by Marie Tiemann

As we close out the year 2025, I am happy to report on some great news from Congress and California regarding parents’ rights. 

On December 18, Congresswoman Harriet Hageman (R-WY) introduced the Parents Rights Relief Act to give parents and eligible students the ability to better enforce their rights under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA).  This bill will require the Department of Education to expeditiously resolve complaints within 90 days.   It therefore gives the parents and guardians a leg up when their rights are violated by schools and administrators.  

https://hageman.house.gov/media/press-releases/congresswoman-harriet-hageman-introduces-bill-strengthen-parental-oversight

FERPA The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act protects the private educational records of schoolchildren who attend public academic institutions.  Passed in 1974, the bill affords parents and guardians the right to access their child’s educational records, the right to have records amended in certain circumstances, and the right to oversight over the disclosure of personally identifiable information from the educational records until the child is 18 years old.

PPRA The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment was passed as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) in 1974. Key protections for parental rights under PPRA include…

• Consent for Protected Surveys: Parents must give written consent before their child participates in surveys, instructional materials, or tests funded by the U.S. Department of Education that probe sensitive topics.
• Opt-Out Rights: Parents can opt their children out of non-emergency, invasive physical exams and screening tests, as well as certain other activities.
• Right to Inspect Materials: Parents have the right to inspect and review instructional materials, surveys, and evaluations that relate to the protected areas before they are administered to their child.
• Notice of Activities: Schools must provide parents with timely notice and an opportunity to opt-out of specific activities or surveys involving the collection of protected information, even if not federally funded. 

AND some great news for parents from the Federal District Court for Southern California, of all places!  Judge Roger Benitez issued a summary judgement decision finding parental exclusion policies UNCONSTITUTIONAL (Mirabelli v. Olson).   Teachers cannot be forced to hide information from parents or lie to them.  

Back down in Vermont, state policy allows schools to keep two separate records on your child, one of which parents cannot see!   

As mandatory reporters, school personnel should assume that the parents are acting in the child’s best interest, unless they have evidence to prove otherwise before withholding information on a student.  We at SPEAK believe that Vermont government policies which allow 2 separate sets of files on students directly violate both FERPA and PPRA.  We have been working hard to have Vermont government policies changed to align with the aforementioned decision by Federal District Court in Southern California.  The unfortunate reality is that the State of Vermont will most likely refuse to do this until they are sued by Vermont parents.

Vermont further violates parents’ rights via Act 150, signed into law in 2024, which prevents parents of children 12+ from accessing their adolescent’s library use records at public and school libraries.  

I know first-hand how difficult it is for parents to keep up on all that is happening in the classroom.  Family life is busy contending with daily chores and activities.  

What can parents do when their rights are violated?  Contact SPEAKVT.org for advice and assistance (chair.speakvt@gmail.com).  

Marie Tiemann is President for SPEAKVT for Parents in Education, Inc.