House Republicans voted overwhelmingly to pass an education bill aimed at protecting parental rights on Friday despite outcry from Democrats like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who likened the law to “fascism.”
The GOP passed the Parents Bill of Rights Act in a 213-208 vote, with just five Republicans opposing the measure. No Democrats voted in favor of the bill.
“This bill is not complex or complicated,” said Rep. Julia Letlow (R-La.), who authored the bill and defended it Thursday from the House floor.
“Nor should it be partisan or polarizing and contrary to what you may hear from my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, it is not an attack on our hard-working teachers, who will always be the heroes in my eyes.”
The Parents Bill of Rights — which has been championed by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and was the brainchild of GOP conference chairwoman Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) — would require public schools to disclose all curricula, reading lists, library books and budget costs, as well as force administrators and teachers to seek parents’ consent before changing a child’s gender status.
