Parental Rights in SCS

  • The School Board of Sarasota County, Florida is committed to honoring the rights of parents/legal guardians and promoting their involvement in the District. The School Board recognizes the fundamental rights of parents/legal guardians to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their minor children. This webpage also contains a list of important information relating to the promotion of parental involvement in schools. 

    Parents’ Bill of Rights (HB 241) (2021) and Parental Rights in Education (HB 1557) (2022)

    In 2021, the Legislature enacted HB 241, the Parents’ Bill of Rights, codified in Chapter 1014, F.S. It provides that “important information relating to a minor child should not be withheld, either inadvertently or purposefully, from his or her parent.”  (s. 1014.02, F.S.)  School boards, as well as other government agencies, may not infringe upon the fundamental rights of parents unless it is “reasonable and necessary to achieve a compelling state interest and that such action is narrowly tailored and is not otherwise served by a less restrictive means.”  (s. 1014.03, F.S.)  These rights include the right “to direct the education and care of [the parent’s] minor children.”  (s. 1014.04(1)(a), F.S.)  Finally, school boards must adopt a policy to promote parental involvement in the schools, including a process to object to instructional materials, opt-out of sex education, and other rights previously enacted in the Education Code (Chapters 1000-1013, F.S.).  (s. 1014.05, F.S.)

    Further, in 2022, the Legislature enacted HB 1557, entitled Parental Rights in Education.  This bill amended the Powers and Duties of District School Boards.  (s. 1001.42, F.S.)  It requires school boards to adopt procedures for notifying parents/legal guardians “if there is a change in the student’s services or monitoring related to the student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being and the school’s ability to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for the student.”  (s. 1001.42(8)(c)1., F.S.)  District procedures can only permit withholding information from a parent/legal guardian “if a reasonably prudent person would believe that disclosure would result in abuse, abandonment, or neglect.”  (s. 1001.42(8)(c)2., F.S.)  

    The Legislature also added to the Superintendent’s Duties and Responsibilities   Section 1001.51(12)(a), Florida Statutes, provides that “Such records and reports shall include any determination to withhold from a parent information regarding the provision of any services to support the mental, physical, or emotional well-being of the parent’s minor child.  Any such determination must be based solely on child-specific information personally known to the school personnel and documented and approved by the school principal or his or her designee. Such determination must be reviewed annually and redetermined.”  (s. 1001.51(12)(a), F.S.)

Helpful Links Required by the Parents’ Bill of Rights:

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