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WASHINGTON, D.C. - Family Research Council praised thousands of Delaware parents for putting pressure on Delaware Gov. John Carney and the Department of Education to reverse portions of a proposed policy that was in violation of parental rights. The policy, titled "Regulation 225 Prohibition of Discrimination," would have allowed students to make determinations on their gender and race without informing or gaining the permission of their parents.
Upon receiving and looking over some 11,000 comments that were overwhelming opposed to the policy, Education Secretary Susan Bunting announced a revised policy that says the school will talk with the child and then “assess and determine the degree to which the minor's parent or guardian is aware of the minor's desire to change his/her gender identity.” The Delaware Family Policy Council unveiled the state’s attempt to bypass parental consent – an attempt that proved to be unpopular among the parents of Delaware.
Peter Sprigg, Senior Fellow for Policy Studies at the Family Research Council, released the following statement:
“I commend the thousands of parents across Delaware for speaking out against an outrageous provision of a transgender policy that would have robbed parents of their right to be informed if their children are questioning their identity, and in turn of their ability to speak to and advise their children on how to address these sensitive and difficult questions. It should not be possible for students to select their gender identity at school without first notifying, or gaining consent from, their parents.
“While the revisions are an improvement, concerns remain about what conversations will happen about a child’s gender without a parent’s knowledge. Other privacy violating concerns remain, such as the policy’s failure to provide any relief for students who feel pressured to undress, shower, or share overnight accommodations with those of the opposite sex.
“The revisions do speak to the influence of parents and should be an instructive lesson for parents across the nation that when we come together and speak up, our elected officials have no other choice but to listen. We encourage the citizens of Delaware to continue to express their remaining concerns about locker room and bathroom privacy in this proposed regulation,” concluded Sprigg.
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