouns and sexuality.
