by: Denise Shick

“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring are a reward from him.” – Psalm 127:3

School districts across the United States are enacting policies that undermine the authority of parents to determine what is best for their children. In a Michigan middle school, teachers were advised not to notify parents of their child’s transgender status. Similarly, a Maryland school district unveiled a book list for teachers that will promote LGBTQ ideology under the guise of teaching students about “diversity not anatomy” to circumvent a parent’s right to opt-out of sexual health-related topics. And according to mother Bo Begalman, the gender policy in a Washington state school district “spits in the face of parents” by allowing teachers to do “what seems best to them.”

But God did not ordain government officials or professional educators to be a child’s primary authority. He gave parents the responsibility for nurturing children when he told the Israelites, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up” (Deuteronomy 6:6–7 NIV). And nowhere in Scripture is that authority or responsibility handed over to a government or any other agency. 

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT PARENTAL AUTHORITY

In Psalm 127:3, the Hebrew word translated “heritage” has a multi-faceted meaning. It referred to a possession, property, inheritance, or portion “assigned by God” just as the land was a possession assigned by God. But it also can be translated “gift, inheritance, blessing—something to be cared for, treasured, protected.”¹ When we apply this definition to children, we see that God gave parents the responsibility and privilege of nurturing and protecting their children. 

Proverbs 22:6 is often quoted as a parenting principle. The Amplified Version of the Bible says, “Train up a child in the way he should go [teaching him to seek God’s wisdom and will for his abilities and talents], even when he is old he will not depart from it.” The Amplified Classic says, “Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent] and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Paired with the teaching of Deuteronomy 6:6–7, we can conclude that God intended parents to be their children’s primary teachers and mentors.

Perhaps the best parental/child model is the one illustrated in Luke 2 by Jesus. He voluntarily submitted to his parents’ will and authority. Verse 51 says Jesus “was submissive” to them (ESV). The Greek word translated “submissive” literally means, “arranged under.” It was a military term meaning “to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader.” In non-military use, it was “a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperation, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden.”² Jesus voluntarily submitted to his parents’ control and yielded to their advice and admonition. He lived out the fifth commandment of the Decalogue: “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12 NIV). 

Paul elaborated on this commandment in Ephesians 6:1–3: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise—‘so that it may go well with you and that you may live long on the earth’” (NIV, see also Deuteronomy 5:16). The Greek word translated “obey” means “to heed or conform to a command or authority.”³

When government agencies or educational institutions usurp parental authority, they are acting in opposition to the God-ordained function and responsibilities of parents. They are also encouraging children to oppose what God has ordained as best for them: obeying their parents and living under their authority.

YOUR PARENTAL RIGHTS

You have the right to raise your children in a way that pleases God and celebrates their God-given identity. You have the right to review instructional materials teachers plan to use in the classroom and to teach your children about gender and sex from a biblical perspective. And, as much as it is within your power to do so, you are responsible before God to control your child’s exposure to LGBT-themed books and curriculum as well as any other content that is opposed to the truth revealed in God’s Word.

So what can you do to protect those rights? 

• Seek a position on your local school board.
• Meet with your child’s teacher. Ask what books are being used or recommended in class. Ask what content is being taught under the label of diversity and inclusion. 
• File complaints with your school district, state education agency, or the US Educational Department. That is what the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN) advises parents to do in their Game Plan for Parents, Caregivers, and Familiesso make sure your voice is heard too.
• Request a copy of your school’s anti-bullying and harassment policy. Press school officials on whether that applies only to LGBT students or to all students. LGBT students, teachers, and school officials should not be allowed to bully or harass your child in the name of diversity or inclusion.
• Ask if your school has a safety plan for any student who requests private changing areas—or just for LGBT students. If your child feels uncomfortable in the bathroom or locker room, he or she should be able to request a private changing area too. 
• As a last resort, consider filing a lawsuit against your school district.  

Above all, talk to your children about these topics in age-appropriate language and teach them what God says about gender, identity, and sexual-health related topics. Don’t assume your child is too young to hear about or care about these subjects. If their pre-k curriculum or school library includes books such as Pride Puppy, then they are hearing about these subjects at school. Be aware, be pro-active, but most of all, be the parent God has called you to be and raise your child to be the person God designed him or her to be.