Democratic Governor Bob Ferguson has signed legislation that deals a crushing blow to parental authority in Washington’s public schools—rewriting a citizen-led initiative that once guaranteed transparency. Now, key information about a child’s health, identity, and school life can be withheld from the very people legally responsible for them.

The law, House Bill 1296, overhauls Initiative 2081—a so-called “Parents’ Bill of Rights” that passed overwhelmingly last year after 450,000 Washingtonians signed on in support. That initiative demanded schools respect a parent’s right to access records, make decisions on health matters, and be informed about what’s happening in their child’s education. Ferguson’s law reverses those protections.

Under the new statute, a student’s medical records—including those related to gender identity, sexual orientation, and mental health—can now be kept secret from parents. The bill explicitly separates medical records from educational files, blocking parents from accessing them even when the information directly affects their child’s safety or schooling.

Supporters of the new bill claim it’s about privacy. Critics say it’s about power—and protecting schools and teachers from accountability.

“We’re under siege,” said school choice activist Erika Donalds, the wife of Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL). “Schools can now WITHHOLD info from parents even if their child is a victim of a crime committed by a teacher.”

The Washington State House Republican Caucus blasted the move, writing on X that Ferguson’s bill “effectively overturns” the voters’ will. Republican lawmakers tried to amend the bill to ensure biological males couldn’t compete in girls’ sports or use girls’ locker rooms, but those efforts were voted down.

Instead, the bill added new protections for gender identity, sexual orientation, and neurodivergent students—without addressing the core concerns raised by parents in Initiative 2081.

Senate Republican Leader John Braun pulled no punches in his response. “This was a bad session for K-12 students,” Braun said in a statement, blasting both the law and Ferguson’s budget, which raises taxes and reduces the share of federal funding used for public schools.

Governor Ferguson, meanwhile, painted the bill as a win for student rights. “The top priority for our schools must be to ensure a safe learning environment where every student has a chance to thrive,” he said during the signing ceremony.

State Rep. Monica Jurado Stonier (D), the bill’s sponsor, argued that students deserve a place to “experience a full curriculum” and be “seen in their full selves”—a nod to the bill’s focus on gender identity protections.

But families and conservative lawmakers see it differently. They say the law lets activist school officials drive wedges between children and parents, all under the guise of “safety.” And they’re warning that what’s now law in Washington could become the left’s national blueprint.

“Parental rights are being erased,” warned Rep. Jim Walsh (R), a leading voice on education freedom in the state. “What we’re seeing here is a deliberate attempt to remove the parent from the family structure and replace them with the state.”

The law has sparked national attention as part of a growing trend among blue states to curtail parental oversight. Earlier this year, California’s Attorney General sued school districts that required staff to inform parents if their child changed gender identity at school. In Oregon, lawmakers proposed restricting parental notification even when minors request medical procedures.

For many, Washington’s new law represents a turning point—and a warning.

The message from Gov. Ferguson’s administration is clear: the state knows better than parents.

And for families who think otherwise, their rights may just be getting started on the chopping block.