James Uthmeier launches Office of Parental Rights

In a move described as an effort to empower parents and protect children, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the establishment of the nation’s first Office of Parental Rights Tuesday.

The office, which will sit under Uthmeier’s purview, will serve as an enforcement arm for parents of public school children who feel their rights have been violated.

“Governments should understand that — when it comes to raising a child — they don’t know best. The parents do, and they deserve an Attorney General’s office working on their behalf,” Uthmeier said at a news conference in Jacksonville Tuesday.

“This first-in-the-nation office is a mechanism for parents and families to seek justice where local governments and school systems seek to ‘treat,’ indoctrinate, or collect data from students without parental involvement. This new initiative is another way we are making Florida the best place to raise a family.”

Uthmeier was flanked by several parental rights activists representing organizations such as Moms for Liberty, the Southeastern Legal Foundation and Parental Rights Florida.

Kim Hermann, Executive Director of Southeastern Legal Foundation, said public schools often conduct surveys of children about sexuality and other social issues without informing parents. She said those are the kind of measures that raise the ire of many parents in Florida.

“I’m sick and tired of this battle being framed as a cultural battle,” Hermann said. “We are not domestic terrorists. We are not book banners. We’re not racists. We are parents who love our children. We will do absolutely everything to ensure that they have the best education and what’s happening in the schools is education.”

Uthmeier explained the new Office of Parental Rights will act as more of a legal counsel and advisory resource for parents who might find themselves opposing or questioning surveys and social issues awareness programs in schools.

It would assist in a variety of issues, including when parents are denied access to school records, aren’t asked to consent to data collection, unauthorized health or mental health care, objectionable instruction or library materials, or restriction of parental participation in school operations, among others.

Hermann said parents should get to decide what social issues their children are exposed to within public schools. Given that charge, she said she wouldn’t be surprised to see other states following Florida’s lead on parental rights protections.

“I hope that every other Attorney General in this country follows suit. Because no parent should have to fight to know what’s happening in their schools,” Hermann said.