A bill sponsored by Rep. Janet Trujillo (R-Idaho Falls) that asserts the rights of parents regarding public education passed the House Education Committee on Tuesday. HB 567 will now move to the full house.
The original bill was trimmed to one page and the final version includes language stating that parents have a “right, responsibility and obligation” to be involved in their children’s education. Rep. Lance Clow (R-Twin Falls), attempted to modify the bill, based on an opinion from the Attorney General. However, the lawmaker’s argument was rejected.
The IEA and other education stakeholder groups all support parental involvement as a key pillar of education success. Karen Echeverria, Executive Director of the Idaho School Boards Association, testified that the bill was unnecessary because current law already protects the rights of parents.