On March 24, 2023 a bill titled the Parents’ Bill of Rights Act passed the US House by a 213-208 vote along party lines, with five Republicans joining all Democrats in opposing the bill. According to its proponents the bill, championed by House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Virginia Foxx, would expand parental voice in school activities and thwart “significant efforts to conceal what was truly being taught in classrooms.” However, opponents claim that the bill is “another effort to turn classrooms into a culture war” and “distracts from what our schools really need.” Advocates for LGBTQ people said the proposal poses a threat to LGBTQ students by potentially forcing them to come out to their families, which can sometimes lead to abuse or abandonment.
In essence, the bill would require schools to publish course studies and a list of books kept in libraries, as well as affirm parents’ ability to meet with educators, speak at school board meetings and examine school budgets.
The bill now moves on to the U.S. Senate, where its passage is doubtful.