Says Parents Should Be the Ultimate Authority on Their Children’s Education

Senator Michael Doherty said the current controversy over changes to New Jersey’s sex education curriculum highlights the importance of legislation he has sponsored for nearly a decade to guarantee the fundamental rights of parents to direct their children’s upbringing and education.

“It’s been clear for many years that left-wing groups view our children’s classrooms as a battleground they need to conquer to control the thinking of the next generation,” said Doherty (R-23). “They’re getting bolder in their efforts to hijack and rewrite curriculum standards for children at younger and younger ages in an attempt to normalize their extreme views on gender identity and sexual orientation. Parents from across the political spectrum are finally catching on and they’re standing up to say these efforts to indoctrinate their children are not okay.”

Doherty said this problem has been getting worse for years, which is why he sponsors S-2233, which declares and protects the rights of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their child.

His bill explicitly states that the rights of parents shall not be infringed by the State absent clear and convincing evidence that the governmental interest as applied to the person is not otherwise served.

He first introduced the bill in 2014 and has reintroduced it every legislative session since then. The Democratic majorities that control the Legislature have never allowed the measure to get a hearing or a vote.

“The outrageous lessons that are being shared demonstrate why the fundamental rights of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children must be clarified in state law,” added Doherty. “Parents should be the ultimate authority and have an absolute veto when proposed lessons conflict with their morals or values.”

Doherty also co-sponsors a resolution, SCR-24, that opposes the revised New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education on sex education that were adopted by the New Jersey State Board of Education, an unelected, politically-appointed board.

Further, Doherty was a signatory on a pair of letters yesterday from Senate Republican leadership to Governor Phil Murphy and Senate President Nicholas Scutari calling on them to halt the implementation of the new sex education standards and to hold public hearings on curriculum changes to empower parents who feel ignored.