As a parent the idea that a school would declares it has a right to withhold critical information concerning my child’s wellbeing is, for me, utterly outrageous!

Yet this is currently what is happening more and more!

Defined by the Law…

As an educator I always felt constrained by the consideration that I was subject to acting ‘in loco parentis’. This is a Latin term that translates to “in the place of a parent.” It refers to the legal doctrine that gives schools and other institutions temporary authority and responsibility to act as parents s when children are under supervision in school.

Based on Common Law it refers to issues such as

• Supervision and Discipline
• Health and Safety
• Emergency Situations
• Consent for Medical Treatment
• Educational Decisions

Educators are therefore allowed to make reasonable decisions during the dynamic activities of school life, balancing the school’s authority with the rights and responsibilities of parents. I have seen this successfully work in inner city schools where students often received more care and attention at school than they did at home!

However, when it comes down to matters of a child, who is by definition immature, deciding on such matters as their gender identity and such considerations being withheld from parents, I personally believe that schools go too far!

It may be legal but is it morally justified?

There is a federal law called FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Enacted in 1974,) which is designed to protect the privacy of student education records. This means that records can only be disclosed to outside parties with the specific consent of parents or ‘eligible students’ which is covered by the clause: “Consent to Disclosure.“

Overall, FERPA is designed to balance the ‘privacy rights’ of students and their families with the legitimate educational interests of schools and educational institutions. It aims to ensure that students’ education records are handled and disclosed appropriately while allowing for necessary information sharing to support their educational experiences.

One may wonder whether a child, by definition an immature individual, can ever qualify to be an ‘eligible student‘ in such significant matters.

While we parents may cringe at the propagation of such a highly questionable educational emphasis such as ‘Critical Race Theory’ I believe that schools usurp parental authority completely when something so fundamental as gender confusion is expressed by a child and withheld from parents considering the huge significance of pursuing that perspective, despite the protestation that ‘a student’s privacy must be protected’.

So… should I homeschool my child?

This question certainly becomes very relevant at a time when “progressive’ or “woke” agendas which seem devoid of reason are vociferously proclaimed by so many from the White House down!

Parents of young children in particular need to consider whether they can best serve their children by instructing them at home and instilling in them the moral character and identity they wish them to have.

In later posts I will address homeschooling and how best to practice it!