A series of educational bills currently under review in the California legislature, perceived by many as curbing parental rights, has sparked vehement protests. Hundreds, including Korean Americans, have converged on the State Capitol Building to voice their concerns.
On August 21, these parents rallied against various educational bills being considered. Among the attendees were over 50 Korean American parents, including members of TVNEXT, a group advocating for preserving the traditional values for the next generation.
The contentious bills that sparked the protest are reported to:
– Allow minors over 12 to receive gender identity counseling without parental consent (AB 665).
– Permit school staff to introduce curriculum on LGBTQ culture and assess parents’ stance on such education (AB 5).
– Recognize parental criticism of a child’s gender identity as child abuse (AB 957).
– Forbid local school boards from excluding textbooks offering diverse views on race, gender, and sexuality, including LGBTQ perspectives (AB 1078).
– Penalize parents not in agreement with a child’s sexual orientation or gender identity (AB 5).
Critics argue these bills undermine parents’ educational rights and grant excessive control to the state over local school districts.
“Opposing parents organized visits to legislators’ offices to convey their concerns,” said Mindy Shin, 41, from Fullerton. “For instance, Representative Dave Min of Orange County endorsed all these controversial bills, making me question if he’s truly heeding his constituents.”
The protests have indeed shaken the state’s political corridors. Notably, the bill to prevent LGBTQ textbook exclusions (AB 1078) was held up in an Assembly committee on August 21, attributed to the strong backlash. AB 1078, SB596, and AB5 are now in the “suspension file,” per the California State Assembly.
A bill with yearly costs exceeding $150,000 can be relegated to this file to assess fiscal implications. Essentially, it’s shelved for future review, contingent upon budget scrutiny and available resources.
As reported by nonprofit newsroom CalMatters on August 22, parents and school districts now grapple with the state government following the Capitol protest.
Sonja Shaw, president of the Chino Valley Unified School District, which contends with perceived “parental rights curtailment,” remarked, “Governor Gavin Newsom, Superintendent Tony Thurmond, and Attorney General Rob Bonta seem to be pushing their ideology through public education. Their political agenda is stripping parents of their rights.”
Rachel Johnson, an early childhood special education teacher at LAUSD, noted, “There’s a surge in homeschooling and private school enrollment in California as numerous parents disapprove of the state’s educational mandates.”
The California Republican Party is firmly backing parental rights, initiating a “parent revolt” program to groom future leaders for local school boards.
CAGOP highlighted the lack of opposition in school board candidacies, stating, “Given the Democratic Party’s stronghold, the school board positions are monopolized due to a dearth of alternative candidates. This has led to an extreme tilt in education policy. Parents deserve a direct say in their children’s schooling.”
BY YEOL JANG [jang.yeol@koreadaily.com]
