Even in the extremely liberal state of Massachusetts, parents are lining up to demand “written consent” on surveys given to their children in school.
Whether it be on gun ownership, sexuality, drugs or alcohol, parents are fed up with schools gathering information on their children.
Fox News in Boston recently covered a hearing where Mass. parents demanded written consent from parents when their children are given surveys and questionnaires. One parent said of the students subjected to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, “they need counseling after being subjected by this questionnaire.”
Another parent said this during her testimony, “I was sick to my stomach. I couldn’t believe it. I was shocked.”
So why is it so hard to get similar legislation passed in New Hampshire?
Representative Terry Wolf (R) of Bedford testified in opposition of HB206 and then added an amendment that removed written consent when schools administer surveys or questionnaires.
A representative from a survey company also testified against HB206 claiming that they’d get less participation in the surveys if parents actually saw the questions that were being asked.
A LARGE number of parents came out to testify in support of HB206 but again, we see legislators more concerned about pleasing a few people than parents in New Hampshire.
One parent in NH testified that a teacher required students stand up to move forwards or backwards when answering embarrassing questions. This gave all of the people in the room a clear picture on how the student answered the question.
Rep. Wolf testified that this is a local control issue and the State shouldn’t pass HB206. What is MORE local than the parents? As Chair of the Bedford School Board she also worked to deny parents “written consent” in Bedford. Now Rep. Wolf wants to make sure that all parents in New Hampshire do not have that opportunity in the name of “local control.” Does that even make sense?
HB206 has been watered down thanks to the efforts of a few people. The Senate votes on HB206 next week and will most likely follow the House version that was amended by Rep. Wolf and removes written consent from parents.
At the hearing in Massachusetts, newly elected State Rep. Rady Mom (D-Lowell), an immigrant from Cambodia who had been sent to a Khmer Rouge camp with his family as a young boy, was particularly shocked at the testimony, and said to one of the mothers after she spoke:
I’m just thinking of the questions being asked and I’m saying to myself, wow, this is what they did at a communist country where I just came from. This is amazing. This is what they’re trying to accomplish at our schools? I will look into it more. Thanks for coming.
At what point will the voices of parents be the strongest voice in public education? When the focus is on doing what’s best for the “State” versus what’s best for the children and parents in our local schools, we all lose in New Hampshire.
HB206 as originally filed with written consent
The Wolf Amendment to remove written consent from parents