WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥 House Republicans on Friday narrowly passed legislation that would fulfill a campaign promise to give parents a role in what's taught in public schools. It has little chance in the Democrat-run Senate and critics said it would propel a far-right movement that has led to book bans, restrictions aimed at transgender students and raucous school board meetings across the country.
Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. who made the a priority during the early weeks of his tenure, said Republicans were "keeping our promise, our commitment to America, that parents will have a say in their kids鈥 education.鈥 The bill passed 213-208, with five Republicans 鈥 mostly members of the House Freedom Caucus 鈥 voting against it.
It 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.
In the Senate, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., promised that the legislation would face a 鈥渄ead end.鈥 He said it was further evidence that the House GOP had been overtaken by 鈥渉ard right MAGA ideologues鈥 鈥 referencing former President Donald Trump鈥檚 鈥淢ake America Great Again鈥 campaign slogan.
The bill was an for the 222 House Republicans and their thin majority. The measure showed how the adoption of an open amendment process in the House 鈥 made to win hard-line conservatives鈥 support for his speakership 鈥 holds the potential to send legislation down unpredictable twists and turns.
Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., successfully added amendments that would require schools to report when transgender girls join girls' athletics teams and if trans girls are allowed to use girls鈥 school restrooms or locker rooms. The bill would also require elementary and middle schools get parents' consent to change a child鈥檚 gender designation, pronouns or name.
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.
鈥淚t鈥檚 part of a pattern of attempts we鈥檙e seeing where the right wing of the Republican Party is really trying to marginalize LGBTQ people,鈥 said David Stacy, the government affairs director for Human Rights Campaign.
House Freedom Caucus members unsuccessfully tried to add provisions that called for abolishing Department of Education programs in schools and endorsed vouchers that would send public funds to private schools.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R鈥擪entucky, pointed to the 100-plus Republicans who supported his amendment to terminate the department's authority and said 鈥渋t adds a lot of momentum.鈥
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and racial justice protests, conservatives鈥 intense focus on parental control over public school classrooms has migrated from to Republican-held statehouses and now to the floor of the U.S. House.
鈥淧arents want schools focused on reading, writing and math, not woke politics,鈥 Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., said during earlier debate.
Public school education in the U.S. among some parents 鈥 usually conservative 鈥 over what children are taught. Historically, the term 鈥減arents' rights鈥 has been used in schoolhouse debates over homeschooling, sex education and even the teaching of languages other than English.
Recently, Republicans have tapped into frustrations over remote learning and mask mandates in schools, as well as social conservatives' opposition to certain teachings on race that are broadly labeled as , a way of thinking about America鈥檚 history through the lens of racism.
was elected as Virginia's governor in 2021 on the slogan 鈥淧arents matter" and political action committees have poured millions of dollars into school board races nationwide.
McCarthy made the bill a big part of his 2022 election pitch to voters to give Republicans a House majority. But the GOP's expectation of a sweeping victory never materialized, and even in school board races, conservative groups' goal of electing hundreds of 鈥減arents鈥 rights鈥 activists .
But McCarthy pressed ahead with the bill, making earlier this month at an event that featured a chalkboard, schoolchildren and parents who have been on the frontlines of the cause.
When asked about the five Republican votes against the bill, McCarthy contended that 鈥淒emocrats are too extreme to believe that parents should have a say鈥 in their children's education.
Democrats said they want to foster parental involvement, but said the bill caters to a vocal minority set on controlling and politicizing classrooms. They derided it as the 鈥淧olitics over Parents Act."
Attempted book bans and restrictions at school and public libraries surged to their highest number in 2022 since the American Library Association began keeping data 20 years ago, the organization released this week.
鈥淲e鈥檒l fight against this legislation. We鈥檒l fight against the banning of books, fight against the bullying of children from any community, and certainly from the LGBTQ+ community,鈥 House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said.
Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore. offered alternative legislation that she argued would foster parental involvement, encourage collaboration with educators and make schools welcoming places to families, including those with LGBTQ students.
鈥淲e want parents to be involved 鈥 peacefully,鈥 she said.
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Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.
