Is anyone else confused by the “6-7” thing? I made the mistake of watching a YouTube music video that many say contributed to it, and, well, let’s just say that I concur with one commenter who wrote, “I watched this to better understand the ‘six seven’ trend, and somehow I understand even less!” And I suppose that’s the point. The meaninglessness of the trend is its very attraction, allowing teens to posit their own creativity and enthusiasm in a quest for social media followers and group belonging…and not to mention the joy of confusing adults. (If you have a creative way you’ve capitalized on 6-7 in your classroom, please share in the comments!)

Regardless of how we interact with (or ignore) this craze, we are in the middle of a much more significant “6-7” moment for parents in our nation. And this 6-7 comes right out of the Scriptures:

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7)

This Scripture passage and many more affirm the parents’ responsibility to direct the upbringing of their children. Unlike our secular colleagues, Christian educators respect that God specifically instituted the family in Genesis 1, while schools are secondary manmade conventions. While we do spend much effort to make up for faulty parenting (just as wise and attentive parents across the nation also spend considerable effort making up for faulty schooling), we know that our students’ worlds are right when we are riding shotgun with good parents, rather than having to take the wheel, in guiding their children.

The encouraging news is that parental rights are being recognized in powerful ways across the nation, and public school educators, especially those who love Jesus, need to be aware of opportunities to partner with parents to protect the rights and innocence of our students.

Mahmoud v. Taylor

This summer’s blockbuster Supreme Court ruling was Mahmoud v. Taylor, which was the result of a coalition of faith-motivated parents in Maryland who objected to LGBTQ books in their children’s public school curriculum. The sweeping 6-3 ruling was a victory for parents, ruling that the books in question “impose upon children a set of values and beliefs that are ‘hostile’ to their parents’ religious beliefs,” and “exert upon children a psychological ‘pressure to conform’ to their specific viewpoints.”

What does this mean for public school educators? It means that we are now required to grant student opt-outs for curriculum that may be hostile to their parents’ religious beliefs. You may be wondering, “Well, how far will that go?” Good question. Until future court cases provide more clarity, one could respond by channeling comedian Nate Bargatze—“nobody knows.” Can parents opt their students out of being taught evolution? Could Muslim or Wiccan parents opt their students out of learning about the Christian heritage of our nation, or object to state laws that require posting of the 10 Commandments? Dissenting Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned of “chaos” in schools resulting from a flood of opt-outs. If your school has seen an uptick in opt-out requests this fall, I would love to hear about it—please comment below.

But I suspect it is unlikely to go that far, as there is at least one limiting principle—to qualify, the content must posit a favored view on a particular topic, not simply contain exposure to it. The LGBTQ books in Maryland ran afoul of the conservative majority of the court because they pressured kids to conform to LGBTQ ideology, rather than simply explaining that some hold these views. Let’s pause here to thank the court majority for recognizing that LGBTQ indoctrination has gone way too far in many of our schools. Now parents have a powerful tool to help bring our schools back within the boundaries of proper education. Can we help them? Keep reading.

Mirabelli v. Olson

One of the most blatant violations of parental rights is when states or school districts adopt laws and policies that keep parents in the dark about the mental health of their children, specifically with respect to gender confusion. Sadly, this is happening all over the country, with sometimes tragic results. 

There is a new development in a story out of Escondido, California, that we’ve been tracking for over two years now. Back in 2023, heroic educators Elizabeth Mirabelli and Lori Ann West sued their school district over a policy that required teachers to hide information regarding students’ gender confusion from their parents.

Their case has now been certified as a class action, meaning that any eventual ruling will apply to all California schools and protect all parents and their children in the state from these unconscionable policies. More good news…the judge in the case already called the school district policy a “trifecta of harm” when ruling on a preliminary injunction, so I anticipate a favorable result (subject to appeal, of course). Let’s pray that this and similar cases around the country put an end to these parental exclusion policies wherever they are found. Doing so would not only restore the constitutional rights of parents to direct the upbringing of their children, but also protect the free speech and religious rights of educators who should not be forced to violate their conscience to keep their jobs.

Other Examples

A sampling of other fronts in this fight for parental rights around the nation:

• The US Department of Education and the state of Virginia are investigating whether a school social worker facilitated abortions for high school students without the knowledge or consent of parents. In a recent interview, ESL Teacher Zenaida Perez stands by her accusations against social worker Carolina Diaz based on what she says her students told her. However, the initial investigation by the school district alleges not only that Diaz followed protocols but that Perez falsified evidence. As a result, Perez is now on administrative leave. Hopefully, state and federal investigations will reveal whether the school district is engaged in a cover-up or whether the social worker was falsely accused. Regardless, educators should know that in all but 13 states plus D.C., abortion is either illegal or requires some form of parental involvement. 
• In Kansas, four districts—Topeka, Shawnee Mission, Olathe, and Kansas City—face U.S. Department of Education investigations for (similar to Escondido) creating policies allowing teachers to deny parents information about a student’s requests to identify as a different gender, potentially violating FERPA and Title IX. 

Can we help parents?

As Christian educators, can we help parents exercise their God-given and constitutionally protected rights to raise their children? Not only can we, but we must.

As a classroom educator, I remember when my state conducted a yearly intrusive study into my students’ lives, innocently named the “Healthy Youth Survey” or something similar. But the survey would ask them provocative questions about sexual activity and identity that would (for some) rob their innocence—much like the survey at the heart of a current opt-out controversy in Massachusetts. 

Well in advance of the survey each year, I would take it upon myself to make sure all of my parents understood what their students would be asked (I even included screenshots), and how to opt them out. 

With the victory in Mahmoud, I would suggest a similar strategy be applied to the curriculum. Are you (or your school) required to teach any lessons that encourage your students to adopt unbiblical positions (beyond objective exposure to concepts)? If so, pray about informing your parents well in advance of what is coming and their opt-out rights. You can even point them to opt-out letter templates being created by religious rights organizations. 

What if your school is overwhelmed by opt-outs? Well, in the words of Sonja Shaw, a California school board member and candidate for state superintendent of public instruction, maybe the opt-outs will “overtax the system to where they just give up, and they stop teaching this stuff.”

Regardless of how the Spirit leads you to respond, as educators, may we all honor the exhortation of Deuteronomy 6:6-7 by coming alongside our students’ parents in ways that help them fulfill their God-given responsibilities.