In the “Commitment to America,” Republicans propose a parent bill of rights for K-12 education. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is under fire for giving parents the right to be notified if their child is expressing gender dysphoria and requiring children to use the appropriate bathroom. While the media and radical trans activists have criticized both moves, polls show most voters reject explicit sexual content, and parents want to be involved.
A new poll from Rassmussen Reports is no exception. A large majority of likely voters (77%) are at least somewhat concerned that school-age children get exposed to sexually explicit material that is not age appropriate. Even 61% of Democrats and 50% who call themselves liberal fall into this category. In all gender, race, and age categories except for voters 18-39, 50% or more say they are very concerned. Oddly, likely voters in major cities are a bit more concerned than those living in small cities and suburbs.
Without exception, a majority of likely voters across race, gender, and age groups say they believe it is at least somewhat likely that sexually-explicit materials are available in public school libraries. Nearly two-thirds of parents and grandparents of school-age children agree. More than two-thirds of likely voters say it is very important that parents are fully informed about what their children get taught in the classroom. Only respondents identifying as Democrats or liberals deviate significantly from the top line number.
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The Rassmussen poll is unique because it breaks out the type of content likely voters object to. A majority of likely voters, 54%, at least somewhat oppose schools teaching about homosexual lifestyles. A plurality of men and women strongly oppose teaching about the topic. So do a plurality of parents and voters not affiliated with either party.
When it comes to teaching children about transsexualism, significant pluralities of men, women, and all races strongly oppose the curriculum. Self-identified Democrats and liberals only strongly oppose at rates of 18% and 13%, respectively. These voters, along with voters aged 18-39, those who at least somewhat approve of Joe Biden, and those without a religious affiliation are the only groups where a clear majority does not at least somewhat oppose classroom instruction on trans issues.
In the groups above, where a majority are okay with teaching about trans issues, only a tiny plurality strongly object to school instruction on how to perform sex acts. In every other demographic, a majority, often more than 75%, strongly oppose schools taking this responsibility. Among all likely voters, the poll shows 63% strongly oppose this kind of curriculum, and more than three-quarters at least somewhat oppose it.
Barely a majority of self-described liberals even somewhat oppose children receiving instruction on how to perform sex acts. In fact, more liberals, Democrats, and likely voters aged 18-39 strongly oppose schools providing education on how to use dating apps, including ones specifically for homosexuals, than oppose a curriculum that teaches children how to have sex or about trans issues.
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Even more bizarre, significant majorites of these same groups agree with everyone else that books containing explicit depictions of sex acts, including homosexual sex, should not be available in elementary and middle school libraries. A majority of all groups except self-identified liberals reject this content in high school libraries. A majority of every group seems to want parental input on the available library content.
It is enough to make you wonder how liberals, Democrats, and voters 18-39 think sex acts get taught in the classroom. The leaked material shared by whistleblowers contains explicit depictions, often in color. There is little agreement, even within groups, about the appropriate age to teach the topics in the survey. Perhaps this is why the K-12 curriculum is best left to state and local elected officials, not bureaucrats in the Department of Education.
In any case, there should be broad support for more parental control in K-12 education. Democrats and self-identified liberals will not vote for the GOP in large numbers. However, in their responses, unaffiliated and moderate likely voters align more closely with Republicans and conservatives, who want more parental control and limits on sexualized content. If Republicans can get the messaging about parental rights in education right, it could help them hold onto parents and grandparents as coalitions in November.
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