FWISD parents, don’t believe the extremists. You can decide what your kid reads | Opinion
Parents and guardians in Fort Worth ISD and other local school districts, here is some information to consider when you hear people repeating “parental rights” arguments about books, curricula and materials.
Extremist groups are repeatedly claiming that our parental rights are being taken away. This is simply not true. As a FWISD parent and advocate for teachers, librarians, counselors and school administrators, I can tell you that in this district, our rights with respect to public education are and always have been intact. The student registration process alone makes this obvious.
When a parent or guardian registers a FWISD student for the school year, he or she is presented with options for specific supplemental curriculum, such as instruction on how to prevent violence, abuse, exploitation or suicide. If you wish to review the curriculum materials before you opt in or out, all you have to do is contact your student’s campus or the district office. It is the choice of the parent or guardian whether that instruction will be provided to their student, not the choice of the school.
Parents can also go to the FWISD library website to see what books are available in the school library. Simply go to the FWISD library services page and select “school library catalogs.” There is also information for parents that outlines recent legislation in Texas and how it affects our public school libraries.
If there are books that you do not want your student to have access to, simply talk with your school’s librarian; they are more than happy to work with you. But it is not your place to make those decisions for the students of other parents, just like it is not your right to opt someone else’s student in or out of supplemental curriculum during registration. Your parental rights extend to your student’s education, not to the education of others.
Parents of FWISD students can also contact the FWISD library department at any time about their catalogs and policies. I had an awesome conversation with the director of media services, Victor Chapa. He is passionate and knowledgeable, and he took time to answer all of my questions.
I have always made it a priority to develop relationships with my student’s teachers, librarians and administrators. Whenever I have asked them for more information or contacted them to advocate for my student, they have always accommodated me and encouraged me to reach out again in the future.
Both of my FWISD students have had classmates whose families held religious beliefs that did not align with certain curriculum or activities at their public elementary, middle or high school. On those occasions, the parents of those students each contacted the school to explain the situation, and without exception, those parents were respected and accommodated. Their students were able to opt out of curriculum and/or activities that did not align with their beliefs and were provided with alternative activities or blocks of instruction. Their religious liberty was protected.
I trust and respect the administrators, educators and librarians in Fort Worth public schools and will always approach them with respect, setting the example for my kids to do the same. There is a lot of misinformation out there claiming that parental rights are being taken away; I have never had mine infringed upon by anyone in FWISD.
Think critically. Find out the facts. Talk with your child’s school administrators, educators and librarians. Above all, let’s work together so that all FWISD students can have a safe and productive school year.
Amy Ramsey is a lifelong resident of Fort Worth with two children enrolled in Fort Worth ISD schools. She is operations director for Defense of Democracy, a national nonprofit organization that advocates for public-school teachers, librarians and administrators.
