The Brief

• • Governor Ferguson and opposing lawmakers argue Initiative 001 weakens parental rights, strips crime notification rules, and risks exposing vulnerable students to abusive guardians.
  • Let's Go Washington founder Brian Heywood denies those claims, noting the text explicitly restricts record access for parents under abuse investigations and expands requirements to promptly notify parents of crimes or suicidal ideation.
  • The measure, which seeks to restore original parental rights language previously modified by Democrats, will be decided by voters in November.

SEATTLE - A political clash over parental rights in public education intensified as Governor Ferguson voiced his opposition against a voter initiative on Thursday.

During a press conference, opponents raised multiple red flags of Initiative 001, saying it will weaken parental rights, not strengthen them.

What is WA's Initiative 001?

What they're saying:

Supporters say the parental rights measures under Initiative 001 will streamline and compel schools to provide medical, counseling and instructional information to parents in a timely manner.

"I'm speaking partly as a governor, of course, but also as a father of two teenagers," Ferguson said.

The governor says Initiative 001 would undermine existing rules to protect children.

"As an example, to be merely notified — just to be clear, removes parents' right to be merely notified — when their child is a victim of a crime at school," Ferguson said.

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