M4L Supports Parental Rights Except When It Doesn’t

On 12/12/23, Florida’s Senate Fiscal Policy committee heard this session’s there deregulation bills: SB7000, SB7002, and SB7004. Deregulation of public schools was promised in last session’s HB1 and the Senate has made it a priority this session.

For those of us that closely follow education policy discussion in Florida, watching the committee meeting felt a bit like living in a parallel universe. The bills presented were uniformly supported by teachers, school board members, superintendents and the Florida PTA. Groups like Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Florida’s Future, Florida’s Citizens Alliance and Moms For Liberty, uncharacteristically, found themselves in the opposition. They were the only 3 speakers out of more than 2 dozen to oppose SB7004, Senator Simon’s bill addressing Assessments and Accountability. All three bills passed the bipartisan committee unanimously. You can watch the committee meeting here and read about it here.

Moms For Liberty was represented by Jamie Merchant, who claimed to be representing their Florida Legislative Committee. During her testimony, she mentioned that Moms for Liberty had co-authored a letter, with Florida Citizens Alliance (FLCA) and Citizens Defending Freedom (CDF), which outlined their opposition to the deregulation bills. If those three organizations sound familiar, it is because they have been active in school library book challenges across the state. Merchant’s testimony read from parts of their letter.

Parental Involvement in ACCEL Options for Advanced Students

First, Merchant voiced opposition to “lines 187-195” regarding requirements for Academically Challenging Curriculum to Enhance Learning (ACCEL) Options asking “Why are we eliminating performance requirements for students already struggling?” In fact, ACCEL options are for advanced students and SB7004 doesn’t eliminate any requirements it just gives parents more flexibility when requesting options for their academically advanced child.

From SB7004’s Staff Analysis:

Why is Moms For Liberty, a so-called ‘parental rights group,” arguing against parental involvement in their child’s educatIon? It boggles the mind… but it gets worse…

parental involvement in third grade retention decisions

Merchant and friends “strongly oppose” the addition of lines 1036-38:

Merchant testified ““It seems like we are removing accountability” and “removing standards” means schools will “continue to promote struggling students.” Their letter admitted “there is an argument that retention needs to be balanced with parental rights” but warned “an illiterate child allowed to advance will not only never recover but will have a significant negative impact on the 4th grade class.” Their recommendation: “This needs to be removed.”

SB7004 simply allows parents to determine whether promotion to grade 4 is in the best interest of their child. For a group whose mission involves “empowering parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government,” Moms For Liberty’s opposition to allowing parental involvement in promotion/retention decisions is stunning. What happened to “Parents have the ‘fundamental right’ to direct children’s upbringing” and “We don’t co-parents with the Government” and why doesn’t that apply to promotion to fourth grade?

It is my opinion that Jeb Bush’s signature mandatory third grade retention policy is an idea that is has long outlived its usefulness. Grade retention is traumatic for children and research now shows there are more effective and less costly interventions to support struggling readers. Many states that followed Bush’s lead, have now repealed their 3rd grade retention policies. Parents should have always had the right to influence retention and promotion decisions for their children, regardless of their grade level. It is insane that Moms for Liberty don’t support that “fundamental right.”

By the way, Merchant and friends also want to expand third grade retention to any student failing to get a Level 3 score (currently the mandatory retention law only applies to Level 1 scorers.). This year that would have placed more than 110,00 third graders at risk of retention, without any parental input.

[An aside… Merchant and her friends are asking for the repeal of any required standardized testing for voucher funded, homeschooling “Personalized Education Plan” (PEP) students because no testing is required for current homeschool students (who don’t receive public funding).”]

By signing on to the FLCA’s deregulation concerns, Moms For Liberty have once again confirmed they are not a parental rights organization and they are more than willing to oppose parental rights when it doesn’t suit their, or their partners’, agenda.