Parents, educators sound off on new school law requiring curriculums to be posted online

ALABAMA (WHNT) — We’re learning more about a new school law that’ll give parents more access to what their children are being taught in the classroom, and while teachers want to work with parents for the betterment of their child’s education, some believe it will present challenges.

The “Parental Right to Know” law is new legislation in Alabama requiring educators to upload their learning plans online for parents to access.

Alabama Senator Greg Reed (R-Jasper) who sponsored the legislation says its something superintendents across the state wanted to make a reality.

“They felt like this was one more option to engage parents in the education of their children and they said the more information we provide parents about what’s going on with the kids in the classroom, the more willing the parents are to get involved,” Reed said.

The law focuses on providing parents with more insight into day-to-day operations in the classroom. Trenace Hayes believes it’ll offer an additional opportunity for parents like herself to work alongside educators.

“Anytime I have more access to that type of information and more transparency, I’m for it,” Hayes said. “If I can have more tools so I can see in advance what’s going on and things we can be focusing on and better ways to help them learn, that’s something that’s important to me.”

The measure also enables parents to give feedback if they have suggestions for their school board. “It does cause just one more level of something else that we might have to be concerned about in the future,” said Merri Gardunia who has taught for over 20 years.

She’s for parents being more involved with what’s being taught, but she feels it could add a strain on educators and worries some of the feedback can be focused on areas that are out of their control.

“This does feel like it’s something added extra onto teachers and I’m not sure that holding a teacher accountable for the standards that have already been put into place by the state is fair,” Gardunia told News 19.

Gardunia says Alabama’s teacher shortage also has to be considered with more responsibility being placed on educators. She believes most teachers have already been working with parents for the betterment of their child’s education.

“It appears to me that it is written from a place of mistrust with the schools and that’s something I don’t agree with,” Gardunia explained. “We are here as public servants, we are not here to withhold secrets from families,” she said.

The 2024-2025 school year will mark the first time in Alabama history that every school board will be required to post its curriculum online for parents.

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