Several states are defending the right of parents — not government bureaucrats or activist educators — as the primary stewards of their children’s well-being, Decision Magazine reported.
The latest victory for parental rights comes in New Hampshire, where Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte last week signed Senate Bill 430 into law. The measure requires school employees to respond “honestly and completely” to written requests from parents or legal guardians seeking information about their children — including issues related to so-called gender identity. The new law requires school officials to respond to such inquiries within 10 business days.
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Supporters see the legislation as a common-sense restoration of transparency in an education system that has grown too comfortable withholding critical details from the very people responsible for a child’s life. This legislation marks a victory for parental rights advocates after years of tension in the Granite State.
The law directly counters a controversial 2024 New Hampshire Supreme Court ruling. In a 3–1 decision, Chief Justice Gordon MacDonald wrote that “while parents may have a fundamental right to decide whether to send their child to a public school, they do not have a fundamental right generally to direct how a public school teaches their child.” The ruling upheld policies that allowed schools to affirm a student’s gender identity privately, effectively sidelining parental involvement.
In light of the recent signing of SB 430, many critics have predictably condemned it, claiming it endangers student “privacy” and could lead to harassment or overburden educators with questions. Some warn it might expose vulnerable youth to unsupportive homes.
Supporters, however, see it differently.
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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Sarah Holliday and originally published by Decision Magazine.
