Jack Ciattarelli talked a lot about returning to "the basics" when it came to public schools. Such sensitive subjects as sexuality were meant for the kitchen table, not the classroom.
Ciattarelli may have lost on Nov.4, but his views on education have not vanished.

The school board in Colts Neck, a Monmouth County town of about 10,000, just adopted a "Parental Bill of Rights," which is right in line with Ciattarelli's thinking.

"Parental rights will remain at the forefront of every decision we make," is how Angelique Volpe, the board president, put it at the board's Nov. 19 meeting.

That was right before the board unanimously endorsed the policy despite the fact most of those speaking on it at the meeting were opposed.

The New Jersey Public Education Coalition, a progressive group, said the move was a "direct attack on the rights of the LGBTQ/transgender" community.

The coalition also noted that a big proponent of the new policy is the right wing Moms for Liberty group.

Alexandra Bougher, of the Bergen County Moms for Liberty chapter called the Colts Neck vote a "huge" victory.

Here are key parts of the adopted Bill of Rights for parents.

Parents should have access to student records, including if their child changes pronouns, their preferred name, and use of gender-specific facilities, like bathrooms and locker rooms.

Parents should have a right to consent to or decline any mental or physical health services offered through the school, including counseling groups and mentoring programs.

Parents should have a right to opt their children out of health and sex education.

Parents should have the right to opt their children out of lessons that contradict their values or religious beliefs, like health curriculum.

Parents have a right to safe, secure schools and for information about those safeguards.

Parents have a right to protect their children's personal information - like gender identity, religious affiliation and sexual orientation -  from research surveys and third-party software.

Some of those who spoke at the meeting said the policy may conflict with state guidelines.

The New Jersey Department of Education through a policy known as 5756 advises school districts to protect a student's privacy in regard to the pronouns they wish to use and how they dress. These principles are also protected by the state's law against discrimination.

Supporters of the parents' rights initiative said it mandates that parents should know what's happening with their children in schools.

Opponents argued that may sound good in theory, but not necessarily in practice.

For example, some students wrestling with their identity may feel more comfortable discussing such things with a teacher or adviser than their parents.

One critic said the adopted policy may be "psychologically damaging" to some students. Another said the board should consider what's best for students.

Nothing happens in a vacuum and the issue of how schools handle this reverberates across the state.

How the incoming administration of Gov. Mikie Sherrill will handle this issue remains to be seen. Still, it seems destined to remain a hot topic for school boards.