Parents’ access to classrooms required under new bill from Idaho school superintendent

Idaho public schools soon could be required to allow parents to observe classes.

Idaho Superintendent for Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield on Friday introduced a bill that would codify parental access to schools and information about their child. Under the new bill, parents would have the right to visit their child’s classroom, with permission from the teacher and principal, as long as their presence doesn’t interfere with teaching.

Critchfield, a Republican, told the House Education Committee on Friday that public schools have been under greater scrutiny since parents became more involved in their children’s education during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many students attended classes virtually. Outlining parental rights in state law is meant to make parents more comfortable about what’s happening in schools, Critchfield said.

“We know that teachers who are licensed professionally and administrators licensed professionally are the experts in education, and we know that our parents are the experts on their child,” she said. “What we’re trying to create here is an opportunity for those two worlds to blend in the perfect way.”

The legislation would require that public schools:

• Get permission from parents before conducting student surveys or health screenings that include information about sexuality, sex, religion, political beliefs or mental or psychological problems.
• Notify the parents of a student that has been, or will be, contacted by law enforcement, unless the student is a suspected victim of child abuse.
• Inform parents of a change in their child’s mental, emotional or physical health or well-being.

The legislation also would bar public schools from adopting policies that:

• Prohibit employees from notifying a parent about a student’s mental, emotional or physical health.
• Deny parents access to their child’s education and health records, unless the documentation relates to physical abuse.

The bill would require schools to establish a policy to evaluate complaints from parents who believe their rights were violated. If a complaint isn’t remedied by the school, parents could seek legal recourse.

Most schools already have similar policies, Critchfield said Friday, but codifying the rights would emphasize them and highlight how schools are expected to communicate with parents.

Critchfield, who won election to state superintendent in November, said the bill wouldn’t create an “exhaustive” list of parental rights. Instead, it represents issues that parents raised as Critchfield campaigned for superintendent, she said.

The bill makes exceptions to parental rights when documentation or communication from the school involves abuse by the parent. Rep. Steve Berch, D- Boise, said when the legislation returns to the House Education Committee for a full hearing he’ll consider how it balances parental rights with situations in which schools offer safe spaces from abusive parents.

“I can’t argue with the intent and the spirit of what this bill’s about,” he said.

Rep. Dale Hawkins, R- Fernwood, said he supports the proposal, but he objected to language in the bill describing parents as “primary stakeholders” of decisions about their children.

“I would contend that the parent is the stakeholder, there aren’t any others,” Hawkins said. “Although the schools and everyone are tasked with guidance and education, there’s no other authority in those children’s lives … than the good Lord above.”