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Three years ago, when the Democrats took total control of Virginia’s government, they passed legislation that forces Virginia to follow in the footsteps of California for automobile standards for cars sold in Virginia. Those standards were not even passed by liberal California legislators but rather unelected bureaucrats that live in la la land and respond only to the governor of California. This column, however, is not about auto standards, but rather what is the next bazaar idea Californians will come up with and if the liberals once again gain control in Virginia.

OREGON AND WASHINGTON TRYING TO STAY EVEN

Not to be outdone, Washington State is rushing forward. In Washington, Governor Jay Inslee (D) is expected to sign his party’s bill that denies parents the right to know where their kids are when they run away to a government shelter. Worse, it allows the schools to lie to parents about getting sex change operations without permission.

According to Dr. Jay Richards, the expanded state law completely changes the parent-school relationship and creates a perverse outcome. “This policy turns education on its head. Rather than treating parents as holding the primary authority for teaching children, which they may delegate to a school, this policy makes the education system the primary arbiter of a child’s education, and the parents as potential threats to that authority. It is deeply perverse.”

FIGHTING BACK

This type of thinking is turning our public education system on its head. Once our free schooling for all children was the envy of the world. We now see the public starting to question what is taking place in our schools. We have seen and heard the concerns in Northern Virginia when policy makers chose to change Thomas Jefferson High School (considered one if not the best high schools in the country) in the name of equity from merit qualified instead to a quota-based entrance system.

Parents in London County had to go to court after a student was raped by another student who was transferred to another school without warning teachers. There, he raped another student. Parents around the country are learning that the courts may be the only protection they have from these foolish decisions by policymakers.

This November’s elections will determine if parents in Virginia or faceless bureaucrats in Richmond or California have the final say about our children.

Frank Ruff Jr. represents Lunenburg in the state Senate. His email address is Sen.Ruff@verizon.net.