OPINION:
South Carolina children deserve better. A few headlines in the last few years about public school education in the state are in direct contrast to the heart of South Carolinians: “Pickens Middle School promotes segregating students by race for discussions with a guest speaker” and “Horry County Schools counselor promotes race-based event for students; school district promotes organizations that push for educators to teach ’social justice’ and ’LGBTQ’ issues in classrooms.”
South Carolina does not stand for segregation of any kind and has a deep commitment to excellence in education, and the future of South Carolina could be at stake if this issue is not handled properly.
Parents have a role and responsibility to play in their child’s education, not the government. To ensure that every parent has more control over their child’s education and horrific headlines like this cease to exist, the Transparency and Integrity in Education Act, HB 3728, has been introduced.
South Carolina serves nearly 800,000 children in public schools, and it is our job to ensure that these children leave our school system with an excellent education and that parents maintain their God-given rights as watchful guardians over the development of their children.
The legislation will accomplish this goal by enacting practical policies that improve transparency, accountability and integrity in our schools, giving parents more control over their children’s education.
Many of the concepts in this bill are those that many would be shocked to know we need legislation to protect, such as policies stating that a school may not accept teaching materials or technology that contains an application, link or other access to pornographic or other prohibited materials, and policies establishing a simple process for parents to file complaints that accuse their children’s school of violating the law.
These are not controversial policies but rather those that ensure that our classrooms are teaching age-appropriate, high-quality content and that parents have more control over their children’s education.
This bill also requires that library and media center material, both printed and electronically accessible, must be age-appropriate and grade-appropriate, requires public schools to provide complete transparency for the curriculum and all teaching materials, and requires public schools to make the rights of parents to review curriculum and other materials known to the community.
The ability to review all curriculum materials before the start of classes will ensure that parents understand and feel comfortable with their child participating in each lesson. If a parent feels uncomfortable with the curriculum, this bill establishes a process by which parents may withdraw their child from any specific instruction or presentation that the parent, in the parent’s sole discretion, objects to the student receiving. This bill empowers parents over the state. Parents are ultimately responsible for their children and should have the final say in what they are taught.
This bill also protects our teachers, administrators and students by ensuring they do not need to engage in politically motivated training or presentations that have the goal or purpose of “studying, exploring, or informing attendees about gender roles or stereotypes, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, or romantic or sexual relationships.”
The bill explicitly states that “no students shall attend any instruction, training, or presentation including these topics unless the school has received written permission from the student’s parent.”
This keeps the focus of our schools on educating and ensures that everyone — teachers, district employees and parents alike — are not forced into training and presentations that are motivated by politics rather than improving educational outcomes.
Again, none of what is included in this legislation is meant to be controversial but rather a step toward strengthening the education system. The majority of registered voters (over 66%) favor a proposal that would require public school teachers to put all lesson plans and materials online and in advance so that parents can have access to them.
The majority of registered voters believe parents should have the right to opt their children out of lesson plans if they object to particular lessons and materials being used in their children’s classrooms, and the majority of registered voters do not believe it would be a significant burden requiring teachers to post lesson plans and curriculum materials online.
“Smiling faces, beautiful places” is what this great state should be making headlines for, not race-based policies and the sexualization of our children in schools.
There are countless incredible educators and schools in South Carolina. Added transparency measures will reveal the schools that are already on the right track to restoring excellence in education and the schools that still have some work to do.
From there, as we always do, we will come together and continue to improve an education system that is foundational to the future success of our children. Investing in our children is an investment we will never regret.
• Raye Felder is a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, District 26. Madison Berube is the America First Works director of state affairs.
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