Indiana Attorney General releases updated 'Parents' Bill of Rights,' focused on medical information

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita on Monday released an updated and expanded version of his "Parents' Bill of Rights," a document intended to provide a roadmap for parents to understand and monitor the school curricula being taught to their children and exert influence over aspects they believe are harmful.

The Parents Bill of Rights 2.0 delivers information on how to file a civil rights claim if a child has been discriminated against in school, and how to better and more effectively engage with school boards.

The 53-page document is designed to deliver parents the tools they need to ensure that school policy and curriculum "reflect the values of Indiana families while meeting the mandatory requirements set forth in law," Rokita said.

In addition to the original six tenets included when the document was first released, the updated version includes the "right to make decisions regarding vaccinations and immunizations for your child," and "the right and expectation to receive your child's student health records," in addition to the rights to access special education services for students with disabilities and the right to make medical care decisions for your child.

Upon release of the original Parents' Bill of Rights, the attorney general said: "The single, most effective way to ensure school accountability is for parents to engage in their children's education. The Parents Bill of Rights empowers them to do just that."

The initial version was released as parents across the nation began taking action against the teaching of Critical Race Theory in their children's schools. Now, in addition to that action, some parents are fearful of forthcoming potential vaccine mandates for their grade-school aged children and want the ability to communicate with their local governments about the issue. Rokita's updated guide gives them instructions on how to do just that.