‘Parents First’ will save kids from progressives
NOTE: This is a submitted column by a candidate running for election. Its publication does not constitute the Dispatch Editorial Board's endorsement of the views expressed.
I’m the daughter and granddaughter of immigrants. My grandparents came to this country with just a grade school education but worked hard to provide a better life for their children who then passed on a strong work ethic to me and my siblings.
Because of these values, I believe that education is the greatest equalizer. It’s what allows people from all backgrounds to have the opportunity to live their American Dream.
However, that dream is in jeopardy for children in Ohio and the nation as teachers’ unions, leftist activists and liberal school board members erode schools’ standards of excellence in favor of progressive political trends.
As Ohio’s next senator, but more importantly as a mom, I believe that taking back our country starts with taking back our classrooms. It’s past time we put parents at the center of their children’s education, health, and well-being – not politicians or bureaucrats.
In Washington, I’ll focus on what I call the “Parents First” curriculum, a list of commonsense reforms that empower parents and students.
Central to this is passing a “Parents’ Bill of Rights” that reaffirms the unequivocal fact that parents have a right to be involved in their children’s education.
Terry Mcaullife let the cat out of the bag for the entire Democrat Party when he said: “I don’t think parents should be telling schools what they should teach.” I completely reject this. Of course parents should have a say! Parents should also have a right to voice their opinions at school board meetings without fear of Joe Biden’s FBI targeting them as “domestic terrorists.”
My Parents’ Bill of Rights will also include that parents have a right to direct the personal medical choices of their children and receive safe, in-person learning for their children. We’ve let COVID fearmongering control our children’s future for far too long.
Finally, the Parents’ Bill of Rights should include that parents have a right to be notified and provide consent for any teachings regarding comprehensive sex education or gender theory.
It’s a parent’s job to teach beliefs, not a school’s. Another key component of my Parents First curriculum is expanding school choice by tying federal funding to students rather than systems. Parents should be able to take their child’s taxpayer-funded education dollars to the institution of their choosing because when it comes to children, one size does not fit all.
Whether it’s a public, private, religious, homeschool, charter, or tech school, every child should have the opportunity to receive their best education, regardless of zip code.
We can do this through legislation like Senator Tim Scott’s CHOICE Act, or by encouraging states to pass legislation similar to Ohio’s Backpack Bill.
I’ll also immediately work to defund critical race theory. We should defund this divisive propaganda and instead codify former President Donald Trump’s 1776 Commission that doubles down on patriotism.
We can also use that money to fund programs that will prepare students for the jobs of tomorrow including Advanced Placement, STEM, Career Tech Education, dual-track community college, financial literacy and more.
Finally, we should promote transparency by requiring schools to post their curriculum online. As I travel Ohio, I’ve talked to moms who have actually had to public records request their school because they wouldn’t provide access. That is wrong.
Public schools should also be required to livestream their school board meetings and display their budget, revenues and expenditures. This will do a lot to root out wasteful spending or propaganda projects that push a political agenda.
I’m a mom, and my kids come first. What’s happening in our school systems right now scares me, which is why in Washington, I will fight tooth and nail for your kids, too.
Jane Timken is a candidate for the U.S. Senate and is the former chair of the Ohio Republican Party.