Kentucky bill would give parents power to challenge 'obscene' content in public schools

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Kentucky advances bill to allow parents to challenge 'inappropriate' school materials

Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers (R) discusses a bill allowing parents to challenge public school materials after concerns erupt over sexual content in education.

Kentucky lawmakers have advanced a "parental rights bill" that would allow parents to challenge "obscene" materials in public schools.

Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers, a Republican, said Wednesday the public is in support of the bill advancing through the General Assembly that, if signed into law, would require local school boards to begin establishing channels to field parent complaints over materials in public education.

"If the parent finds out about [the material], they can go to the principal and ask them for it to be removed. If the principal doesn't remove it, they can take it directly to the full Board of Education," Stivers told "Fox & Friends First."

Stivers explained that the BOE must review the content in question and publish and opinion based on their decision. If the board decides against parents' wishes, parents have an option to "opt out" of the material.

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The Kentucky State Capitol in Frankfort, Kentucky, on October 1, 2022.  (Photo by Stefani Reynolds / AFP) (Photo by STEFANI REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

"Then it becomes a political question as to whether or not that school board represents the values of the local parents and some of the local teachers," he added.

Kentucky's Senate Bill 5 more specifically allows parents to push back against content deemed "harmful" to minors, including that which contains "exposure in an obscene manner," "appeals to the prurient interest in sex" or is "patently offensive."

The measure passed the state Senate and was advanced by the House Kentucky House Education Committee on Monday. Now the bill awaits approval from the full state House before heading to Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear's desk.

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Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers, R, told 'Fox & Friends First' about Senate Bill 5, a measure to give parents a voice against obscene content in schools. (Fox & Friends First/Screengrab)

However, if Stivers' outlook on the Beshear administration's education agenda rings true, the plan could face some opposition if put before him.

"It seems as if our current governor's administration seems to repetitively have these types of guidance that this is the direction that our school systems should go," he said, adding that another group pushing content deemed "not appropriate" for public schools is partially responsible.

"It is very difficult when you have an administration that continually pushes this type of agenda," he added.

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Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear would likely oppose measures to grant parental pushback against obscene content in public education. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File)

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Concerns from Kentucky lawmakers and parents coincide larger themes taking shape across school districts throughout the U.S., particularly as whistleblowers place more emphasis on calling out explicit content in public education and social media platforms.

"There seems to be a very vocal minority of individuals who think this is appropriate conduct to promote," Stiver said. "When I was growing up, it wasn't an issue, but now it seems to be the issue that public education is really promoting."