Campaign position · Updated October 4, 2026
Opt-in, opt-out, and parental choice
For optional activities, my preference is that children are included by default wherever law permits, and parents are responsible for opting them out if they do not want them to participate.
The issue
Consent and opt-out rules vary by activity, curriculum, survey, and service. Some instruction already requires written parental opt-in under Texas law; other activities have different rules.
Why it matters in Katy ISD
Families need clear advance notice, an easy way to make a choice, and meaningful alternatives for children who do not participate.
What the Board controls
The Board adopts local policy within state and federal requirements and monitors whether families receive clear notice and lawful choices.
My approach
My preference is that, by default and wherever the Board has authority and law allows, children are opted in for optional activities, and parents are responsible for opting their children out of the aspects they do not want them involved in. The job of the school is to educate; the job of the parent is to exercise the opt-out where legally permissible. Give families timely, plain-language notice of what is planned and an easy way to opt out, with appropriate alternatives and no penalties. This is not a claim that families can opt out of every required class or legal requirement.
What I would ask and measure
- Clarity about which activities require opt-in under law and which allow parental opt-out
- Notice timing and readability
- Availability of appropriate alternatives without penalty
- Consistency across campuses
- Resolution time for concerns