SB177 revises the provisions of parental choice regarding compulsory school attendance by expanding “alternative instruction” (e.g., home education) options. It removes certain reporting and testing requirements, while allowing participation in interscholastic activities.
The House passed SB177 on March 2, 2021, by a vote of 41 to 27. We have assigned pluses to the yeas because a child’s education is the responsibility of–and a fundamental right of choice retained by–the parents, not the government. Parental rights, as with all other constitutional rights, are protected by the Bill of Rights and the 14th Amendment.