A recent poll conducted by Parents Defending Education (PDE) reveals that a majority of parents, including Catholic parents, strongly oppose school policies promoting transgender ideology. The survey highlights widespread bipartisan disapproval of measures such as allowing biological males access to girls’ spaces and withholding gender identity information from parents.
The poll, which surveyed 1,000 parents nationwide, found that more than 75% of respondents opposed biological males identifying as transgender girls participating in girls’ sports or using female bathrooms and locker rooms. Among Catholic parents, nearly 75% rejected male participation in girls’ sports, and close to 60% disapproved of male access to girls’ private spaces, figures slightly below the general population.
Parental Rights in Focus
Parents expressed strong objections to school policies that encourage teachers, counselors, and other staff to withhold information about a child’s transgender identity unless the child consents. Approximately three-quarters of all parents, including Catholic parents, viewed these policies as violations of parental rights and family transparency.
Nicole Neily, PDE president and a Catholic mother of two, criticized these policies, stating, “These results show that parents are fed up with the current direction of American schools and want a return to the basics.”
Broader Dissatisfaction with Schools
The survey also revealed significant dissatisfaction with the broader educational focus in schools. Nearly 90% of respondents expressed a preference for prioritizing core subjects such as math, reading, and science. More than half called for a reduced role for the U.S. Department of Education, with fewer than half believing the department effectively utilizes resources to enhance student education.
Neily argued that the findings should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers, emphasizing that parents feel federal bureaucrats are prioritizing activist agendas over the educational mission. “Parents want schools to serve the needs of students and families, not advance controversial ideologies,” she said.
The poll underscores growing frustration among parents across political and religious lines, highlighting the increasing demand for schools to focus on academic excellence and transparency rather than divisive social issues.
