GOP lawmakers to headline parental rights rally at Capitol

Republican lawmakers and a group of outspoken conservative activists will headline a rally Tuesday on Capitol Hill for parental rights in education.

Republican Reps. Jim Banks of Indiana, Chip Roy of Texas, Vicky Hartzler of Missouri, Carol Miller of West Virginia, Claudia Tenney of New York, and Diana Harshbarger of Tennessee will be among the speakers at the “Government Is NOT A Co-Parent” rally on the Capitol grounds.

The rally is being organized by the Independent Women’s Network and will also feature Ian Prior, the executive director of Fight for Schools, radio host Larry O’Connor, and Fairfax County mother Stacy Langton, who gained prominence for exposing pornographic material in her son’s high school library.

In a statement provided to the Washington Examiner, Carrie Lukas, vice president of Independent Women's Voice, part of the Independent Women's Network, said the organization created the rally because “we've been so inspired by the parents around the country who have been bravely standing up for their kids.”

“This is about who is bringing up the next generation and the proper role of government,” Lukas said. “Parents are supposed to be in charge of their kids' upbringing — not the government. Too many in Washington are pushing cradle-to-grave government and endlessly more spending and more control over family life. That's not what parents want. We want to make sure that message comes across loud and clear.”