Summer is winding down. The backpacks are out. The school supplies are bought.
But before you send your kids back to the classroom, there’s one thing every parent should be sure to acquire that isn’t on any supply list: knowledge of your constitutional rights.
Because here’s the truth that too many school officials would rather you not know — you are in the driver’s seat.
You have a fundamental right to direct your children’s education, upbringing, and care. You are the primary decision-maker for your child. You have the ultimate responsibility to raise and educate your child and safeguard their mind, body, and spirit.
It’s not a privilege the state grants you. It’s a constitutional guarantee the state must respect.
For years, parents across the country have been sidelined and silenced — shut out of decisions about what their children are being taught, denied notice of controversial curriculum, and refused meaningful opt-outs from instruction that conflicted with their family’s values and faith.
Some districts have even concealed a child’s social transition at school — encouraging them to reject their sex and adopt a new “gender identity” that denies reality — deliberately keeping parents in the dark about one of the most consequential decisions in their child’s life.
But that era of state-sponsored secrecy is ending. And the Supreme Court is leading the way.
The tide has turned in favor of parents. Mahmoud v. Taylor made clear that schools can’t indoctrinate children with the state’s views on hotly debated topics like sexuality and gender while cutting parents out of the conversation.
Parents have the right to know what their kids are being taught and to opt them out if it conflicts with their religious beliefs.
And Mirabelli v. Bonta’s message was equally firm: The government can’t shut parents out of consequential decisions in their children’s lives, especially those involving their mental health.
Schools can’t isolate students from their families. Schools can’t exclude parents and hide critical information about their child’s well-being.
The trend is unmistakable. The law is on the side of parents: Schools educate, parents parent.
But rights don’t enforce themselves, so, this back-to-school season, every parent should take proactive steps to know, understand, and exercise their rights. Knowledge is power.
First, review your school district’s policies. Before the first day, request copies of your district’s curriculum policies, opt-out procedures, and any policies related to gender identity, student privacy, and overnight accommodations. If they aren’t readily available on the district’s website, ask for them in writing. You have a right to know what your child will be exposed to and whether they will share overnight accommodations or intimate facilities with the opposite sex.
Second, ask questions — early and often. Don’t wait for a problem to arise. Meet with your child’s teachers and administrators at the start of the year. Ask what materials will be used. Ask about any planned presentations or guest speakers on topics like sexuality, gender, or identity. Ask about the district’s notification and opt-out procedures for sensitive content. Put your questions in writing so you have a record.
Third, exercise your opt-out rights. If your school district offers opt-outs from controversial curriculum, activities, or policies, request them. If it doesn’t, demand them. Request notice and opt out from student surveys with highly inappropriate questions about sexual behavior, drug use, and suicide. It’s your right under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment.
And if you don’t want your school to socially transition your child without your knowledge and consent, make that clear in writing on day one. Mirabelli was unequivocal: Parents — not schools — make consequential decisions regarding their children’s mental health.
Fourth, stay engaged. Go to back-to-school night. Attend school board meetings. Read the communications your district sends home. Talk to your children about what they’re learning. And regularly review your student’s educational records. It’s your right under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Parental rights are strongest when parents are present — not passive. Your voice. Your values.
Fifth, know when to push back. If your school district denies you notice, refuses an opt-out, or conceals information about your child, don’t accept it. Contact your school board. Reach out to legal organizations like Alliance Defending Freedom that defend parental rights and offer informative guides to help parents stay in control. Document everything.
Remember: parental rights don’t come from the government. The government was created to protect your rights, not grant them.
So, this back-to-school season, let’s get back to the basics. Put kids — not politics — first. And acknowledge that parents are the ones in the driver’s seat, where they belong.