‘Right to Know’: Alabama parents can oversee student curriculum next school year

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Gov. Kay Ivey signed the “Parents right to know” bill intended to give parents more access to their children’s school curriculum on Thursday. Next semester, schools across the state will be required to post their curriculum online.

Parents will be able to see the list of topics being covered in their student’s classes each day.

“My own kids will come home, ‘What’d y’all learn at school today? Nothing,'” Alabama Education Association (AEA) Regional Manager William Tunnell said. “Well, you know that’s not true, so when I can see what you’re learning at school now I can help you at home.”

Tunnell said he sees the bill as an opportunity to engage parents in their children’s education.

“We appreciate more parental involvement in the schools, so it’s a good thing,” Tunnell said.

The AEA supported state legislators passing the bill. Tunnell said he does not believe many parents will have issues with what their children are learning once they are able to see the full curriculum.

“We’ve always felt that Alabama was sort of at the leading edge of conservative policy in terms of our schools’ curriculum,” Tunnell said. “In a lot of ways transparency into this is what we’re teaching, more importantly not teaching, may help folks understand that Alabama is a little bit set apart from what you may read about or hear about in other states.”

The bill also lays out a framework for parents to contact their child’s teacher, asking for more information about what’s being taught. Parents can request access to instructional materials and books available to children in the classroom.

“Any question that a parent has about their child’s curriculum, please bring it to the school,” Tunnell said. “That’s what they’re there for. They can answer those questions for them.”

News 19 asked Tunnell if he thought the legislation would create more work for teachers. He said he does not expect it to. The bill does not affect educators until a parent of a child in their class has a concern about the curriculum.

This legislation is the next step in a series of bills increasing parent’s rights. Earlier this month, Gov. Ivey signed the CHOOSE Act, providing tax dollars for parents to send their student to a school of their choice.

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