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Vote NO on IL26-001

Washingtonians respect and care for each other. We may not always agree, but we work together to protect our children from violence, hate, and harassment. Now a MAGA mega-donor is bankrolling two poorly written initiatives to remove common sense protections for child abuse victims (IL26-001).

Harming Child Abuse Victims (IL26-001)

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Washington school counselors, school nurses, and pediatricians say IL26-001 restricts student access to help for challenges like depression, sexual assault, domestic violence, bullying, and anxiety.

Parents have the right to know what’s going on with their kids at school. But while most parents are loving and supportive, the sad reality is not all kids are safe at home. Child abuse is more widespread than most realize: there were 117,629 reports of child abuse or neglect in Washington in 2024 alone.

IL26-001 removes common sense school record protections for victims of child abuse

  • IL26-001 will force schools to hand over sensitive information about child abuse victims to their parental abusers.

  • This poorly written initiative could allow parents under criminal investigation or who have been charged with raping, assaulting, or otherwise harming their own child to access sensitive information, including private social work and school counseling records, putting kids at greater risk. 

IL26-001 worsens the teen mental health crisis

  • Washington school counselors, school nurses, and pediatricians say IL26-001 will worsen the teen mental health crisis.

  • Youth depression is at record highs. More than half of teenagers experience anxiety or depression, and one in ten Washington state students say they have no one to turn to when feeling depressed.

  • By removing common sense record protections, IL26-001 discourages students facing domestic violence, sexual abuse or bullying from seeking help from trusted school counselors, who would be required to release students’ confidential information.

IL26-001 forces school counselors and teachers to knowingly put LGBTQ+ students at risk of harm or homelessness

  • We should not force teachers and school counselors to knowingly put kids in danger – but that’s what IL26–001 would do by requiring them to “out” LGBTQ+ kids to abusive families.

  • We all want to keep kids safe and most parents know their children will come to them for help. But some kids live in homes that aren’t safe, and some LGBTQ+ kids know they will be kicked out of their homes, beaten, or worse. 

  • According to researchers, 40% of LGBTQ+ homeless youth were kicked out of their home because of their identities.