SARASOTA, Fla. (SNN TV) – If you have a kid in school, you may have noticed an increase in permission slips.
That’s because the Parental Rights in Education law, signed last year by Governor DeSantis, bars students from out-of-class activities without explicit parental consent — under the strictest reading of the law. There’s been little guidance outside of the text of the law. Therefore, some school districts are interpreting it stricter than others.
Florida Today reports some students are turned away from tutoring in Brevard County because the kids’ parents haven’t signed forms allowing it.
“Teachers are turning kids away at the door, saying, ‘sorry, you can’t come in because your parents haven’t signed this form,'” said Brevard School Board member Katye Campbell.
The rule came down from the state in mid-July, just weeks before the school year started.
The Florida Board of Education touted the rule as a way to expand parental rights, while others criticized it for creating unnecessary barriers for students and extensive paperwork for parents.
“It’s like every day (my daughter) is bringing home a form for us to sign,” said Tony Riopelle, athletic director at West Shore Junior/Senior High School in Brevard, where his daughter is a junior. “There was one day she brought home eight forms.”
