Mama Bears Get Results!
Mama Bears apparently have big voices: Just one day after they showed up in force at the State Capitol, we saw historic movement on a major parental rights bill: SB 656, sponsored by Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant (R-12, Henrico). The bill passed out of the Senate Education and Health Committee with bipartisan support, making its success through the full Senate likely. The legislation would ensure that parents can review sexually explicit material taught in school and request an alternative assignment for their children. The policy is very similar to a bill that was vetoed in 2016 by then Gov. Terry McAuliffe, which became the flashpoint in the 2021 gubernatorial debate. “Parents are the driving force behind their children learning and succeeding,” said Family Foundation's president, Victoria Cobb. “Because parents know their child best, schools need to partner with them to ensure the curricula content is appropriate for their maturity. In Virginia, parents have the fundamental right to make decisions about the education of their children.”
Laura Murphy, whose efforts to protect her children inspired the legislation, spoke to The Family Foundation after the bill cleared the committee, saying: “I am super excited, this started over 5 years ago in 2016—and now here we are today. … The bill just passed out just out of the Senate committee and it’s going to hopefully go to a full vote and then be put on the Governor’s desk. … We are rejoicing.”
Laura was one of the many “mama bears” who showed up in force the day before, Feb. 2, for The Family Foundation’s Parental Rights Advocacy ("Mama Bear") Day! The parents wore Mama Bear stickers and were equipped with Speak Up! Conversation tips to discuss the issue with their representatives throughout the day. Delegate Glenn Davis, who represents the Virginia Beach area and chairs the House Education Committee, publicly recognized the parents as they filled the House gallery seats. He asked legislators to give a warm welcome to "the parents and concerned citizens who’ve driven in from all across the Commonwealth to participate in Parental Rights Advocacy Day—or 'Mama Bear Day'—sponsored by The Family Foundation of Virginia. For 36 years, The Family Foundation has fought tirelessly to protect and advance the rights of parents in our great Commonwealth," he stated. "Thanks in no small part to the efforts of The Family Foundation, nine years ago this body voted to amend the Virginia code to read, and I quote, 'A parent has a fundamental right to make decisions concerning the upbringing, education, and care of the parent’s child.' And today, the parents represented by the Foundation, wearing blue in the gallery, are here to express their support of legislation that affirms these cherished parental rights and that makes clear exactly how these rights should be respected in the classrooms and in the public school libraries." The parents also spent several hours talking personally with representatives on both sides of the aisle, including Delegates Dave LaRock, Mike Mullins, Nick Freitas, Schuyler VanValkenburg, Suhas Subramanyam, Shelly Simonds, Senator Steve Newman, the offices of Senators Chap Petersen and Bryce Reeves--and many more!
Rebecca, a Hanover mother of four, said one of the most rewarding parts of the day was having the opportunity to express her concerns to Democrats who were key members on the committees handling these bills. (Watch her interview from the Pocahantas Building that day). Another highlight was the moment Lt. Gov. Winsome Sears and Senator Travis Hackwork took time to leave the Senate chamber specifically to greet the parents. Moms and dads grabbed photos and thanked the Lieutenant Governor for advocating for families—and personally thanked Sen. Hackworth for carrying legislation in an effort to stop the one-size-fits-all, mandate forcing schools to adopt Richmond-developed, transgender-issue policies. Even our high school pages got a special moment with Winsome Sears!
Stay tuned for more opportunities to engage with us at the State Capitol, as well as timely alerts on parental rights legislation. And don’t forget to help empower other parents to have a voice by sharing our Speak Up! Conversation tips and video on why parental rights matter.
