ACLU, Other Groups Sue Against WA Parents Rights Bill
Claiming the bill threatens or conflicts with youth privacy and would harm "LGBTQ+ students, youth of color, and students from other marginalized backgrounds", The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Association) has filed a lawsuit against Initiative 2081.
I-2081 was one of 3 Let's Go WA Initiatives passed by the legislature
The Parent's Rights Bill was one of three Initiatives put forth by Let's Go WA, that were passed into law earlier this year. There were six of them, three are headed to the ballot in November.
The Parents ' Rights Bill, as it has come to be called, added new requirements to allow parents to oversee their child's curriculum in schools, strengthened other existing rights, and required much more transparency when it comes to children and schools.
The ACLU claimed in their lawsuit:
(I-2081 could) “result in harm to LGBTQ+ students, youth of color, and students from other marginalized backgrounds,”
Supporters of the Initiative say the ACLU suit is an attempt to muddy the waters, and claim this new transparency requirements would somehow cause harm to the afore-mentioned student populations. They also claim it would confuse educators.
Let's Go WA Founder Brian Heyward released this statement:
“The ACLU has made their disdain for the democratic process abundantly clear,” Heywood said. “We expect [Attorney General] Bob Ferguson to uphold his duty within the law to protect the will of the people and shut down this frivolous attempt by the ACLU to deprive parents of their civil liberties.”
LOOK: What major laws were passed the year you were born?
Gallery Credit: Katelyn Leboff