The new report from Them Before Us pulls no punches: too many states are failing our kids and the institutions meant to protect families. This article lays out what the grades mean, why parents should care, how conservative principles point to clear fixes, and what citizens can do next. Expect a blunt look at policy, practical steps for reclaiming local control, and a call to keep pressure on elected officials. The main topic — protecting children from anti-family policies — is front and center throughout.
‘The grades are in and they aren’t good. Nearly two-thirds of all states received a letter grade of C or worse,’ a Them Before Us report revealed. That line hits at the heart of the problem: widespread policy failures are not isolated to a few places, they are systemic and growing. Saying it plainly, this is a wake-up call for parents and policymakers who value traditional family protections.
When people say anti-family policies, they mean a range of actions that chip away at parental authority and common-sense protections. That includes school curricula that push gender ideology, opaque counseling practices aimed at minors, and laws that prioritize bureaucratic agendas over family consent. These moves shift power away from parents and toward institutions that are often unaccountable to local voters.
The gradebook from Them Before Us is more than a ranking tool; it’s evidence that the default policy direction in many states is moving away from family norms. That change matters because children are shaped first and most by home and local community, not by distant officials. When state policy undermines parents, it undermines trust and erodes basic social structures that have held communities together.
From a Republican perspective, the remedy is straightforward: restore parental rights, strengthen local control, and demand transparency. Parents should decide what their children are taught, not unaccountable education bureaus. School boards need real oversight, and state legislators who sign off on harmful policies must answer to voters in plain language, not jargon.
Concrete policy fixes are available and realistic. Require parental notification and consent for counseling or any medical interventions involving minors, tighten curriculum review procedures so parents can see and opt out of controversial material, and tie education funding to measurable standards that prioritize reading, math, and civics over social experiments. These changes protect children while empowering families.
On the legal front, states can pass clear statutes protecting minors from medicalized gender interventions unless parents explicitly consent and a robust medical process is followed. Courts should respect parental authority. And lawmakers should resist federal overreach that forces local districts to adopt one-size-fits-all programs that contradict community values.
Politics start at the local level, so civic engagement matters more than ever. Vote in school board races, attend meetings, ask pointed questions about curricula and counseling protocols, and hold elected officials accountable for the grades their states receive. Grassroots pressure is how policy shifts back toward families and away from bureaucratic trends.
Watchdogs and watchdog organizations have a role too; independent monitoring and public scorecards keep pressure on failing institutions. But citizens must remain active beyond a single report release: sustained attention, organized campaigns, and clear policy demands are what change outcomes. The report’s grades should spark action, not relief.
