Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s parental rights bill will get formal input from Alaskans in the House Education Committee on Thursday, with pubic testimony opening at 5:15 pm.
The bill, House Bill 105, preserves the rights of parents to know what is being taught to their children in school on subjects that have always been sensitive: sexuality and alternative gender identity. Should schools, run by radical teachers unions, be indoctrinating children with sex education in kindergarten without parents’ knowledge? That’s just one topic that’s sure to bring out opinions.
Already, radical senators have introduced a different bill that would mandate “age-appropriate,” “science-based” sex education start as early as kindergarten. SB 43 is cleverly titled “An Act relating to health and personal safety education,” demonstrating the lack of transparency and honesty in education about which parents have grown concerned. Testimony on that bill can be viewed at this legislative link.
HB 105 provides more transparency for parents who are concerned that schools may be giving their children new gender identities without parents’ or guardians’ knowledge, or secretly giving them new gender names or alternative pronouns (he, her, ze, etc.)
In 1978, Congress enacted the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, giving parents the right to inspect curriculum being taught to their children. In 2016, the State of Alaska passed a parental rights bill, defining parental authority and ensuring that a parent could withdraw their children from any test or curriculum they deemed inappropriate.
HB 105 further defines parental authority and changes the language around human growth and development and sexual education from parental right to “opt out” to the requirement that parents must “opt in.”
The mainstream media has misled Alaskans about HB105, intentionally mischaracterizing the bill as somehow discriminating against gender-confused or alternative gender students.
HB 105 protects the privacy and safety for all students, by designating bathrooms and locker rooms according to biological sex or providing for the use of single-occupant facilities for gender-alternating students.
HB 105 protects students by allowing a counselor to withhold information from parents if there is reasonable belief that disclosure of the information would cause abuse, harm, or neglect.
HB 105 requires parental notification and permission to participate in sexual education, including gender identity, and to change a student’s name at school. HB105 protects children by establishing that parents, not school personnel, have the authority in their children’s education.
The bill is narrower than other parental rights bills advancing around the country in Republican-led states in response to an increasing trend in schools to push gender-bending or highly sexualized content on very young children. In Florida, a parental rights bill also covered medical procedures done to children without parents’ consent, such as gender reshaping or the prescribing of puberty-blocking medications. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed that bill one year ago.
The Dunleavy bill was introduced to the House on March 8, and has been referred to Education, Judiciary, and Finance. Because of its late introduction, it’s not likely to pass both bodies this year and the Democrat-controlled Senate is likely to run the clock out on the bill.
House Education will start public testimony at 5:15 pm and will continue until 7:15 pm. If there are callers in the queue prior to 7:15 pm, the committee will stay until they are heard. To testify, use the following numbers:
Anchorage: 907-563-9085
Juneau: 907-586-9085
All others: 844-586-9085
The meeting will be televised by Gavel Alaska, and can be watched live via computer at this link.
I hope it goes well, but it’s probably an exercise in futility. The legislature is left of center, the left hates nuclear families, and they want your kids.
Dunleavy is a political eunuch with zero clout and a negative track record of standing up and fighting.
Get your kids out of public school. Get them out of Alaska if you have to.
Out of Alaska? shoot, it’s worse down in the lower 48 making its way up here. In my 56 years of living here I’ve seen them change what they were trying to get away from in the first place…..
Just let them be kids. They’re too young to make their own decisions and do not need the gay/lesbian freak shows in schools. But as an average white straight man I’m not allowed to say anything? F.T.
Becoming a parent does not always mean you’re an adult.
You are what you are without being taught.
I, a fiscal conservative, not a good social conservative, thats just me.
That is beyond stupid. I really hope you just phrased a bad idea in a much worse way.
Please list one thing outside of basic biological functions anyone does without being taught how to do them.
I, a male was always attracted to women, even as a kid. Never was taught.
Knock it off on the name calling even though I have a thick skin 😉
1-no one is calling you a name. Lighten up, Francis.
2-attraction is a biological function. My point stands. Your point was either stupid or poorly phrased. Perhaps both.
This will likely be a bargaining chip when it comes time to redline the budget passed. Anybody want the BSA increased?
Every parent with school age children has the right to know what is being taught in schools, regardless of the subject. End of story.
They have the right to know if their seven year old is being taught simple arithmetic, or calculus. They have the right to know if gym consists of physical activity or video games. They have the right to know that 2nd grade is US history, or European history.
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Anyone who thinks that any curriculum should be hidden from the parents it, literally, hiding wrongdoing.
The moment you feel you have to hide it, you have just admitted you are knowingly doing wrong.
OK, so I was wondering why someone would be opposed to parents knowing as much as they want about the school curriculum. I could not figure it out. Makes no sense to me.
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Granted, the first thought is the schools are trying to hide something, but why would people not associated with the schools be opposed? Again, could not figure it out.
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Then I saw an opinion piece that made a measurable amount of sense. The people opposing this see Christian based, family oriented parenting as a threat to children questioning their sexual identity. And, yes, I am sure there are parents that would be very opposed to a child that is gay/trans/whatever. But, does that mean the schools have to take over the role of parental support?
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If the schools just did not discuss sexuality/sexual identity at all, where is the problem? If a teacher gets questions about it, why can’t the policy be “not appropriate for the classroom, if you have a personal problem/issue you can talk to me after class.”
Does putting LGBTQWERTYWHATEVER+++++ into the curriculum (and hiding it from parents) the solution? Nope. The inevitable outcome of that is either undermine the relationship between parent and child, or destroy trust in the school system.
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School curriculums MUST be public. End of story.
So glad we elected Mike Dunleavy as our governor.
Why? What has he accomplished?
At this point I’ll settle for damn near anything, not major accomplishments.
Please list specifics
Can’t speak for anyone else, but he has not done a lot of harm. That, in my mind, makes him one of the better Governors we have had in this State.
I see your point. It’s accurate and really sad.
We expect little and get even less.
Big Mike really did a lot of damage with his lockdown left approach to covid. With the authoritarian tactics he engaged in and the ones he ignored it was clear to see he obviously loved what the assemblies and mayors of Anchorage and Juneau were putting regular people through. With his support and/or complacency he showed he’s a spinless progressive politico.
He could have put an end to the whole charade (for the most part) all he had to do was look at what Noem, Desantis or kemp were doing and follow but as a staunch progressive in full support of lockdowns,mandates and forced testing he just couldn’t do it.
these actions IMO make him the worst governor Alaska has ever had because under his “leadership” he helped advance authoritarianism and government overreach around the state more than the worst sxxx lib on any assembly could ever dream of
Good point, AK4…
However, most governors chose the lockdown path, but Dunleavy did leave the restrictions in place way too long. Or, should I say the Zink colored devil whispering in his ear continued to push for the lockdowns long past their effectiveness.
The governor hasn’t done what he said he would do. Cut the budget and pay our PFD.
We could be helped by having a link to the committee members. Text, phone or email
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