While I have been our door knocking in our community, I’m hearing concerns from parents about `not knowing what is happening in the classroom with their child. Parents want to be better informed so they can make decisions on behalf of their children, and I believe that parents know what’s best for their children, and they deserve to have a say in their education. That is why I was proud to stand with my colleagues and our Premier today and commit to standing up for parental rights in the school system.
Watch the press conference – CLICK HERE.
As our Premier, Heather Stefanson, said today, “We believe Manitoba parents are the most important people in their children’s lives and, as the primary caregivers, are best positioned to make decisions on behalf of their children. Who better than parents–who have nurtured their child’s growth – to be fully aware of and engaged in their children’s lives once they head out the door to school?”
At present, there are seven basic rights enshrined in the Public Schools Act, including:
- The right to be informed regularly of attendance and behaviour
- The right to consult with teachers and school staff about academic achievement 3. The right to access his or her child’s pupil file
- The right to information about programs available to children
- The right to be informed of discipline and behaviour management policies
- The right to be a member of a parent advisory council
- The right to accompany students to school board hearings regarding expulsion.
Following broad consultation with parents and educators, if re-elected, the PC Party will add to these existing rights with the following proposed additions:
- The right to be informed about the curriculum.
- The right to be involved in addressing bullying and other behaviour changes
- The right to consent before any image of the child is made, shared or stored
- The right to advance notice before any presentations are made in school from outside the school system
Parents have told me they don’t always know what their children are learning at school, who is speaking to their class, or how their kids are feeling. As your MLA, I will fight for parental rights.
The PC Party of Manitoba is the only party focused on enhanced parental rights.