PARENTAL RIGHTS OVER THE EDUCATION AND CARE OF THEIR KIDS ACT

On 2026-05-20, Representative Becca Balint (D-VT) delivered a floor speech titled "PARENTAL RIGHTS OVER THE EDUCATION AND CARE OF THEIR KIDS ACT" in the House.

PARENTAL RIGHTS OVER THE EDUCATION AND CARE OF THEIR KIDS ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 86 (Wednesday, May 20, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 20, 2026)] [House] [Pages H3652-H3659] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] PARENTAL RIGHTS OVER THE EDUCATION AND CARE OF THEIR KIDS ACT Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 1224, I call up the bill (H.R. 2616) to require public elementary and middle schools that receive funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to obtain parental consent before changing a minor's gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on any school form or sex-based accommodations, including locker rooms or bathrooms, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 1224, in lieu of the amendment in the nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on Education and Workforce, printed in the bill, an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of the Rules Committee Print 119-26 is adopted and the bill, as amended, is considered read. The text of the bill, as amended, is as follows: H.R. 2616 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, This Act may be cited as the ``Stopping Indoctrination and Protecting Kids Act''. SEC. 2. PARENTAL CONSENT REQUIREMENT RELATED TO GENDER MARKERS, PRONOUNS, AND PREFERRED NAMES ON SCHOOL FORMS AND SEX-BASED ACCOMMODATIONS. (a) Requirement.--As a condition of receiving funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), a public school that receives funds under such Act shall obtain parental consent before changing a covered student's-- (1) gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on any school form; or (2) sex-based accommodations, including locker rooms or bathrooms. (b) Definitions.--In this section: (1) Covered student.--The term ``covered student'' means a minor who is-- (A) an elementary school student; or (B) a student in any of the middle grades. (2) ESEA terms.--The terms ``elementary school'', ``middle grades'', and ``parent'' have the meanings given such terms in section 8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801). SEC. 3. PROHIBITING USE OF ESEA FUNDS TO TEACH GENDER IDEOLOGY. Section 8526 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7906) is amended-- (1) in paragraph (6), by striking ``or''; (2) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (8); and (3) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following: ``(7) to teach or advance concepts related to gender ideology, as defined in section 2 of Executive Order 14168 (90 Fed. Reg. 8615; relating to defending women from gender ideology extremism and restoring biological truth to the Federal Government); or''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill, as amended, shall be debatable for 1 hour, equally divided and controlled by the chair and the ranking minority member of the Committee on Education and Workforce, or their respective designees. The gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) each will control 30 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan. [[Page H3653]] {time} 1420 General Leave Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and to insert extraneous material on H.R. 2616. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Michigan? There was no objection. Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 2616, the Stopping Indoctrination and Protecting Kids Act. For years, concerned parents have felt ignored as education bureaucrats push radical agendas in schools without their knowledge or input. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when kitchen tables became classrooms, parents got a firsthand look at what was really being taught. What many saw raised serious concerns. Instead of focusing on the basics like math and reading, many teachers and schools were introducing controversial lessons on gender ideology and pronouns, all while student achievement plummeted and continues to this day. In the years since then, those concerns have only grown. Many schools are engaged in systematic attempts to erode parental rights. Schools are facilitating gender transitions or encouraging students to change their names and pronouns without telling parents. These are enormously consequential decisions that have lasting impacts on a child's well-being and development. Parents deserve to be part of those conversations. One study from Defending Education found that at least 21,000 schools across the United States have policies that allow or encourage staff to hide a student's name change or gender identity. This lack of transparency risks confusion, undermines trust, and weakens the essential partnership between families and schools. It also places teachers in difficult positions, sometimes expecting them to withhold information from parents or be less than fully transparent. These policies are incredibly harmful to children and families. In fact, we are now seeing a wealth of data to prove that children and teenagers who seek out drastic, life-altering medical procedures often struggle with mental health issues now and beyond. Instead of supporting kids, these secretive gender transitions, often encouraged by radical school officials, do more harm than good. At the same time, many parents are asking a simple question: Why aren't schools more focused on helping students recover academically? Test scores in key subjects remain stagnant or have declined, and students are still working to overcome pandemic-era learning loss. Parents, teachers, and school leaders should be working together to support student success, not be at odds with one another. That is why I am proud to lead H.R. 2616, the Stopping Indoctrination and Protecting Kids Act, alongside my friend and colleague, the vice chair of the Education and Workforce Committee, Congressman Burgess Owens. This bill takes monumental strides to restore parental rights and educational sanity. H.R. 2616 affirms the right of parents to be in charge of their children's upbringing and ensures schools remain partners in a child's education, instead of usurping the role and rights of parents altogether. The bill also establishes clear guardrails to ensure taxpayer dollars are used to support learning, not indoctrinate kids in radical ideology and agendas. At its core, this bill is grounded in a simple principle, Mr. Speaker. That principle is that parents want what is best for their kids. Schools should be partners in that effort. I believe Members on both sides of the aisle share the goal of helping students succeed. This legislation moves us in that direction by strengthening trust, improving transparency, and keeping the focus where it belongs: on students' education. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 2616, the so-called Stopping Indoctrination and Protecting Kids Act, because the name bears little resemblance to what the bill actually does. What it does is require schools to obtain parental consent before changing a student's gender markers, pronouns, or preferred name on any school form or changing a student's sex-based accommodations, including locker rooms or bathrooms, and that is for all students in middle school or elementary school. This bill would prohibit the use of Federal funds to teach so-called gender ideology, whatever that is. Specifically, it bars any discussion of transgender people or topics in the classroom, banning books with transgender characters or that even discuss the existence of transgender people. It is well established in statute that the States and districts determine their curriculum without interference from the Federal Government. This bill takes away State and local control of curriculum in education, the very thing that the current administration claims they are giving back to States by illegally dismantling the Department of Education. Parental involvement is important, and I support that. It works in virtually all cases, but this bill is not about involvement. It is about Federal coercion forcing schools into situations where they may have to disclose sensitive information about a student, even when they know it could put that child's safety at risk. It goes beyond theory. It creates absurd situations. For example, my name is Robert. I go by Bobby. Under this bill, my middle school coach would need parental permission before listing me as Bobby on the sports roster. What if they write ``Rob'' instead? Would they have to go back and get parental consent? This bill fails to clarify key questions, such as whether both parents must be notified and give permission. Who will oversee these requirements if this administration continues illegally dismantling the Department of Education? What it does make clear is that if the school gets it wrong, then they risk losing Federal funding. That is not protecting kids. It won't make trans students disappear. It is just micromanaging schools and wasting everybody's time. This bill does nothing to improve literacy, improve teacher shortages, promote safe learning environments, support student mental health, or otherwise improve education. The bill is unnecessary, overbroad, and potentially harmful. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to oppose it, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker, I certainly would agree that this bill will promote good mental health and security and probably academic success i

Referenced legislation: HRES1224, HRES1224, HR2116, HR2616