Proposed Senate Bill faces opposition from Salisbury PFLAG

MARYLAND. – Salisbury PFLAG is pushing back against Senate Bill 948, testifying the bill could prevent children from learning diverse topics.

If passed, parents would have the right to know what subject matter is being taught at their child’s school, have access to documents that pertain to classroom curriculum and raise questions if they are not comfortable with their child learning a specific topic. Senator Justin Ready said this bill is meant to protect children and preserve familial values, not harm them.

“Nothing in the bill can construe that a parent has the right to be harmful to their child or do something that is harming their child, so there are safeguards in it that it’s not going to go in the other direction of the other extreme,” said Sen. Ready.

In the one-page testimony opposing the bill, Salisbury PFLAG wrote: “Students need to be able to see themselves in what they’re learning as a reflection of themselves and their histories, and also must be encouraged to see outwards.”

Sen. Ready said this bill is not to single out any one group from curriculum, but instead to give parents the authority to play their role in their child’s education.

“I’m always a little mystified by some of these groups that oppose, just because this gives all the parents the same right, so it’s not going to restrict anyone’s ability to learn anything. It’s just saying parents have the right to know and the right to opt out of certain instruction,” said Sen. Ready.