Parents Express Robust Backing for Conservative Education Reforms: Survey Findings
A recent poll by Parents Defending Education (PDE) revealed strong parental support for conservative-leaning education reforms in the United States, released on Jan. 6.
PDE, a national grassroots group with conservative views, aims to influence education policy and practices across the country. One of its key objectives is to foster an educational framework that emphasizes essential academic skills while reducing political influences in schools.
Among the surveyed parents, 33 percent identified as Republicans, 38 percent as Independents, and 24 percent as Democrats. They shared opinions on a wide array of topics, with approximately 96 percent agreeing that parents should have the authority to choose the best educational options for their children.
When given the choice, 60 percent said they would keep their child’s current school, while nearly 20 percent would select a different school, and 16 percent preferred homeschooling.
Moreover, 90 percent of parents believe that reading, writing, and arithmetic should be the primary focus of public education.
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Consensus on Hot-Button Issues
The survey revealed that 56 percent of parents opposed the formation of school groups based on race or ethnicity and the recruitment of teachers by race to mirror student demographics. Furthermore, 82 percent agreed that a student’s race should not influence disciplinary actions.
Despite debates over LGBT issues in education over the past decade, a significant 80 percent majority of parents indicated that schools should not help students change their gender identity without parental notification.
Additionally, 77 percent believed that school staff should inform parents if their child uses a different name or pronoun at school.
Seventy-four percent opposed providing instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity to elementary students or facilitating transitions for them.
Furthermore, three-quarters of parents agreed that boys should not participate in girls’ sports, use girls’ facilities, or share accommodations with female peers during overnight outings.
“This poll underscores a strong opposition to school staff withholding information from parents about their child’s gender identity at school,” noted PDE Director of Outreach Erika Sanzi.
“This is crucial because policies endorsed by activist groups, the National School Boards Association, and teachers’ unions often enable—and sometimes mandate—the intentional miscommunication of key information from parents if that is the child’s wish.”
Mixed Views on Federal Oversight
One of Donald Trump’s more contentious proposals during his campaign was to dissolve the U.S. Department of Education. The survey indicated that parental opinions on the department’s role were mixed.
Support for abolishing the department reached 67 percent among Republicans, while only 29 percent of Democrats favored this. Fifty-two percent of parents supported reducing the department’s size and influence.
Seventy-seven percent of parents expressed a desire for more state autonomy, even if federal resources were allocated evenly.
Regarding operational effectiveness, the survey revealed that half of the parents disagreed with the notion that the department was utilizing its resources properly, while the other half agreed. Parents of color, particularly those identifying as Democrats, expressed the strongest support for the department’s current role.
