Young Voters Respond to U.S. House of Representatives Passing the Parents Bill of Rights

In response to the House passing H.R.5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act, NextGen America President Cristina Tzintzún Ramirez released the following statement:

“The Parents Bill of Rights Act is a racist, sexist, homophobic fear-based bill that would do nothing to protect America’s children and families. This bill isn’t about parents, it’s about intensifying the Republicans’ culture war, banning books, and wedging families against educators. Instead of working to make our education system better, Republicans have focused on this bill which provides no real support for our teachers or schools desperately looking for mental health resources, gun legislation, and wage increases.

“Criminalizing teachers and banning books is extreme, and this type of regulation would only pave the way for even more censorship and more erasure of Black people and LGBTQ+ families. As a mother, I know firsthand that my son is better off growing up in classrooms that encourage students to be themselves and learn about our full nation’s history.

“This bill is dangerous legislation, and we urge the Senate to stop it in its tracks before it advances any further. Young voters are more civically engaged than ever, and we are paying close attention to who supports our vision for the future. As we look ahead to 2024, young people are ready to vote out anyone who holds us back from building the country we believe in.”

###

About NextGen America

NextGen America is the leading national organization for engaging young people through voter education, registration and mobilization. We invite 18-to-35 year olds — the largest and most diverse generation in American history — into our democracy to ensure our government works for them and to find new solutions to the dire challenges facing our society and the world. Since 2013, NextGen America has registered more than 1.5 million young voters and contacted 9.6 million young eligible voters during the historic 2022 midterm elections.