FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: bowman.press@mail.house.gov  

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, during the Education and Workforce Committee markup on the Republican agenda Parents Bill of Rights Act, Congressman Jamaal Bowman Ed.D. (NY-16) calls out the legislation for what it really is: yet another attempt to demonize our public schools, teachers, and push forth a privatization agenda.

In just under three minutes,  Rep. Bowman makes clear that parents are already integral parts of our public school ecosystems, and recalls a time when he was a principal where a parent came to him about having their child not read a book in the curriculum. He listened, and no one forced the child to read the book.

Watch the full video here.

On what the Parents Bill of Rights really is:

“It's like my colleagues have spent no time  in an actual public school. And we know historically the Republican Party has demonized teachers and demonized public schools and has looked to close and shutdown the U.S. Department of Education because of distraction of, you know, because they support local control of schools. So let's be honest about what this is. This is another attempt to attack our public school infrastructure in support of a privatization agenda.”

On the incredible teachers in our public schools:

“Teachers bend over backwards and make miracles in our schools every single day with limited resources for our children that they love.”

On parents deciding not to have their child read a book in the curriculum:

“There were a few times when I served as principal where a parent was uncomfortable with a book choice, one aspect of the curriculum that was being taught in a particular class. The parents, who had my cell phone number by the way, called me, texted me, wanted to meet about the concern. We had a meeting about the concern. I heard them out. They decided to remove their child from a particular lesson or remove them from reading a book. I agreed and approved it and it was a done deal. There was no forcing of the curriculum upon a particular student. That didn't even exist for me. And that doesn't exist anywhere in this country.”

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