At a recent House hearing, lawmakers argued over the proposed parents’ bill of rights House Bill 2160put forward by Representative Ben Baker from Neosho, who is a Republican. The bill caused quite a stir as it brought up fears that teachers could be bullied and that students may not develop strong critical thinking skills. It’s designed to give parents a list of rights in federally and state funded school districts with a warning, schools breaking these rules might lose their state funds.
Overview of House Bill 2160
House Bill 2160 gives parents several rights, such as checking out the curriculum and books, visiting kids during school hours, and looking at school records. This is different from last year’s version, which had a section for teachers’ rights, but it’s missing from this new proposal. Furthermore, the bill tries to limit what it calls “extreme racial themes” in class.
The bill argues it protects the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by preventing forced speech or beliefs in schools.
Opposition and Concerns
However, the proposal faces hefty pushback from various people, including Rep. Marlene Terry from St. Louis. She slammed the bill for its funding strategy and its use of the Civil Rights Act. Terry pointed to student walkouts, showing they want more diverse lessons. Rep. Doug Mann from Columbia agreed, warning the bill could stop students from learning how to thrive in a world full of different people.
Others are worried about how the bill might affect teachers’ control and their bonds with students. Rep. Kathy Steinhoff from Columbia, who used to teach, called the bill aggressive and said it might step on parents’ toes, like their right to keep things private. She emphasized the need for teamwork between everyone involved in education.
Working Together for Better Learning, Parents and teachers need to work hand in hand if we want kids to learn better.
Ideas to Make the Bill Better
Politicians like Ed Lewis from Moberly get that the bill is aiming for something good, but they also see we’ve got to tweak it to respect teachers’ needs and not freak them out with too much control. What Lewis says really shows that lots of people are worried about how this might change stuff for educators and schools in general.
Speaking Out Shows Wider Concerns
The discussion was also packed with comments from folks and groups not liking the bill at all. Dava Leigh Brush from the Missouri Equity Education Partnership Action said the rules could mess up the quality and variety of what kids learn in Missouri. Then Sharon Geuea Jones from the NAACP in Missouri talked about when kids get bullied for racial reasons, thinking schools might shy away from dealing with that kind of thing if they feel this bill breathing down their necks.
Accused of Pushing Critical Race Theory (CRT) Jones’s words brought to light the harsh reality of the bill. He pointed out that parents worry for their children who face bullying in schools. These stories show how educational rules, race problems, and the wellbeing of students mix together in Missouri schools.
Wider Picture and Effects
The argument over House Bill 2160 isn’t just happening in Missouri. It’s part of a bigger countrywide debate about how much say parents should have in schooling, the freedom teachers have in classrooms, and how schools handle touchy subjects like race and history. Some say the bill gives power to parents and makes what kids learn more see through. Others think it might shut down open chats, cut down on what kids are taught, and make things tougher in school neighborhoods.
This law also shines a spotlight on the tough job of juggling parents’ rights, keeping up with teaching standards and letting teachers do their thing. The worries
Concerns about teachers feeling pressured and limitations on discussing certain topics show we need to think carefully about how laws affect both the freedom of teaching and the variety of viewpoints in classrooms.
Looking Forward
The ongoing argument about House Bill 2160 has everyone involved the parents, teachers, and kids wanting a thoughtful strategy that respects everyone’s rights and duties. The journey of this bill through the legislation is getting a lot of attention from those who care about education in Missouri. It’s not yet known if changes will be made to calm the critics or if the bill will keep going as is. But one thing’s for sure, there’s a lot of energy and commitment from people and groups eager to build a school system that works for everybody.
+ There are no comments
Add yours