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H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights, passed the House on Friday. A recent column by Sean V. O’Brien, Eastern Washington director of right-wing Washington Policy Center (WPC), “We must affirm parents’ rights, put students first” (March 22), explained the bill. Reading the “five pillars of H.R. 5,” one senses that in normal times this legislation, though unnecessary, would seem quite innocent. But these aren’t normal times and the second pillar, “Parents have the right to be heard,” is being greatly debased by many Republicans.

Perhaps the greatest evidence H.R. 5 is bad legislation is that MAGA Republicans and House of Representatives Republicans enthusiastically support it, including Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Liberty Lake City Councilman Chris Cargill, O’Brien’s WPC predecessor. Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and like-minded white parents use it to legitimize their restrictions on what can be taught — in particular, their ban on honest instruction of U.S. racial history. They treat students of color as invisible with no regard for negative effects on them. Student opinion is ignored in general, despite polls showing considerable disagreement between high school-age students and those of their parents’ age on MAGA issues, including book banning, COVID regulations, climate change, and school shootings (gun control). Actions by DeSantis as governor and many white parents at school board meetings reek of white supremacism and prospects of Iranian-style morality police.

Norm Luther