First batch of new Wake schools parent policies passes

Five Wake County school policies are changing to adjust to Senate Bill 49, known by Republican proponents as the "Parents' Bill of Rights."

The new law is controversial in part because of concerns that it could "out" transgender students to their families.

The school board approved the policies Tuesday 6-2, with two members voting against approval because they remained unhappy with previous changes made to a book review policy earlier this year that were unrelated to the new state law.

The policy changes approved Tuesday are taken from the new state law and don’t add new requirements beyond that. The school board is compelled to comply with state law, without or without adopting it into their policies. However, approving the policy changes Tuesday places the language of the new state law into local documents that can be viewed by families alongside other school system rules.

The policies approved Tuesday include a requirement that parents to be notified of survey questions being asked of students, permitting parents to request a list of materials their children have checked out from the library, and stating that staff should never encourage or coerce a child into keeping a secret from their parents.

Currently, the school system already asks parents for their consent for surveys related to sensitive information. But the new law requires the school system to send them copies of the survey questions, as well, at least 10 days in advance. The school system would include information on how to find the survey questions with the opt-in form sent to parents for each survey. The anonymous survey on tobacco use and risk behaviors that came from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are exempt from the law and the Wake policy changes.

On top of the policies approved Tuesday, the law requires parental notification of students’ wishes to go by a different name or gender identity, schools to facilitate parental concern hearings upon request and tighter timelines for supplying information to parents and guardians, among other things. But policies related to those changes were not up for a vote Tuesday.

CORRECTION: The board voted 6-12 to approve the changes. Board Member Tyler Swanson was not in attendance Tuesday night. A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the vote total.