Homeschool Rights are in Jeopardy, turn on the Pressure
Last Thursday (January 23rd), the Democrat controlled Senate Education and Health Committee continued to advance bills that jeopardize unborn life, promote radical gender reassignment policies, and undermine parental rights. This morning, they:
Defeated SB 749 (R-Mulchi) and SB 1079 (R-Peake), which would have prevented biological males from competing in female sports
Defeated SB 1346 (R-Jordan), which would have created the Virginia Opportunity Scholarship Grant Program that would have provided a $5,000 grant to qualified students
Defeated SB1074 (R-Peake) to prohibit gender reassignment surgeries for minors
Passed a SB 1105 (D-Hashmi), making contraceptives, including abortion-causing drugs, more widely available – even to minors without parental consent
Passed SB 1098 (D-Hashmi), allowing “all persons” to provide abortion or gender care, prohibit legitimate investigations of such persons, and require unconstitutional content-based restrictions on protected speech.
Of course, during the committee meeting all eyes were on SB 1031 (D-Pekarsky), which seeks to eliminate the religious exemption for homeschooling families, violating parental rights and religious liberty. However, the bill was not heard and now we have learned Sen. Pekarsky has introduced yet another version. Despite significant opposition from homeschool families, advocates, and even Governor Youngkin—who publicly opposed the bill and promised a veto—the newest version still removes the religious exemption and even jeopardizes their privacy. The bill is likely to be voted on at a special meeting scheduled for Tuesday.
Virginia already ranks among the MOST REGULATED states for homeschooling, with 34 states (including California, Illinois, and Connecticut) imposing fewer restrictions. Instead of increasing regulation, Virginia should work to respect and protect parents' fundamental right to educate their children and reduce barriers.
Clearly, the voices of thousands of parents across Virginia are having an impact. It is imperative to keep up the pressure and hold our elected officials' feet to the fire on this issue. Forward this email alert to your friends and anyone you know in the homeschool community to keep up the pressure.
On a brighter note, in the Public Safety subcommittee, our policy team successfully lobbied to amend HB 2954 (D-Singh) to focus on providing security “best practices” to places of worship and nonprofits while removing the invasive and overbroad mandate. The bill, as introduced, would have required every church in the state to comply with mandatory security training and procedures that may not be consistent with its congregation’s desires.
In conclusion, the actions of the Senate Education and Health Committee last Thursday reflect a troubling trend of undermining parental rights, religious liberty, and the protection of vulnerable children. These efforts demand continued vigilance and advocacy. While setbacks like the defeat of bills protecting women's sports and prohibiting gender reassignment surgeries for minors are disheartening, the growing opposition to SB 1031 shows that our voices are being heard.
We must remain steadfast in holding our elected officials accountable and advocating for policies that respect parental rights, uphold religious freedoms, and protect life. Together, we can make a difference.
