House Oversight Committee Chair Jay DeBoyer today led the passage of a House Resolution that stands up for parental rights and guards against alarming bureaucratic overreach.

“Michigan continues to perform poorly when it comes to reading and math proficiency for students, but bureaucrats in our state think lessons on multiple gender theory are a more constructive use of time,” said DeBoyer, of Clay Township. “Public schools in our state serve the needs of students by cooperating with parents and legal guardians to enhance learning and skills in a safe and positive structure. It is wholly unacceptable to stray from that fundamental principle with politically motivated ideologies and content in the classroom, but we unfortunately find ourselves in this position due to the board’s reckless actions.”

In September, the State Board Education approved a draft to update health education standards for the first time since 2007, with proposed changes to address gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation in grades 6-8. The move has led to significant pushback from families who feel the changes blur lines between general health education and sex education, involve inappropriate and unproven topics, and ultimately work to curb opt outs as health education is mandatory for grades K-12. The committee heard from interim state Superintendent Dr. Sue Carnell to discuss the proposed changes and the drastic impact they will have on Michigan students and families. Carnell said the board is looking into updating the standards based on public feedback.

House Resolution 195 opposes the new standards and urges both the state Board of Education and the Department of Education to redraft or reject them. DeBoyer said state law already establishes clear standards for sex education, requiring local control, parental involvement, and opt-out provisions to protect the rights of families and ensure transparency in instruction.

DeBoyer and the House Oversight Committee previously heard testimony from former state Superintendent Michael Rice and Board of Education President Pamela Pugh on their plans to improve math and reading scores after a commission appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer found that seven out of 10 Michigan students can’t read or do math proficiently.

“Many parents do not believe it is the role of government to dictate the sensitive subjects that we discussed with Dr. Carnell to families. That’s just a fact,” DeBoyer said. “We must focus on the most pressing issues facing our students in the classroom so they can prepare for their futures, instead of prioritizing fringe interests.”