Des Moines, IOWA – State Sens. Brad Zaun and Amy Sinclair “dropped the mic” on the debate over parental choice in education Wednesday, March 31, delivering a pair of sensational speeches in support of Student First Scholarships, parental rights, and transparency in public schools.
The Senate was debating SF2369, a bill proposed by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds to give more parents more options for education and to permit greater transparency in public schools for parents to get involved. The Senate passed the measure by a vote of 31-18, but not before Sens. Sinclair and Zaun made their respective cases.
Sen. Sinclair spoke specifically about parents’ rights: “They have the right to know what a school is teaching their child. … They have the right to refuse to have their children participate in any curriculum or activity that they find offensive or harmful or that undermines their moral obligations to their kids. They have the right to ensure that their children are protected from sexually explicit conversations, materials, and instruction that is not age-appropriate to these young minds.”
She continued, “When a school, which is indeed an extension of our government, fails to uphold these fundamental rights of parents to direct the education and moral upbringing of their own children, what recourse does a family have?
“The answer to this question is simple: We empower parents to make the educational choice for their children that best suits the needs of that child and the educational direction that that family deserves.”
Sen. Zaun took to citing studies and statistics to make the case for school choice: “There’s 27 studies that have been done on school choice. Twenty-five of them found positive effects … on student performance – and that’s what we all strive for here.”
He continued, “I believe in parents being empowered to pick the best educational opportunity for their children – not based by a zip code – and that’s what this [bill] does.”
Watch Sen. Sinclair's remarks below
Watch Sen. Zaun’s remarks below:
Having passed the Iowa Senate, SF2369 must now pass the Iowa House of Representatives before Gov. Reynolds can sign it into law.