Parents’ Rights in Education
This content was last updated March 25, 2024, 8:28 p.m. UTC
Parents’ Rights in Education (PRIE) is a conservative parents advocacy organization and Southern Poverty Law Center designated hate group. Their advocacy is focused primarily on opposing what they deem as ‘critical race theory’ and ‘gender ideology’ in schools across the United States.
They are most notable for their training and advocacy work, which involves instructing conservative parents on how to run for school board or appeal to their school board to instate certain policies. Members of the organization have also testified in front of state politicians in favor of anti-trans bills.
Parents’ Rights in Education opposes sexualizing children by exposing them to gender ideology. Gender ideology includes discussing students’ “gender- identity,” pronouns, hormone therapy, or sex change medical procedures. Schools host drag queen events, change students’ pronouns on official school documents, refer to students by different names and pronouns, and provide them with sex change hormones, all without parental knowledge or consent.
Founding
Parents’ Rights in Education was founded back in 2011, originating as an Oregon-based group designed to promote conservative beliefs in school systems. In 2015, it was registered as a non-profit in Hillsboro, Oregon. Its various chapters emerged throughout the country in the years since, with the Alaska chapter, for instance, forming around 2020.
Of its stated purpose, PRIE states in its tax filings, “We represent millions of voices standing up for families united for natural parents rights in the K-12 education system.”
Finances
PRIE appears to get some of its income from the shop listed on their website, which lists merchandise like pins, coffee mugs, and sweatshirts. They also receive donations through their website and a partnership with the fundraising website GetLively.
Another notable source of income for PRIE is their membership program, known as 12 x 12. This program involved members paying $12 a month to the organization.
The organization received over $70,000 in revenue for 2022, of which just under $50,000 was spent on various expenses, including professional fees and printing, shipping & postage costs. Most of its expenses are listed as ‘other expenses,’ however, and as such are not available to view.
History of Anti-LGBTQ+ Activism
The majority of PRIE’s anti-trans activism comes in the form of campaigning members might do in their states or local school districts. The organization provides specific training detailing how parents can win their school board elections and advocate to their school board for policies that they support. They’re active in at least 20 states.
PRIE makes clear on its website what policies they support, including opposing things like ‘critical race theory’ and ‘gender ideology,’ which the executive director has likened to ‘indoctrination’ in public schools.
This is reflected in the content they post on their website, with sections for legislation, press releases, and articles. The content shared in these sections includes advocacy for book banning in libraries, claims that supporting trans folks leads to students pretending to be trans to beat up girls, claims that minor transitioning services are child genital mutilation, and support of anti-trans bathroom laws.
Anti-trans content is also featured on their various social media profiles, including Instagram posts that deny WPATH standards on transgender care, Facebook posts linking to conservative articles on transitioning, and YouTube videos on the harms of transgender care.
PRIE also has a podcast hosted by its executive director, Suzanne Gallagher. It features a variety of content that mirrors that which is seen on their website.
The director of PRIE’s Ohio chapter, Lisa Breedlove Chaffee, gave her testimony in favor of Ohio’s House Bill 8, a bill which would force teachers to out trans students to their parents.
Of the organization’s SPLC hate group designation, Gallagher said to Fox News "We consider it to be a badge of courage. That just means we’re doing our job.”