MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Senate Bill 48, otherwise known as the "Parental Right to Know" bill, is now in full effect. The bill, which Gov. Kay Ivey signed in March, mandates that public school teachers post their class curricula online within 30 days of the posted start date of the school year. Parents, students, and guardians will have access to the posted lesson plans.
"Each classroom teacher shall comply with the request of any parent ... of instructional materials adopted by the local board of education, supplementary instructional materials ... and books in the classroom that are available for students to read," the law's language says in part.
All books included in a teacher's recommended or required reading are expected to be listed in the syllabus posted online.
The legislation was sponsored by Jasper-area Republican and Senate President Pro-Tem Greg Reed and follows a growing push to give parents more transparency and the ability to audit what children are learning in their classrooms.
“The Alabama Republican Party firmly believe that parents should be in the driver’s seat when it comes to the education of our children,” an ALGOP statement said after Ivey's signature of the law in March. "We believe that transparency is essential for accountability, trust, and collaboration among everyone involved in our education system."
Richard Franklin, president of the Birmingham chapter of the American Federation of Teachers, told the local FOX affiliate he doesn't feel the law was necessary and that most of the curriculum will be the same as in years past.
“The legislators have to understand that’s putting more work on the teacher,” said Franklin. “The curriculum and the standards are determined by the state. [Teachers] don’t get a chance to determine what the standards are.”