Tipsheet

Education Secretary: Parents Are Not 'Primary Stakeholders' in Education Decisions

During testimony before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee on Thursday, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said that parents of school aged children should not act as the “primary stakeholders” in education decisions. Asked by Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) about parental decisions in education, and whether or not parents should indeed be “primary stakeholders,” Cardona said that parents are “important stakeholders” but that educators have a role to play in programming decisions. He would not concede that parents should be the main decision makers in education.

Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe (D), who is vying for his old job in the governor's mansion back, also came under fire for similar comments. McAuliffe said that parents should not dictate what curriculum is being taught to their children in schools. 

Cardona also dodged questions on school reopening discretions, and decision making processes for mask wearing policies for children in schools.