Jack Ciattarelli, a candidate for governor of New Jersey, has said his commitment to protecting parental rights in education and opposing mandates from Trenton politicians. This statement was made on the social media platform X.
“Parents deserve a say in their children’s education — not government mandates,” said Jack M Ciattarelli. “Great to be with Moms for Liberty and New Jersey home school families this morning standing with families fighting back against intrusive legislation that would trample parental rights. As Governor, I’ll protect parental rights and stop Trenton politicians from undermining them. It’s time.”
Recent debates in New Jersey regarding parental rights in education have centered around policies that require schools to notify parents if a student changes their gender identity. In February 2025, a state appellate panel upheld injunctions blocking several districts’ notification rules, citing potential violations of the Law Against Discrimination. The rulings also noted that the 2018 state guidance on transgender students is not binding, highlighting tensions between state directives and local control. This dispute originated from lawsuits filed by the attorney general in 2023 and has led to changes in district policies, according to the New Jersey Monitor.
Homeschooling in New Jersey has seen significant growth since the pandemic, although the state does not mandate official registration. Using U.S. Census data, the Johns Hopkins Homeschool Hub estimated that 3.62% of K–12 students were homeschooled during the 2022–23 academic year and 3.69% in 2023–24, compared to a peak of 10.7% of households in fall 2020. The Hub also points out New Jersey’s low regulatory burden on homeschoolers, as reported by Johns Hopkins University.
In recent years, many states have pursued legislation concerning parental rights in education, often referred to as “Parents’ Bill of Rights.” According to Ballotpedia, as of 2025, 26 states have enacted such laws while 24 have not. These measures typically address curriculum transparency, parental access to student records, and rules regarding notification or consent. This trend reflects a growing national divide over parental authority in schools.
Ciattarelli is a Republican politician and businessman who represented New Jersey’s 16th District in the General Assembly from 2011 to 2018. He is the GOP nominee for governor in 2025 after previously securing the party’s nomination in 2021. Ciattarelli advocates for expanding charter schools, revising LGBTQ curriculum mandates, and exploring school voucher models, as reported by Chalkbeat Newark.
