Committee hears testimony on Missouri Educators and Parental Empowerment and Rights Act; unions support, administrators urge caution

The House Committee on Elementary and Secondary Education held a hearing on House Bill 17‑67, titled the Missouri Educators and Parental Empowerment and Rights Act, which sponsors said aims to align educators' rights with parental rights and strengthen collaboration.

Chair and sponsor Ed Lewis framed the bill as balancing teacher and parent responsibilities, saying "it should be a collaborative effort" and that corresponding rights and responsibilities were paired in the draft. He opened the floor for questions and witnesses.

Adolphagian, speaking for the Missouri NEA, urged the committee also to consider student rights in future work and suggested adding protections for instruction methods, privacy, and reduced screen exposure. "Should they have the right to be held to high standards?" the witness asked, urging consideration of instructional priorities.

Mike Harris of the Missouri State Teachers Association told the committee Missouri faces a teacher retention crisis: in a recent statewide survey he cited, nearly 69 percent of respondents said they had seriously considered leaving the profession in the past year, and 85 percent said they personally know a school employee who has left in recent years. He said the bill protects teachers’ rights to a safe, orderly classroom and scheduled planning time.

Mike Lodewagen, representing the Missouri Council of School Administrators, cautioned that codifying procedural rights in statute can create legal conflicts and fiscal burdens for districts and urged careful drafting to avoid unintended costs.

Committee members asked about implementation details (permission slips, guest presenters, potential fiscal impacts) and generally praised the effort to foster collaboration while flagging the need for clarity about legal ramifications. The hearing concluded with no committee vote; the bill will proceed through the committee process.