Washington Elementary Teacher Takes on State Union Over Parental-Rights Ballot Measures

A Washington state elementary teacher and local union representative has publicly broken with the statewide teachers’ union, accusing its leadership of being driven by activist priorities and opposing ballot measures he says would restore transparency between schools and families.

Teacher and Local Union Rep Voices Concerns

Travis Reep, a fifth-grade teacher in the North Thurston School District near Olympia and a local representative for the North Thurston Education Association, criticized the Washington Education Association (WEA) for opposing parental-rights measures expected on the November 2026 ballot. In an interview with Fox News Digital and remarks to Let’s Go Washington, Reep said he does not feel the union represents him or many fellow classroom teachers.

"I don't feel like the union represents me, and I don't know that they really represent our teachers as best as they should," Reep said. "What typically happens ... is you find people who are activists who have an ax to grind."

What the Ballot Measures Would Do

The initiatives, backed by the group Let’s Go Washington, would reinstate the 2024 Parents' Bill of Rights and include a provision that would bar biological boys from competing in girls' sports, according to campaign statements. Reep says the parental-rights language would require schools to provide parents, upon request, with records and information about their children.

"Basically, what that ensures is that if a parent asks for any documentation or information or records regarding their child, that the school provides those, and that the school does not actively hide that information," he said.

A Washington elementary teacher says schools should partner with parents rather than cut them out, on gender identity issues.

Points Of Contention

Opponents of the measures — including the WEA, which has campaigned against them alongside advocacy groups such as Washington Families for Freedom — warn the parental-rights proposal could force educators to disclose a student’s LGBTQ status, potentially increasing risks like abuse, mental-health crises, and homelessness. Critics also argue the sports provision could prompt invasive exams to verify competitors’ sex.

Reep rejects those worst-case scenarios as mischaracterizations of the ballot language. He noted sports physicals are already required for student athletes, said educators should not be deciding a student’s gender identity, and argued parents should be informed so they can make decisions for their children.

"We need to provide parents with as much information as we have so that they can make the best choices and decisions for their family and for their child. And we need to not be advocating one way or the other as to what they should do. That's not ultimately our choice," Reep said.

Workplace Dynamics And Reactions

Reep said the debate is especially intense around gender identity and that some teachers who favor an activist approach view the issue as a civil-rights matter. He added many teachers privately agree with greater parental transparency but remain quiet for fear of being labeled bigoted.

Since speaking publicly, Reep said he has received positive feedback from parents and some educators in his district. The WEA did not immediately return a request for comment.

Context: These measures add to an ongoing national debate over parental rights, student privacy, and participation in school sports. Voters in Washington are expected to consider the proposals in November 2026 if petition and ballot procedures move forward.