Missouri House axes constitutional change for parent control

By SUMMER BALLENTINE
Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A proposed constitutional amendment guaranteeing parents control of their children’s public education has failed to pass the Missouri House. Lawmakers in the GOP-led House on Monday voted 60-81 against the proposal. The legislation would have enshrined parents’ rights to direct their children’s public school education in the Missouri Constitution. If enacted by voters, the proposal also would have put constitutional restrictions on how teachers discuss race and racism. Some Republicans argued that the legislation should be enacted through state law, not the Constitution. One Democrat said parents already have the right to control their children’s education by homeschooling.