- Representative Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, joined four other Republicans in voting against the GOP’s Parents Bill of Rights, which passed 213-208 in the House.
- Gaetz took to Twitter to explain his reasoning behind voting against the bill, citing a desire to abolish the U.S. Department of Education.
- The bill calls for schools to publicly share the year’s curriculum, provide a list of the school’s library books available to the students and mandate parent-teacher meetings.
- Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy blamed Democrats for why it was tough to unite all Republicans in favor of the bill.
Representative Matt Gaetz, a Florida Republican, joined four other Republicans in voting against the GOP’s Parents Bill of Rights.
The five Republicans joined all House Democrats in rejecting the bill, but it passed 213-208 on Friday. The bill, which requires schools to publicly share certain information such as curriculum, is expected to fizzle out in the Democrat-controlled Senate, but its passing in the House reiterates that many Republicans want more parental involvement in schools, a topic that is often hotly debated.
The bill, which Democrats have referred to as the “Politics over Parents Act,” according to a Friday report from The Hill, calls for schools to publicly share the year’s curriculum, provide a list of the school’s library books available to the students and mandate parent-teacher meetings, among other requirements.
Gaetz took to Twitter on Friday to explain his reasoning behind voting against the bill.
“From Wokeness to funding to bathrooms to Critical Race Theory, the federal government SHOULD NOT be involved in education,” the GOP lawmaker tweeted. “I don’t want to strengthen the federal Department of Education. I want to abolish it. I don’t want Congress more involved in decisions that are best made in local school districts. I want the Congress less involved. Therefore, I voted against today’s Republican bill to establish a federal ‘Parents Bill of Rights.’”
Newsweek reached out by email to a spokesperson for Gaetz for comment.
From Wokeness to funding to bathrooms to Critical Race Theory, the federal government SHOULD NOT be involved in education.
I don’t want to strengthen the federal Department of Education. I want to abolish it.
I don’t want Congress more involved in decisions that are best made…
— Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) March 24, 2023
Meanwhile, Republicans have expressed outrage in the past at certain books being available to school-aged children, and issues have risen among school curriculum as well, with some parents opposing critical race theory (CRT) being taught in the classroom. CRT examines America’s history through the lens of racism and was developed by legal scholars. Newsweek previously reported that education officials have repeatedly said CRT isn’t taught in public schools. Tensions have risen between parents and local schools across the country over the issues, and the bill would provide a set of rules that schools would be required to follow when alerting parents to their children’s education.
“Parents should always have a seat at the table when it comes to their child’s education,” bill sponsor Representative Julia Letlow, a Louisiana Republican, said during her remarks Friday to the House. “We believe that learning is a partnership between a family and their child’s teachers. This bill is the vehicle by which we can put parents and educators together at the same table to have a productive dialogue.”
Letlow said the bill wasn’t an attack on teachers or to have Congress dictate curriculum or determine books available in the library, rather it aimed to bring more transparency to parents.
The five Republicans joining Democrats against the bill was a reminder that Republicans have had a difficult time with unanimous decisions since they took control of the House earlier this year. In order for Representative Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, to become House speaker, it took Republicans 15 rounds of voting to appoint him. Gaetz was one of the Republicans who opposed McCarthy’s speakership before later voting in favor.
While speaking to reporters after the bill’s vote, McCarthy said Democrats were to blame for why it was tough to unite Republicans in favor of the Parental Bill of Rights.
“It was only hard because the Democrats are so extreme,” McCarthy said. “They fought the right for a parent to have a say in their kids’ education.”
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