# Plain Language Summary: My Child, My Choice Act of 2023

This bill would require elementary schools to get written permission from parents before teachers can teach lessons about gender identity, sexual orientation, or transgender topics. Teachers would need to request this permission at least 30 days before teaching any such lesson, and they'd have to ask for permission each time they plan to teach it. If a student's parents don't give permission, the school would have to provide that student with an alternative activity like study hall instead.

Here's where it gets significant: if fewer than half the parents in a class give permission, the teacher cannot teach the lesson at all. This means a single lesson could be blocked if only 40 percent of parents consent. Additionally, if the Secretary of Education determines that a school isn't following these rules, the school would lose federal education funding for the following school year. This is a major financial consequence, since most schools rely heavily on federal dollars for programs like special education, free lunches, and other services.

The bill also creates a reporting system where students, parents, and teachers can submit complaints to the federal government if they believe a school isn't following these rules. The Secretary would then investigate and give schools 15 days to fix any violations before potentially cutting off their funding. This essentially puts the federal government in charge of monitoring what elementary schools teach about these specific topics, which represents a significant shift in how education decisions are made—traditionally, these choices have been made locally by school districts and states.

My Child, My Choice Act of 2023

Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2]

My Child, My Choice Act of 2023 This bill prohibits an elementary school from receiving federal education funds unless a teacher requests written parental consent prior to teaching a lesson specifically related to gender identity, sexual orientation, or transgender studies. In particular, the bill requires a teacher to request written consent from the parent of each student enrolled in the class prior to teaching the lesson. If a parent does not submit written consent to the lesson, then the school must provide the student with an alternative period of learning or study hall. Further, the teacher may not teach the lesson if the principal does not receive written consent from the parents of at least 50% of the students enrolled in the class.