STATEWIDE PARENTS COALITION BACKS JOHN JAMES’ FREEDOM AGENDA, LAUNCHES “PARENTS FOR JAMES” LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

School board members, parental rights leaders endorse James’ Parents Bill of Rights; call on Michigan parents to join growing grassroots movement

Shelby Township, MI — Republican gubernatorial frontrunner John James, a combat veteran, father of three, and Michigan job creator, today launched the Parents for James Leadership Advisory Council, rallying school board members and parental rights advocates from across the state behind his bold plan to restore parental authority and calling on parents statewide to join the movement.

This Isn’t Make-Believe. This Is Happening Right Now in Michigan.

Most people wouldn’t believe these kinds of things were happening in our state if you told them, but they are. This isn’t fearmongering. These are real cases affecting real families:

Lansing and Detroit Public Schools are facing a U.S. Department of Justice investigation over gender ideology policies that violate parental rights.
Rockford Public Schools was sued by parents after school officials secretly encouraged their daughter to adopt a male identity — without ever telling them.
The University of Michigan health system has promoted guidance that undermines parents’ authority over their children’s health care decisions, pushing protocols that bypass parental consent.
Rochester Community School Board has censured a parent-member for promoting transparency in the use of taxpayer dollars, stifling the exercise of free speech.

These aren’t isolated incidents. They’re part of a disturbing pattern where parents are being systematically cut out of decisions that affect their own kids — in classrooms, counseling offices, and doctor’s offices across Michigan.

Michigan ranks 45th in 4th grade reading proficiency. Just this month, Lansing bureaucrats expanded “standards” pushing gender ideology instead of reading, writing, and math. Parents who speak up at school board meetings are labeled extremists and shut down.

This isn’t education. It’s indoctrination. And it’s happening on the taxpayers’ dime.

That’s why John James is taking action — with the most comprehensive and enforceable parental rights framework ever proposed in Michigan.

The announcement comes as James unveiled his Parents Bill of Rights for Michigan, guaranteeing parents full transparency in education, control over their children’s health care decisions, protection of student privacy, and real enforcement when those rights are violated.

The Parents for James Leadership Council includes parents and school board members who have fought on the front lines of curriculum transparency battles, school safety issues, and efforts to protect parental rights in classrooms across Michigan.

Parents for James Leadership Advisory Council Members:

Carol Beth Litkouhi, Rochester Community School Board — Oakland County
Julie Maday, Michigan State University Board of Trustee Candidate — Oakland County
Tammy Lehman, Former Chelsea School Board Member — Washtenaw County
Shelley Lauzon, Rochester Community School Board — Oakland County
Mark Tisdel, Michigan State House of Representatives — Oakland County
Jaime Greene, Michigan State House of Representatives — Macomb, Lapeer & St. Clair Counties
Matt Wilk, President; Get Kids Back to School
Keri Poulter, Former Chelsea School Board Member
Beth Pack, Traverse City Area Public Schools Board — Grand Traverse County
Tyler and Hannah Hollin, Jackson County Parents
Carol Reaume, Dundee School Board — Monroe County
Sean Lechner, Monroe County Parental Rights Leader
Darla Myers, Vice President Monroe County School Board
Dana O’Dell, Ottawa County Parental Rights Leader
Sarah Ryke, Kent County Parent
Lindsay Greenstein, Washtenaw County Parental Activist
Angela Angel, Southgate School Board — Wayne County
Monica Radyko, Chippewa Valley School Board — Macomb County
Julie Green Leen, Sanilac County Parental Activist
Tom Heck, President, Monroe County School Board
Kari Reschke, Washtenaw County Parent and Community Advocate
Alecia Childers, Macomb County Parent and Community Advocate
Jamie Hunter, Ida Public Schools — Monroe County
Deborah Harmon, Charlevoix County Parent
Catherine Dobis, Wayne County Parental Activist
Melissa Haykus, Wayne County Parental Activist
Alicia Kusky, Isabella County Parent
Claudia McCrackin, Macomb County Parent
Amanda Silber, Kalamazoo County Parental Rights Leader
Robert Wojtowicz, Chippewa Valley School Board — Macomb County
Sandra Herndon, L’Anse Creuse School Board — Macomb County
Pamela Hornberger, Former Chair of Education & Former L’Anse Creuse School Board — Macomb County

Why They’re Standing with John James:

“As school board members, we’ve seen firsthand what happens when parents are pushed aside, transparency disappears, and families who speak up are labeled instead of heard. Schools should answer to families, not bureaucrats. John James’ Parents Bill of Rights restores real accountability and makes it clear that parental authority isn’t optional. That’s leadership Michigan needs.”

— Carol Beth Litkouhi and Shelley Lauzon, Rochester Community School Board Members

“I trust John as a father who knows what it feels like to worry about homework, safety, and the future. He talks like a parent who has skin in the game, setting high standards and expecting accountability while still believing in every child’s potential. That heart and humility are why he has my vote.”

— Tammy Lehman, Former Chelsea School Board Member

“Every parent knows the fear of not being able to protect their kids from what’s out there online. I’m proud my legislation to ban smartphones in Michigan’s classrooms is becoming law, but we need leadership at the top that will keep fighting for our families. John James has fought in Congress to give parents the power they need and force Big Tech to answer for putting children at risk. Our kids’ innocence is worth fighting for, and Michigan needs a Governor who won’t back down from that fight. John James is that leader.”

— State Representative Mark Tisdel, House District 55

“As a father, my first responsibility is to protect my children — that’s why I proudly support John James. He stands for faith, family values, and common-sense leadership. As we face an ongoing battle involving Title IX and the protection of female athletes’ rights, John James has been clear — fairness, safety, and equal opportunity for girls matter. He speaks from the heart, not from an agenda. He believes in defending our daughters’ rights on and off the court and standing up for every female athlete and I believe he fights for us no matter what! This isn’t political for me — it’s personal. I will always stand with leaders who fight for our families and for what’s right.”

— Sean Lechner, Monroe County Parental Rights Leader

“For the past five years, I’ve advocated for parental rights, strong academics, and protecting childhood innocence in public schools. I believe John James’s Parents’ Bill of Rights will empower families, boost transparency in education, and refocus on core skills and values, helping our children succeed without needless distractions.”

— Dana O’Dell, Ottawa County Parental Rights Leader

“I endorse John because his Parents’ Bill of Rights restores my voice in my children’s education and health decisions. I want schools that inform, not hide, and doctors who partner with families, not bypass them. His plan treats parents like the first and best advocates for their kids, and that matters deeply to me.”

— Lindsay Greenstein, Washtenaw County Parental Rights Leader

The Three Guiding Principles Behind John James’ Parents’ Bill of Rights

John James’ framework is built on three foundational, non-partisan principles that every Michigan parent — regardless of party or background — can stand behind:

#1: Kids cannot consent.

#2: Parents have a right to know.

#3: If it is not okay for adults to engage with other adults about their personal medical or sexual matters at work without consent, then it is not okay for adults to engage with other people’s minor children about their personal medical or sexual matters at school without parental consent.

No state-level statute overrides the fundamental liberties guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, and it is essential to reaffirm these basic principles. Restoring clarity and common sense is long overdue. There will be a higher bar for protecting the innocence of children in the State of Michigan, not a lower one.

John James: “This Is Personal for Me. It Should Be for Every Parent in Michigan.”

“At West Point, they taught me that leadership means protecting those who can’t protect themselves. As a father of three and as your next Governor, my mission is clear: defend Michigan’s children by defending their parents’ God-given rights. The first bill I got signed into law in Congress gave the State Department additional resources to combat human trafficking and I’ve worked to protect our kids from Big Tech’s predatory practices online — protecting God’s precious children all over the world. If I fought that hard for children I’ve never met, imagine how hard I’ll fight to preserve the rights of parents and protect the innocence of children right here in Michigan.”

“Bureaucrats in Lansing have spent years undermining families and hiding behind red tape. That stops now. My Parents’ Bill of Rights doesn’t just talk about parental authority — it enforces it. This is personal for me. It should be for every parent in Michigan.”

— John James

“For years, parents have been told to sit down and shut up. Not anymore. The Parents for James Leadership Council is just the beginning — but we need an army of moms, dads, and grandparents to join us. If you believe kids belong to families, not bureaucrats, sign up today at JohnJamesMI.com/signup. Let’s show Lansing what a parent movement looks like.”

— Julie Green Leen, Sanilac County Parental Rights Leader

John James’ Parents’ Bill of Rights ends the secrecy, restores transparency, and puts parents back in charge — with real enforcement and real consequences for those who violate it.

For more information or to join the Parents for James coalition, visit JohnJamesMI.com/signup.

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