Education and Workforce Committee Vice Chair Burgess Owens, who represents Utah’s 4th District in Congress, took part in a recent subcommittee hearing focused on student privacy and parental rights. The hearing, titled “Safeguarding Student Privacy and Parental Rights: A Review of FERPA and PPRA,” addressed concerns about the relationship between parents, teachers, and schools.
Owens opened his remarks by highlighting the importance of collaboration among parents, teachers, and schools. He stated: “Education is one of the most important aspects of childhood. While children are young, we teach them things they need to know and how to think. Education is most important, most meaningful, and impactful when parents, teachers, and schools work together in harmony. However, some schools increasingly see parents as an obstacle that needs to be ignored or overcome. … We have to start with that premise that there’s only one set of parents, and they’re not in the school system unless it’s their kids.”
During the hearing, Owens questioned Laura Powell, Founder and President of Californians for Good Governance. He asked about difficulties faced by parents trying to access their children’s curriculum in districts using digital materials.
Powell responded: “It’s not easy for parents who live in districts like mine, where the districts seem reluctant to share this information. One thing I want to tell parents is go ahead and make these requests. … Don’t be afraid to be persistent. And also, actually, the first line of defense is your children. Keep the lines of communication open with your children. Make sure you’re instilling your values in your children. They are your spies on the inside.”
Owens also spoke with Deborah Figliola, a retired secondary special education and English teacher from Harrisonburg City Public Schools. He sought her perspective on school policies that keep gender transition information from parents.
Figliola said: “Educators need to partner with parents. That’s been the grounding for me from the beginning of my teaching career. … When we do not communicate with parents, and when children are not encouraged to communicate with parents, it creates a wedge between that child and that parent. That wedge gets bigger and bigger as time goes on. … To get rid of that wedge is really important for kids’ mental health.”
Burgess Owens has represented Utah’s 4th District since 2021 after replacing Ben McAdams in Congress. Owens was born in Columbus, Ohio in 1951; he now lives in Salt Lake City at age 71.
He graduated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1974.
