Data Collecting and Opt Outs
- Data Mining Your Children (PDF)
What information is your school collecting on your children? This article is as relevant today as it was in 2014 when it was written. - How Well Do You Know Your Rights?
Take the parental rights quiz and learn more about parentalrights.org 
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Data Collection
Each child’s responses are collected in a “data dashboard” and measured to see whether the child demonstrates change in regard to attitudes, feelings and behaviors. The results are entered into a national SEL data bank, often to 3rd party vendors.
Watch our SEL Webinar to learn more about this program infiltrating most of our schools.
Find additional information under Social and Emotional Learning.- It’s Time to OPT OUT of the Minnesota Student Survey!
You can OPT OUT your children for the Minnesota Student Survey (MSS) that is run by a partnership of four state agencies, the Minnesota Departments of Education, Health, Public Safety, and Human Services, and administered every three years to students in grades 5, 8, 9 and 11. [Read More]
Minnesota Students Survey Questions
• 2019 Minnesota Student Survey for Grades 9 and 11, ALCs, and JCFs (PDF)
• 2019 Minnesota Student Survey for Grade 8 (PDF)
• 2019 Minnesota Student Survey for Grade 5 (PDF) - Keep Your Children Home on the Day of Silence
Each year, usually in April, schools across the country allow students and teachers to refuse to speak all day. The Day of Silence is a tool of the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network (GLSEN) to force all school children, their parents, teachers and administrators to support and affirm this ideology by remaining silent. By refusing to speak, they marginalize those who disagree.
• A Day of Silence?
• The ‘Day of Silence’ Walk Out
Is Your Child Unsafe at the Doctor’s Office? Invasive Teen Questionnaire
A HealthPartner’s policy is being implemented that requires clinicians to administer a pre-teen/teen invasive health questionnaire answered only by the adolescent. The parent is then asked to leave the child alone with the clinician so the clinician can engage the child “one-on-one” about the answers and personal concerns. Plus with whom is this data being shared? State law allows the Minnesota Department of Health to require providers and health plans to “provide patient health records and claim files” M.S. 62J.321 Data Collection & Processing Procedures. Please read the following for details so you can protect your child!
• Is Your Child Unsafe at the Doctor’s Office?
• Questionnaire (PDF)
• Letter: Parents beware of new health survey (PDF)
• When the Sign Says “No Parents Allowed”
Beware of doctors that won’t let you as a parent accompany your child to the clinical area. The HIPPA Privacy Act is supposed to protect us from tyranny or any unethical deeds done by doctors and any other outside parties. It is absurd to think that a child’s privacy is being violated by having their own parent with them.
Comprehensive Sexual Health Education (CSE) and Your Rights as a Parent
Attention Parents: SIECUS and Planned Parenthood are trying to MANDATE Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE) through legislation in MN and throughout the nation. If the CSE bill passes in the 2020 MN session, every school will be required to teach CSE from K-12 in all public and charter schools. Read more and stay informed at Stop Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE)
You have a legal right to know what health curriculum and resources your school is using. Please check with your own school. Look at the list of Prominent CSE curricula. Many have been surprised to learn that their own schools have already adopted CSE curriculum. Take it before other parents, your school administrators and your school boards if necessary. CSE is not a state mandate…yet. You still have a voice and you still have parental rights in directing the education of your children. It’s up to you.
With the ever-expanding use of CSE in schools, it is important for you to know what the Minnesota state law currently states.
MN law 120A.22, Subdivion 1
The parent of a child is primarily responsible for assuring that the child acquires knowledge and skills that are essential for effective citizenship.
MN law 120B.20
Each school district shall have a procedure for a parent, guardian, or an adult student, 18 years of age or older, to review the content of the instructional materials to be provided to a minor child or to an adult student and, if the parent, guardian, or adult student objects to the content, to make reasonable arrangements with school personnel for alternative instruction. Alternative instruction may be provided by the parent, guardian, or adult student if the alternative instruction, if any, offered by the school board does not meet the concerns of the parent, guardian, or adult student. The school board is not required to pay for the costs of alternative instruction provided by a parent, guardian, or adult student. School personnel may not impose an academic or other penalty upon a student merely for arranging alternative instruction under this section. School personnel may evaluate and assess the quality of the student’s work.
The parental non-consent form prepared by The Liberty Council law firm, Lynchburg, VA, may be used by Minnesota parents in their local schools concerning curriculum that they object to. The purpose of this form is to put the school on notice regarding what is/is not acceptable for your child and that you must be provided preemptive notice.
The introductory letter explains how to use this form and recommends that you fill one out for each of your children. Liberty Council states that they are prepared to assist and provide guidance in this area.
Public Policy
Legislative Issues and Bills
Issues and potential bills happen so fast that it is often difficult to keep up. This is where CPL can help! We do our best to keep you informed of bills affecting our children so that you can submit public comment and contact legislators.
For details about current MN legislation, go to our Take Action page.
Sign up to receive our newsletters using the form Receive Email Updates. If you have any concerns or additional information, please let us know by using our CPL Online Form.
School Policies
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
FERPA is a federal privacy law that affords parents the right to:
- Have access to their children’s education records,
- Confirm the accuracy and seek to have the records amended,
- Review and appeal the information, and
- Consent to the disclosure of personally identifiable information
What Is FERPA (PDF) explains what each of these rights mean. Document provided by the Capitol Resource Institute.
Racial Quotas in School Discipline
Upon recommendation of the Federal Commission studying school safety, acting U.S. Attorney General Whitaker rescinded the Obama-era “Racial Equity in School Discipline” directive that disregarded federal law and subjected public school students to two-tiered discipline based on race. However, the Dayton administration anticipated this sea change and initiated its own racial equity directive. In October of 2017, the MN Department of Human Rights (MDHR) sent a letter to 43 school districts informing them that they have a “racial discipline disparity” in violation of the MN Human Rights Act. Unless they entered into a “settlement agreement” with the state, they would file charges and investigate them for civil rights violations.
Overview: Minnesota is full steam ahead implementing the racial quotas in school discipline in schools throughout the state.
Read Minnesota Goes Full Radical on Race Based School Discipline and Take Action.
Gender & Privacy Policies
The gender ideology is now creeping into our schools indoctrinating our children even at the elementary level. What is the pronoun mandate? Are our children safe when male students can use female restrooms and locker rooms because the male student decides he now identifies as a female despite his male biological body? Be aware of what is occurring in your schools and communities that embrace this dangerous new trend.
- The “Toolkit” Agenda
Despite strong opposition, the Toolkit to Ensure Safe and Supportive Schools for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students was passed in MN by an unelected, governor appointed Minnesota Department of Education committee. It’s not just about bathrooms and locker rooms. It’s about indoctrination into a dangerous gender ideology. The pronoun mandate is the most dangerous part of the Toolkit. Use this extensive resource to educate yourself on the issues. - A Critical Review of Schools In Transition: A Guide for Supporting Transgender Students in K-12Schools (PDF)
Radical gender activist groups such as the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Gender Spectrum, and the LGBT & HIV Project have published this guidebook, Schools in Transition (PDF), for schools across the country to use in setting school policies that endorse and promote transgender ideology. The MN Department of Education (MDE) recommends this guidebook as a credible resource. - Gender Identity Politics at Anoka-Hennepin School District
The Anoka Hennepin School Board meeting March 23, 3017 was packed and the testimony was strong in support of privacy rights of students. These testimonials from CPL and the community may be of help as you battle this issue in your schools and districts.- Child Protection League testimony, Michele Lentz (14:15)
- Parents Action League testimony, Barb Anderson (12:57)
- Letter from Liberty Council, Mary McAlister (submitted in writing)
- Letter from Alliance Defending Freedom, Doug Wardlow (20:10)
- North Star Law & Policy Center, Renee Carlson, Esq, (1:10:47)
- Dr. Olson Testimony (50:33)
- Hands Across the Aisle, Emily Zinos (17:30)
- MN School Board Association, Guidance on Transgender Issue, March 7, 2017 (resource included here by CPL)
- American College of Pediatricians letter to New London-Spicer School Board (resource included here by CPL)
- Gender Dysphoria in Children, Michelle Cretella, MD (resource included here by CPL)
- Governor Doubling Down on Obama Transgender Policy
President Trump withdrew the Obama administration’s threat to withhold federal funding if schools don’t comply with gender inclusive policies, however; the MN governor and the Department of Education are exerting pressure on districts to adopt the now-rescinded policy. Will the new MN governor follow suit? - School Boards are the Front Lines
Learn how the federal directive on transgenders in school bathrooms does not carry the force of law, and what you can do. The MN Department of Education is falsely teaching that gender fluid Ideology must be taught in K-12 classrooms.
• Remind your school board members with a “Dear School Board” letter (download in Word) or (download in PDF)
• Sample Model Student Physical Privacy Policy (PDF) to submit to your school board. - Title IX Dear Colleague Letter (PDF)
Alliance Defending Freedom refutes the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice issued “Dear Colleague” Letter claiming that Title IX requires every school district to treat students consistent with their gender identity.