Parents have no choice about what children will be taught in public schools under Federal Law. Parents have three choices for educating their children - Home School, Private School or abandoning that responsibility to the government, a phrase used in the Federal Court ruling that forces parents to accept whatever curriculum public schools offer if their children attend public school.
Public school curriculum policy is set at the state and local level by law. However, The federal Department of Education can and does influence those policies by granting or withholding federal money. School districts are paid to comply with whatever the Federal Government wants.
Background
In Parker v. Hurley, 474 F. Supp. 2d 261 (D. Mass. 2007), a federal district court in Massachusetts held against parents who objected to a pro-homosexual curriculum. This was affirmed on appeal by the First Circuit, which held that there was no claim of direct coercion or extreme indoctrination that might constitute a form of coercion. The appellate court ruled that occasional exposure to material offensive to parents' religious belief did not prevent the parents from instructing the child differently.
The appellate court held against the parents despite evidence that the homosexual agenda was being imposed on public school children as early as kindergarten:
* the "Diversity Book Bag" given to students in kindergarten included a picture book, Who's in a Family?, which depicted single-parent families including a family with two dads and a family with two moms.
* the "King and King" read to a second grade class tells the story of a prince, ordered by his mother to get married, who first rejects several princesses only to fall in love with another prince. A wedding scene between the two princes is depicted. The last page of the book shows the two princes kissing, but with a red heart superimposed over their mouths.
The Ruling
The district court Judge Mark L. Wolf, who was appointed to the bench by President Ronald Reagan, held that:
Parents do have a fundamental right to raise their children. They are not required to abandon that responsibility to the state. The Parkers and Wirthlins may send their children to a private school that does not seek to foster understandings of homosexuality or same-sex marriage that conflict with their religious beliefs. They may also educate their children at home. In addition, the plaintiffs may attempt to persuade others to join them in electing a Lexington School Committee that will implement a curriculum that is more compatible with their beliefs. However, the Parkers and Wirthlins have chosen to send their children to the Lexington public schools with its current curriculum. The Constitution does not permit them to prescribe what those children will be taught.
Judge Wolf's ruling was upheld on appeal and applies to the entire USA. (read the entire ruling here)
What to Do
If you are satisfied with what public schools are teaching then you need do nothing. However, if you feel that education standards are falling and/or that the schools are indoctrinating children in areas you do not approve, then it is your responsibility as a parent to demand changes in the curriculum.
As Judge Wolf pointed out, that change can begin with the local school board. The problem is that not following federal curriculum guidelines will probably reduce state and federal funding. It will cost money and probably result in higher school taxes within the district. Often, a majority of voters are willing to accept whatever is "free" rather than force change and pay for it.
The other two options also cost money. Just because you home school your children or send them to a private school does not mean relief from school district taxes. You will pay twice to educate your children. Home schooling costs less money than private school but requires more time. If you refuse to abandon your responsibility to educate your children to the government, it is going to cost either time or money or both.
Information on private schools in your area is usually just a phone call away and is relatively easy to obtain. Information on home schooling is less readily available because it is largely a volunteer effort. Texas residents can find answers to most of their questions on the Texas Home School Coalition website.
Even if you choose not to send your children to private school, head a local drive for public school curriculum changes or home school you children, you can be aware of legislation, regulation and court rulings that affect parental rights and school curriculum issues.