Washington voters reject parents' rights ballot initiative
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Washington voters have rejected a measure aimed at expanding what schools must tell parents about their children's counseling and medical care, the Associated Press reports.
Why it matters: The rejection of Initiative 001 leaves in place changes state lawmakers made last year to a "parents' bill of rights" they originally passed in 2024.
The latest: The AP declared the measure had failed Monday after seven days of ballot counting.
- I-001 had received 47.5% support as of Monday evening, with 52.5% of votes counted against it, according to the Washington secretary of state's office.
Zoom in: I-001 outlined several rights parents would have been guaranteed regarding their child's education.
- Many of those rights — such as the ability to inspect curriculum materials, attendance records and academic records — are already available under state law, which says parents can "review all education records of the student."
Yes, but: I-001 would have required schools to produce those records more quickly — within 10 business days instead of 45.
- The measure specifically listed mental health counseling records among the school records parents could access.
Separately, I-001 would have required schools to notify parents before offering nonemergency medical services, or if schools helped arrange medical treatment that required follow-up after hours.
Flashback: The Legislature passed the same measure into law two years ago, when it was called Initiative 2081.
- But state lawmakers amended the initiative last year, including by removing the medical-service notification requirements.
- Democratic lawmakers said at the time that the notification requirements conflicted with other state laws protecting students' medical privacy.
The big picture: Supporters of I-001 argued that parents should know what is going on with their child at school, including if they have come out as transgender or are using a new name or different pronouns.
- Opponents said students who are struggling with sensitive issues — such as gender identity, depression or sexual abuse — may not seek help at school if they think the information will be relayed back to parents.
- Opponents also argued that I-001 would weaken protections for children who report parental abuse.
Editor's note: This story has been updated throughout.