That’s the unanimous conclusion reached by the U.S. Supreme Court a century ago this June in its precedent-setting case Pierce v. Society of Sisters.
Unfortunately, most Washington state lawmakers must have been playing hooky the day that lesson was taught.
At issue in the case was whether the government has the authority to impose its will about what and where children should learn over the objections of parents.
Writing for the court, Justice James McReynolds issued a resounding “No,” stating that “it (is) entirely plain” that Oregon’s 1922 Compulsory Education Act “unreasonably interferes with the liberty of parents and guardians to direct the upbringing and education of children under their control.”
The Court concluded that: “The fundamental theory of liberty upon which all governments in this Union repose excludes any general power of the State to standardize its children by forcing them to accept instruction from public teachers only. The child is not the mere creature of the State.”
Unfortunately, 100 years later, most Washington lawmakers appear to have flunked state government 101 by approving House Bill 1296. Gov. Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, also earned himself a failing grade by signing the bill into law.
Under the guise of promoting a “safe and supportive education system,” House Bill 1296 dismantles Washington’s landmark parental bill of rights law while unleashing an unprecedented expansion of state control over education.
HB 1296 removes the requirement for schools to notify parents of medical treatments and services offered to their children. The bill also limits parental notification regarding their children’s involvement with law enforcement or criminal activity to incidents that occur on school grounds during school hours.
This means schools are no longer obligated to inform parents about incidents such as cyberbullying or cyberstalking — because everyone knows the internet politely shuts down at 3:30 p.m. when school ends.
