Lawler Votes Against 'Parental Rights' Bill He Co-Sponsored, Amended

U.S. House Republicans on Friday passed a bill co-sponsored by Rep. Mike Lawler (NY-17) to codify into federal law rights that parents of public-school children already have in many states; limit the rights of transgender children; and empower parents to inspect books and other teaching materials in local public schools.

Lawler also introduced an amendment which passed, but ultimately voted against the bill, along with four other Republicans: Matt Gaetz of Florida, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ken Buck of Colorado and Matt Rosendale of Montana.

Democrats sharply criticized the measure. The top Democrat on the Education and Workforce Committee, Bobby Scott of Virginia, said the legislation is meant "to score political points and scare parents into thinking that schools do not have their best interests at heart."

The legislation, called the Parents Bill of Rights, passed on a 213-208 vote. It would give parents and legal guardians access to school curricula, library books and other teaching materials, require schools to notify parents if a transgender student uses a bathroom that aligns to their gender, give parents advance notice prior to medical or mental health screenings and mandate a standard number of parent-teacher meetings.

Lawler released a statement afterward:

I proudly co-sponsored H.R.5 because, as a parent, I strongly believe in parental rights, age-appropriate curriculum for our children, religious freedom, and transparency between schools and parents. This is paramount to an educational system that teaches our kids to grow and think critically, rather than indoctrinate children in one ideology or another.

Among the bill’s main components, parents have the right to know what their children are being taught; parents have a right to be heard; parents have a right to see the school budget and spending; parents have a right to protect their child’s privacy; and parents have a right to keep their children safe.

Simply put, you do not give away your rights as a parent by sending your child to a public school.

Throughout this process, I worked in good faith with the bill sponsor, our Education Committee Chairwoman, and leadership to address concerns that I had with some of the language in the bill. With their support, I was able to ensure that children of all backgrounds would be protected and feel comfortable in their own schools and homes.

Unfortunately, a late amendment to the bill - that unnecessarily targeted certain children - went too far. Our goal as parents, educators, and legislators should be making lives better and safer for our children, and I am concerned that this amendment could do the opposite, putting vulnerable children at greater risk.

It is my hope that as the bill continues to move through the legislative process, we can further clarify the language and ensure both the fundamental rights of parents and the safety and welfare of our children.

I promised the residents of NY-17 that I would be a member of Congress who votes my conscience first, not my party, and one who speaks with a clear, reasonable voice, and that's why I voted "no" today.

Lawler himself had introduced an amendment to exempt private schools from any of the new rules, which could also have an effect on New York State's longstanding regulation of private schools.

According to the amendment, "local educational agencies do not have the authority to exercise any direction, supervision, or control over the curriculum or program of instruction of non-public elementary or secondary schools." It passed by a voice vote.

While Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has vowed the bill will not be taken up in that Democratic-controlled chamber, the parental bill of rights represents a top priority for Republicans in the states and in Congress.

Though most of the Republican representatives supported federal regulation, an amendment that would in fact have ended federal oversight over K-12 education did receive 161 votes.

Most of the debate was on whether the bill would lead to more bans on books, particularly books about the LGBTQ+ community and people of color. Thousands of books from LGBTQ+ authors and authors of color, or stories that feature LGBTQ+ and characters of color, have been banned in schools.

Education and Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., said that there is nothing in the bill that bans books. But many Republicans used books about the LGBTQ+ community as examples of books that should not be allowed in schools.

"Parents, is this something you want your children to read?" Rep. Ralph Norman, Republican of South Carolina, asked after he listed several books as an example, all ones that center LGBTQ+ stories such as "This Book is Gay," and "Juliet Takes A Breath."

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., introduced two amendments to the bill specifically aimed at transgender students. One amendment would require that parents are notified if a public school allows a transgender student to compete in an "athletic program or activity that is designated for women or girls."

Another amendment by Boebert would require parents to be notified if a public school allows a transgender student to use the bathroom that aligns with their gender.

Among other amendments:

• Rep. Don Bacon, a Nebraska Republican, added an amendment that would require local education agencies to tell parents or legal guardians how many school counselors an elementary or secondary school has. It passed by a voice vote.
• Foxx added an amendment that expresses Congress’ “support for parents’ fundamental rights to direct the education of their children and that courts should use the strict scrutiny test to evaluate laws involving those rights.” It passed by a voice vote.
• Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., introduced an amendment that would allow parents to file a civil lawsuit against a public school, or individual such as a teacher, for not complying with the bill. It failed by a recorded vote of 61-365.
• Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, introduced an amendment that would require public schools to have an open enrollment period for students living within and outside the district, to allow parents to have school choice. It failed by a recorded vote of 89-338.
• Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Penn., added an amendment that would require a Government Accountability Office report to Congress on the cost requirements of the bill for public schools. It passed by a recorded vote of 386-39.
• Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., added an amendment to require public schools to notify parents in a timely manner if there is a cyberattack on the school and if their child’s information is compromised. It passed by a recorded vote of 420-5.
• Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced an amendment that would end the K-12 portion of the Department of Education. It failed by a recorded vote of 161-265.
• Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., added an amendment that would allow parents to address their school board about a violation of parental rights. It passed by a voice vote.
• McCormick introduced another amendment that would require public schools to inform parents of non-curriculum-based events. It failed by a recorded vote of 107-317.
• Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, added an amendment to expand the definition of schools to include secondary career and technical schools. It passed by a voice vote.
• Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., added an amendment that requires public schools to notify parents of any videos or records of violent activities “of which they are aware.” It passed by a voice vote.

Ten Democrats did not vote.

New York’s 17th District includes all or parts of Rockland, Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties.

Patch newspartner Colorado Newsline contributed to this report.