Parents of Tennessee public-school students are seeing something new this school year as they sign a myriad of paperwork brought home by their children, among those a new medical consent form. With phones ringing, dogs barking, and bread burning in the oven, the papers are often signed by busy parents without proper scrutiny.
“I remember when my kids were in public school and having a large stack of papers to sign at the beginning of each year. I did what most parents do, and just signed without thinking about it. But gone are the days when the school nurse was the only “health care professional” our kids would deal with, and the school counselor was there to help guide students on what they wanted to do after high school. Now we have mental health counselors in every school in our county. Do these counselors fall under “other health care professionals?” Because it seems so. I wonder if parents realize the slippery slope we are on.” – Michelle Jinnette, Parent of Two Children
A well-intended new code section, created by the Tennessee Legislature in the 2024 session, aims to codify the rights of parents to raise and care for their children without interference from government. However, it has prompted certain school districts to seek blanket consent for medical treatment of students.
The act states in part, “The liberty of a parent to the care, custody, and control of the parent’s child, including the right to direct the upbringing, education, health care, and mental health of the child, is a fundamental right.”
