Parents often wonder whether their children are getting the educations they need to be successful. That’s precisely why parents across the nation should feel empowered to have their voices heard. 

Unfortunately, when parents do voice their opinion at school board meetings their concerns are too often ignored. You don’t need to look much further than YouTube to find countless examples.  

But that’s not keeping parents from elevating their concerns. 

Parents around the country are feeling discouraged by the state of our education system. 

Take Florida mom Quisha King, for example. Her impassioned comments during a school board meeting calling for a “mass exodus” from public schools went viral: 

“Standing up to these people doesn’t seem to matter,” she said. “I mean, we have – all of us – we’ve been at these school board meetings, we’ve been voicing our opinions, we’re writing articles, we’re emailing teachers – we’re doing all that stuff. And they don’t care.” 

Even the Biden administration’s Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona will not say that parents are the primary stakeholders of their children’s education. Let us be clear — parents ARE the primary stakeholder. No one knows what is best for their children better than they do and that is why parents belong in the driver’s seat of their children’s education. 

Have you seen parents in your community speaking up at school board meetings? What are your concerns when it comes to the fight to empower parents and improve young Texan’s educations? 

For Freedom

Crystal Bonham

Digital Communications Director

Texas Public Policy Foundation