Florida AG Launches Office of Parental Rights, Defending Parents’ ‘God-Given Right’

by Zachary Mettler | May 1, 2025 | Government Updates

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced the creation of an Office of Parental Rights (OPR) on Tuesday, a first-in-the-nation initiative to “provide justice to parents and families whose rights have been violated.”

According to Uthmeier’s office, the OPR can help parents address:

  • Denial of access to school records;
  • Lack of consent for biometric or personal data collection;
  • Unauthorized healthcare, counseling, or mental health services;
  • Interference with educational choices;
  • Failure to notify parents or suspected criminal offenses;
  • Coercion or encouragement to withhold information;
  • Objectionable instructional or library materials;
  • Violations of parental notification for health services;
  • Restrictions on parental participation in school governance; and
  • Unauthorized data sharing or surveys.

Attorney General Uthmeier held a press conference announcing the new office, saying “It is not the role of the government to raise kids,” but rather, it is parents’ “God-given right.”

He said a “team of litigators [will be] focused on fighting” legal battles that parents bring to OPR’s attention.

You can watch the press conference below:

“Governments should understand that – when it comes to raising a child – they don’t know best. The parents do, and they deserve an Attorney General’s office working on their behalf,” Attorney General Uthmeier said in a statement announcing the new office, adding,

This first-in-the-nation office is a mechanism for parents and families to seek justice where local governments and school systems seek to “treat,” indoctrinate, or collect data from students without parental involvement. This new initiative is another way we are making Florida the best place to raise a family.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced his support of the new effort, writing on X, “Great initiative that will ensure that Florida’s protections for the rights of parents are upheld.”

Likewise, Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced her support for the initiative on X, writing, “It’s great to see a state showing how enforcing parents’ rights is a priority without the federal government micromanaging them.”

“Thanks for your support, Madam Secretary!” Attorney General Uthmeier replied. “It’s great to have an administration in DC that respects state sovereignty and, most importantly, the rights of parents to direct the upbringing of their children.”

Across the nation, parental rights have been under attack in a variety of ways.

In Colorado, state legislators are considering a dreadful bill – HB 1312 – which would prohibit parents from “misgendering” or “deadnaming” their children, or risk losing custody of them. The state’s courts and Child Protective Services (CPS) have already gotten involved in dozens of cases, removing children from parent’s custody for refusing to affirm their children’s sexual confusion.

School districts across the nation have been sued for hiding information about a child’s sexual identity confusion from their parents, or actively encouraging the child’s “social transition.”

One such parent is January Littlejohn, a wife and mother from Tallahassee, Florida, whose daughter was “socially transitioned” at school without her knowledge or consent. Littlejohn was present at the attorney general’s press conference on Tuesday.

Two years ago, sixteen state attorneys general filed an amicus brief in a Massachusetts case opposing parents’ rights and supporting school policies of hiding information about children’s sexual identity confusion from their parents.

All told, Attorney General Uthmeier’s decision to launch the Office of Parental Rights is a great step forward in defending Sunshine State parents. Please pray more states will soon follow suit.

To speak with a family help specialist or request resources, please call us at 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).

Related articles and resources:

Equipping Parents for Back-to-School – The free download helps you be aware of what’s going on in your child’s classroom and offers guidance for how to advocate for your child.

Championing Parents’ Rights in Education

Indiana Governor Signs Bill Protecting Parental Rights

West Virginia Governor Signs Bill Protecting Parental Rights

Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Protect Parental Rights: ‘Parents Know Their Children Best’

Breaking News: Florida ‘Parental Rights in Education’ Bill Signed Into Law

Photo from Getty Images.