Senate Bill 49 — Parents’ Bill of Right

Parental Rights

Franklin Academy acknowledges, values, and anticipates parental involvement in their children’s education. The Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution recognizes the fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children.

Franklin Academy seeks to collaborate with parents and keep them well-informed about their child’s overall well-being, including matters concerning health, social interactions, and psychological development. Parents are in the best position to work with their children and, where appropriate, their children’s healthcare providers to decide the names, nicknames, and/or pronouns to be used for their child by school staff while at school and whether their child expresses a gender identity different from their biological sex while at school.

All Franklin Academy staff will encourage students to openly discuss issues concerning their well-being with their parents and our social workers. Franklin Academy social workers will then facilitate discussions of these issues with the child’s parents. Information will be disclosed to parents unless there are concerns that such disclosure could lead to a student becoming an abused or neglected juvenile (G.S. 7B-101). This decision will be made with the involvement of school administration.

Parents’ Bill of Rights | Senate Bill 49

Purposeful parental participation in your child’s education is necessary.  Improved student achievement must be the equally shared responsibility and ultimate goal of parents, teachers, the school as a whole, and the community at large.

The following definitions apply to the Parents’ Bill of Rights:

• Child – A person less than 18 years of age who has not been emancipated.
• Parent – A person who has legal custody of a child, including a natural parent, adoptive parent, or legal guardian.
• Business day – Business day does not include Saturdays, Sundays, vacation days, or holidays, as set forth in the school calendar. In counting days, the first day will be the first full business day following the receipt of the written request.

Parents have legal rights with regards to their child’s education, including the following:

1. The right to consent or withhold consent for participation in reproductive health and safety education programs, consistent with the requirements of G.S. 115C-81.30.
2. The right to seek a medical or religious exemption from immunization requirements, consistent with the requirements of G.S. 130A-156 and G.S. 130A-157.
3. The right to review statewide standardized assessment results as part of the State report card.
4. The right to request an evaluation for identification as a child with a disability, as provided in Article 9 of Chapter 115C of the North Carolina General Statutes.  
5. The right to inspect and purchase public school unit textbooks and other supplementary instructional materials consistent with the requirements of G.S. 115C-102.
6. The right to access information relating to the Franklin Academy’s policies for promotion or retention, including high school graduation requirements. 
7. The right to receive student report cards on a regular basis that clearly depict and grade the student’s academic performance in each class or course, the student’s conduct, and the student’s attendance.
8. The right to access information relating to the State public education system, State standards, report card requirements, attendance requirements, and textbook requirements.
9. The right to participate in parent-teacher organizations.
10. The right to opt in to certain data collection for their child, as provided in Part 5 of this Article and Article 29 of Chapter 115C of the North Carolina General Statutes.
11. The right for students to participate in protected student information surveys only with parental consent, as provided in G.S. 115C-76.65.
12. The right to review all available records of materials their child has borrowed from a school library.