TRENTON, NJ – Senator Joe Pennacchio vocalized strong criticism towards the Murphy Administration’s stance on parental rights concerning education, following a recent FDU poll which revealed that a majority of New Jersey residents believe parents should have control over what’s being taught in schools.
Pennacchio expressed his concerns over what he termed as the administration’s “continued assault on parental rights” in a statement released recently.
He decried the intervention by the state in what he believes is a fundamental right of parents to raise their children according to their values and to have a significant say in their educational content.
The senator pointed out that under the umbrella of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, the state has taken up the role of the primary decision-maker concerning what’s best for the children, a move he finds overreaching and detrimental to the educational outcomes. He noted the decline in test scores and lamented the lack of a state plan to address this crucial issue.
Pennacchio went further to accuse the state of utilizing children as “pawns in a political chess game,” which he believes is contributing to anxiety and depression among students. He finds the proposed curriculum by the administration objectionable and broad-reaching, affecting all grades and subjects.
He also highlighted a contradiction where the state attorney general is pushing schools to adopt their guidelines while telling courts these guidelines aren’t mandatory, a situation he finds adds to the confusion and discontent among parents and educational stakeholders.
The senator noted a significant outcry from parents against the state’s top-down approach, which he described as a “visceral response” unlike anything seen before. He emphasized that the opposition to the state’s controversial curriculum cuts across political lines and is manifest in the passionate engagements of local school boards.