by Richard and Molly Jesse
The Essex and Westford community group Students, Parents and Educators for Achievement Through Knowledge (SPEAKVT) is canvassing to collect signatures on a Parental Rights Petition to present to the School Board of the Essex Westford School District (EWSD).
To sign the petition come to Essex Junction Shopping Center (VT Rte 15-Pearl Street, next to the Champlain Valley Exposition) this Saturday, 8 am to Noon, February 10. Only signatures of Essex and Westford residents are valid.
If this does not work for you, send an email to speakvermont@gmail.com to arrange for a time and location that will work for you.
This petition may seem like basic common sense, but SPEAKVT believes EWSD needs to be reminded that parents do not abandon or relinquish their rights at the schoolhouse door.
Summary of the Petition
1. Parents are their children’s primary caregivers.
2. Children should be protected from discrimination, harassment and bullying.
3. School employees are prohibited from administering medical care or providing counseling to students under age 18 without parental permission. (Medical emergencies excepted.)
4. Parents—and taxpayers—have a right to know what educators are teaching their children.
NOTE: The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the state may not interfere with “the liberty of parents and guardians to direct the upbringing and education of children under their control”.
The full text of the petition appears below.
Parental Rights Petition for the Essex Westford School District
WHEREAS the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution provides that parents have a fundamental right to direct the upbringing and education of their children*;
WE THEREFORE PETITION the Essex Westford School District to adopt the following Guiding Principles on the Respect of Parental Rights, to be applied to all policies and procedures of the district and its schools beginning in the 2024-2025 school year:
1. Parents are their children’s primary caregivers.
Teachers, administrators, and other school personnel are required to affirm that parents are primarily responsible for their children’s education and health, as well as their moral and religious upbringing.
School officials must inform parents within 24 hours of any incident involving their child at school.
2. Children should be protected from discrimination, harassment and bullying.
No student should be compelled to affirm or profess any ideology—e.g., such as suggested by flying any flag other than the United States and Vermont flags—especially any ideological belief that violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Teachers, students, or anyone else within the school must not treat students differently because of race, ethnicity, sex, personal values, or religious beliefs.
Teachers and students must never be compelled to profess that they are guilty of racism based on their own race or ethnicity.
3. Barring a medical emergency in which a parent cannot be reached, school employees are prohibited from administering medical care or providing counseling to students under age 18 without parental permission.
Teachers and administrators cannot withhold information from parents about a student’s decision to assume a different gender.
4. Parents—and taxpayers—have a right to know what educators are teaching their children.
Parents have a right to view all teaching materials that are utilized. Parents should not have to travel to district headquarters or schools to view them. The district should post all materials online to provide access to parents.
School officials should inform parents, in advance, of all outside organizations that make presentations or provide materials of students.
Terms
The term “parent” or “parents” shall mean “any parent, guardian, legal custodian, or other person having control or charge of a child.”
The term “medical emergency” shall mean “a situation in which the condition of the student or sudden change in medical status requires immediate action – e.g. head injury, shock, respiratory distress.”
* As the U.S. Supreme Court has explained in Troxel v. Granville, 530 U.S. 57, 65 (2000) (this right is “perhaps the oldest of the fundamental liberty interests recognized by this Court.”); Wisconsin v. Yoder, 406 U.S. 205, 232 (1972) (“This primary role of the parents in the upbringing of their children is now established beyond debate”); Pierce v. Society of Sisters, 268 U.S. 510, 534-35 (1925) (the state may not interfere with “the liberty of parents and guardians to direct the upbringing and education of children under their control.”)
WE THE SIGNATORIES INSIST THAT THIS PROPOSAL APPEAR ON THE APRIL 2024 BALLOT FOR APPROVAL BY THE VOTERS OF THE ESSEX WESTFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT.
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Categories: Education
it is a shame you have to spend your time and money fighting the people you voted for///
I can assure you that these people did not vote for the politicians and entities that threaten parental rights. Parental rights are being attacked by nonelected NGOs, activists and lobbiests at the local and federal level. For example, Gender Affirming Care is an initiative of the United Nations World Health Organization. Social-Emotional Learning is a United Nations, World Bank, OECD and UNESCO initiative designed to circumvent the culture of member nations, according to the OECD. These initiatives are also brought into public schools via the NEA through international collaboration between the NEAF, UNESCO and higher education institutions like Harvard. One such collacorative effort produced the UNESCO k-12 Sustainable Development Goals teacher workbook lessons. Americans Constitutional and civil rights are being erroded due to treaties, charters and agreements made by politicians, which undermind the freedoms and rights of all Americans.
How about the VT GOP commence with a State-Wide Parental Rights Petition?
It will bring needed attention to the dangerous & tyrannical policies being employed by the Bolshevists in Montpelier otherwise known as democrats, progressives, & “democrat socialists”.
Oh, that’s right – the VT GOP has no “money” to begin even a grassroots-style petition and they don’t want to be seen as “provocateurs” in attempting to protect Vermont’s innocent children or anything.
Fact-check, Mr. Dame?
Not a bad idea, but I am afraid it would be inappropriate. The purpose of the GOP as a Major party is to promote the interests of the Republican party in elections, including supporting candidates and ensuring elections are properly conducted [this is Vermont law].
What we have here is a special interest issue. A very important issue, but it is a non-partisan and non-religious issue. It affects people of all political backgrounds and needs to be dealt with through the community at large.
thank you christine for the information///this is well known///now try to stop this agenda pushed by very rich crime organizations/// the names of these people are well known///
While I know this and you know this. Many Vermonters do not know this information. I meet with parents across the state and many are completely unaware, as national media and politicians intentionally are not transparent, hiding their relationships with these entities. I travel and speak on this issue using my time and resources. I even set up a website of resources for people to access. As of now, this has been my main focus. People will continue to vote the same progressive legislation into office until they are provided logical, conclusive evidence.
I do make a difference as I have stopped some businesses from adopting DEI, which was a direct result of coming to one of my presentations hosted by a parent group. While these examples have no impact on the large picture, when combined with the efforts of the many, we will make a difference.
Parental rights, sounds so basic. It’s hard to beleive that there are those who think otherwise, but then again there are those who watch thousands of illegals invading our country every day on the news, but deny we have “open boarders”. Sometimes the obvious just is not what some people want to acknowledge.
The vapidity of this petition and the short-sightedness of its suggestions seem steeped in fear and ignorance.
#2 would omit reciting the Pledge as a profession under the umbrella of “…any ideology.” Judging from the content, I’m pretty sure that the opposite of the intent.
#3 disallows basic medical care (e.g. ice for a sprain or antiseptic and bandages for cut/scrape.” Under this provision, a middle school nurse would likely be unable to offer anything to a girl who gets her first (or subsequent) period at school and is unprepared.
#4 would violate copyright laws for printed/published content. There would also be extensive costs to ensure such web-based publications met ADA requirements. Science and Math content are difficult to present in such a fashion. ESL coursework would require considerable translation services. The scope of this would require dedicated staff to replicate all that is readily available in a physical form. This is not a valuable use of Vermonters’ tax investment in education. Any teacher should be able to provide a syllabus and any parent capable of finding content on a school website should be capable of finding in via Google.
Any district that receives something of this nature should acknowledge it as required by law, then throw it into the trash alongside the similar sounding and wholly ignorant, “No CRT!” nonsense from several years ago.
The Pledge of Allegiance would not be considered ideological under #2 as EWSD schools are public schools in the U.S.
#3 does NOT disallow first aid, which is emergency treatment given to a sick or injured person.
For #4, EWSD should be able to provide all “syllabi” which would include an accurate description of what is being taught as well as listing of the educational resources (books, articles, videos, guest speakers, etc.) being used.
“Hey teacher ! Leave them kids alone ! All in all your just another brick in the wall !”
Or is it ? All in all your just another (word rhyming with brick, fisrt letter p)with no (word rhyming with wall, first letter b, plural)? A Floydism .
Oops my editor forgot spell check, but I believe most will understand .
Every District Needs this fundamental kick in the arse.
So much for “all topic and opinions welcomed.” My post this morning pointing out the flaws in the logic of the OPs’ petition didn’t make the moderator’s cut to be shared in what now reads as an echo chamber of unbridled support.
That’s *probably* a good thing, in hindsight, since the things I called out could have made the petition a lot stronger and less easily dismissed as unactionable by any district.
sorry, took a while to check comments today
Kathleen Gaffney et. al. How about encouraging voters to turn down the looming 20.5% school property tax increase and then having time for every school district to circulate Parents’ Rights petitions to be voted on by voters and included in a next school budget vote before the 2024 school year begins? EWSD isn’t the only town needing these petitions circulating. Every town does. Lower taxes and Parents’ Rights – sounds like a good plan to me.
Then how about everyone who thinks it’s a good plan participate in writing & circulating said petitions? Petitions have to be written very precisely according to the law or they are deemed invalid. The VT Secretary of State’s Office once provided residents help with this, though I’m not certain they still do under the current socio/political crisis that the government itself has largely ignited & contributes to.
Nonetheless, this still doesn’t answer as to why the VT GOP, if they truly seek different election results, wouldn’t do so. What exactly is it that they do to garner the constituency’s attention and trust? They regularly seek donations. Where does the $$$ go?
I’m sure Mr. Dame could respond if he wanted to.
It’s so sad to see the elderly get their brains turned to mush by the media. Fighting culture war phantoms. Maybe get a more healthy hobby and some real world friends?
Kathleen, it seems that Sara Copeland-Hanzas our Sec. of State’s decided to disband the long time Election Office just prior to Town Meeting Day.
Christine, how about posting a link to your website?
Transparency Matters at https://www.transparencymatters.info/
I am happy to send my slides and presentation notes to all who want them. Email your request to transparencymatters.info@gmail.com