Dave Bondy
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Read Before You Sign: Why School Paperwork Could Change What Your Kids Learn
What parents need to know as another school year kicks off
August 19, 2025
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As a new school year begins, parents are being reminded that the papers sent home in the first week of class are far more than routine forms. From permission slips to technology agreements, many schools are increasingly using opt-out policies that automatically enroll students unless a parent actively declines. That means a missed signature or overlooked deadline can result in children taking part in controversial surveys, lessons, or tests without families even realizing it.

Education advocates say the start of the year is the most important time for parents to slow down and carefully read every document. Experts recommend a few key steps: check for vague language, ask questions if terms are unclear, keep a copy of every form you return, and know your state’s rules on parental consent. Some districts have been criticized for blurring the lines between “opt-in” and “opt-out,” leaving parents frustrated when they later discover their children were automatically included.

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Survey Sparks Complaints in Massachusetts

In Burlington, parents were outraged this spring when middle school students were given the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The survey included explicit questions about sex, drug use, and gender identity. Some families had filed opt-out forms, but their children were still required to take the survey, and teachers allegedly failed to note that participation was voluntary. Parents filed complaints under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), which requires parental consent for surveys involving sensitive topics. In response, Burlington schools suspended future surveys and began a policy review

Supreme Court Sides With Parents on LGBTQ-Themed Books

On June 27, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of parents in Montgomery County, Maryland, who objected on religious grounds to lessons featuring LGBTQ-themed children’s books. The 6–3 decision held that families must be given advance notice and the ability to opt out of such material, citing constitutional protections for religious liberty. The case, Mahmoud v. Taylor, is expected to shape parental rights battles across the country.

Testing Opt-Out Fight in Texas

In Texas, parents continue to push back against mandatory participation in the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exams. Some Houston families reported that students who opted out were still presented with exams during make-up testing sessions, sparking frustration and formal grievances. The Texas Education Agency requires schools to hit a 95 percent participation rate to meet federal rules, but parents argue that the pressure undermines their rights.


Why It Matters

Advocates say these incidents underscore the importance of parental vigilance. An unchecked box, a misunderstood signature, or an unsigned paper can carry significant consequences.

 

“Parents need to be vigilant,” said Karen England, a parental rights advocate. “If you do not know what you are signing, you could unintentionally give permission for things you never would have agreed to.”

With the school year underway, experts stress that parents should treat permission slips and agreements with the same seriousness as legal documents. In today’s classrooms, awareness is just as important as backpacks and pencils.

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September 03, 2025
Taylor, Michigan School Superintendent Bans Political Displays in Classrooms follow pushback from parents. Decision follows national debates ove

TAYLOR, Mich. - Taylor School District’s superintendent Mike Wegher announced a ban on classroom displays considered politically controversial after a photo surfaced of a local classroom decorated with a Black Lives Matter flag, a “Science is Real” banner, and a Taylor Swift poster.

The image sparked backlash in the community, with some parents arguing the displays promoted political messages. Superintendent Mark Maloney said the new policy will prohibit all political symbols, including Black Lives Matter, “Blue Lives Matter,” and “Don’t Tread on Me” flags.

“This policy applies across the board,” Maloney said. “Whether it’s BLM, Blue Lives Matter, or Don’t Tread on Me, we’re not allowing any of it. Our classrooms should remain focused on education, not political debate.” He noted that items tied directly to classroom material would still be permitted but acknowledged it could take time for staff to adjust.

The move places Taylor among a growing number of ...

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Exclusive interview with Ted Parsons who found missing Millington, Michigan girl Victoria Thompson. breakingnews

Exclusive interview with Ted Parsons who found missing Millington, Michigan girl Victoria Thompson. #breakingnews

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September 03, 2025
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September 03, 2025
BREAKING NEWS: Florida will end vaccine requirements to attend school, making it the first state to do so.

BREAKING NEWS: Florida will end vaccine requirements to attend school, making it the first state to do so.

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Monday September 8, 2025
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September 05, 2025
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Friday September 5, 2025

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Jocelyn Benson’s proposed election rule changes make it easier to cheat, harder to challenge illegal votes

Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson wants to make it easier to cheat and more difficult to challenge illegal votes and registrations through a dozen proposed rule changes that will be presented at a public hearing on Friday.

The administrative hearing, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. at the Binsfeld Office Building in Lansing, marks a departure from Benson’s tactic of unilaterally imposing changes repeatedly rules unlawful by courts for circumventing the state’s Administrative Procedures Act.

State law requires Benson to provide public notice of rule changes and opportunities for Michiganders to weigh in before adoption.

The proposed changes for Friday involve voter registration cancellations, challenges, corrections, and overseas voting privileges, which Patrice Johnson, founder of the Michigan Fair Elections Institute, argues “will be devastating to citizen and clerk input to clean the voter rolls.” Click here to read more.

 

Michigan Rep. Blows the Lid Off American Medical Association’s Gender “Care” Narrative

LANSING, Mich. – Michigan Representative Brad Paquette (R-Niles), a former teacher, has been on a mission to protect children from gender care medical experimentation and has introduced bills to criminalize gender-affirming care for minors. According to a May press release, Paquette’s three-bill package would “prohibit health care providers from conducting hormone treatments, surgeries for sterilization, and surgeries that alter genital appearance on minors, with an exception for minors with medically verifiable disorders of sex development or those facing imminent danger from physical condition.”

Paquette said, “It is time for the experimentation on children in the name of care to come to an end. Children are not born in the wrong body. No one has the right to maim a healthy child’s body to try to achieve the unachievable.” Click here to read more.

 

A Comedian Was Jailed In The UK For Jokes. Is Britain Now North Korea?

A member of Parliament warned U.S. legislators Wednesday that Americans could face arrest in the United Kingdom for what they post on social media, under a new British law that has received wide attention this week.

Comments in Washington by Nigel Farage, leader of the conservative Reform UK party, come amid fresh scrutiny of Britain’s Online Safety Act, which, among other things, makes it illegal to incite violence through internet posts.

Even some supporters of the measure seem to be questioning the enforcement side after Irish comedian Graham Linehan was arrested Monday at Heathrow Airport for social media posts about transgender people. Click here to read more.

 

Senator Says It’s ‘Extremely Troubling’ to Believe Rights Come From the Creator

The U.S. Senate has wasted no time getting back to serving the American people after its six-week summer recess. With issues like the Sept. 30 deadline to have either a budget or a continuing resolution or risk a partial government shutdown on the agenda, Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia reminded us of the twisted view the Left has of our civil rights and how much control it wants government to have over them.

During a nominations hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday, the former Democrat vice presidential candidate said, “The notion that rights don’t come from laws and don’t come from the government, but come from the Creator … that’s what the Iranian government believes. … So, the statement that our rights do not come from our laws or our governments is extremely troubling.” Click here to read more.

 

A Health Care Tax Hike Poses the Greatest Midterm Threat to the GOP

As a pollster, I know numbers. And right now, our poll numbers are issuing a stark warning about the future of our party’s majorities in Washington. If Congress fails to act on a critical issue this year – to preserve key health care tax credits for millions of working, middle-class Americans in the individual health insurance marketplace – these Americans will get hit with an unexpected tax increase. After four years of Biden-Harris inflation, it’s a tax they can’t afford.

Our recent national survey reveals a clear mandate that every Republican lawmaker should be working to preserve these health care tax credits that help make health insurance more affordable for working Americans, or risk significant political consequences. Click here to read more.

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September 04, 2025
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Thursday September 4, 2025

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Michigan taxpayers fund 31,388 repairs on employee vehicles in 2024

When a Michigan government employee hits a pothole and blows a tire, the taxpayer might foot the bill.

The state of Michigan owns or leases more than $14,000 vehicles that state employees use to drive millions of miles.

In fiscal year 2024, the state’s leased fleet used 6.9 million gallons of fuel and traveled more than 116 million miles.

State employees service their vehicles at the taxpayer-funded Vehicle and Travel Services Garage. The garage recorded more than 31,300 repairs in fiscal year 2024, according to the state’s 2025 fleet plan..

Taxpayers paid for vehicle wear-and-tear caused by Michigan’s rough roads. The garage recorded nearly 4,000 tire jobs, over 1,700 brake repairs, 1,600 body and glass repairs, 5,000 miscellaneous repairs and 275 towing services. Click here to read more.

 

Detroit Uses Pandemic Relief Money To Provide Medical Aid To Homeless

DETROIT, Mich. – The city of Detroit has given $562,868 to an organization that will conduct medical outreach for the homeless in what is known as “street medicine.”

The Detroit city council approved extending the contract through the end of 2025 at its Sept. 2 meeting. Click here to read more.

 

Parents say middle schooler was attacked by another student in cafeteria, had to have parts of skull removed

KILGORE, Texas – A middle school student in Texas is recovering from serious injuries after his family says he was attacked by another student at school and had his head slammed into a metal pole.

Lukas Hardeman, 14, was injured by another student in the cafeteria on Aug. 21 after Lukas’ parents said their son made a joke.

Michael Hardeman, Lukas’ father, said the other student slammed his son’s head against a metal pole attached to a stool.

Lukas suffered from brain injuries that required two parts of his skull to be removed, and according to his dad, he has over 60 staples holding his head together now. Click here to read more.

 

ChatGPT's safety fixes come amid scrutiny over teen use of AI chatbot companions

OpenAI announced steps it's taking over the coming months to address safety concerns for people, especially teenagers, who use the company's chatbots while experiencing mental and emotional distress.

The actions come on the heels of a lawsuit filed against the ChatGPT maker on behalf of a family who lost their 16-year-old son to suicide after the company’s chatbot allegedly encouraged his suicidal ideation.

OpenAI’s post on Tuesday announcing the new safety actions didn’t mention the teen, Adam Raine.

OpenAI said it’s enlisting the help of youth development and mental health experts in designing future safeguards for its chatbots.

The company said it will begin routing “sensitive conversations” to more advanced “reasoning models” that are capable of following safety guidelines more consistently.

And it’s giving parents the ability to link accounts with their teens, disable features and get notifications when ChatGPT detects acute distress in the interaction with the young user. Click here to read more.

 

First In The Nation: Florida To End All Vaccine Mandates

Florida’s surgeon general, alongside GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis, announced on Wednesday that the Sunshine State will end all vaccination mandates, including requirements for schools.

“The Florida Department of Health, in partnership with the government, is working to end all vaccine mandates in Florida law — all of them,” Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo told a room of supporters. “Every last one of them.”

Ladapo went on to say that the government has no right to tell parents what to put in their children’s bodies, or their own bodies, sparking loud applause.

“Every last [mandate] is wrong and drips with disdain — and slavery,” he argued. “Who am I, or anyone else … to tell you what you should put in your body? Who am I to tell you what your child should put in [their] body?” Click here to read more.

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