Give students own union

One of six initiatives introduced by Republican-allied group Let’s Go Washington, Initiative 2081 gave parents and guardians of school children certain rights, including the right to examine textbooks, curriculum and any supplemental materials used in their children’s classrooms.

Although that’s innocent language, the 2024 Democratic-majority state Legislature was understandably suspicious. So, it passed a similar parental “bill of rights” that removed the initiative from the upcoming Nov. 5 ballot. Two other initiatives were handled similarly.

So, three of the initiatives remain for November voters: Initiative 2117 prohibiting carbon tax credit trading, Initiative 2124 allowing individuals to opt out of long-term health care and Initiative 2109 repealing the capital gains tax imposed on gains over $250,000.

All must be defeated, especially the one repealing the capital gains tax that funds all-important early-childhood education.

The recent uptick in the parental rights movement has largely been driven by banning books and dictating curricula, including eliminating unpleasant aspects of our racial history.

But students, particularly the most mature at high school and college level, generally oppose these actions. They want books covering a range of subjects and the whole truth from their history classes. Even organized student protests have occurred along these lines.

When educator Cory DeAngelis says, “Now kids have a union of their own — their parents,” he errs. Indeed, it is just the opposite: students deserve their own union that opposes anti-education efforts characteristic of the parental rights movement.

Norm Luther

Spokane