This month, Let’s Go WA ’25 (LGW25) is rolling out two ballot initiatives designed to push back against what founder Brian Heywood calls the “dangerous and tone-deaf ideology” coming out of Olympia. The group, which has already notched major victories through the initiative process, is now focusing on restoring parental rights in schools and preserving fairness in girls’ athletics.
Heywood joined The Ari Hoffman Show on Talk Radio 570 KVI to outline why these measures are needed. Hoffman said the initiatives are “the keys to unlock the kingdom of the Democrat monopoly here in Washington.”
Initiative IL26-001: Restoring the Parent’s Bill of Rights
The first initiative, IL26-001, repeals HB-1296, which gutted I-2081, the Parental Bill of Rights, and reinstates the transparency provisions that Washington voters demanded in 2024 when they sent I-2081 to the legislature.
Heywood explained. “It guts parents’ rights to know what’s going on with their kids, creates a process so long and expensive that parents can’t seek redress in court, and gives the Superintendent of Public Instruction the power to withhold up to 20% of a district’s funding if they don’t follow Chris Reykdal’s mandates. That’s greenmail intimidation.”
Hoffman pointed out how OSPI’s directives include hypersexualized content starting as early as kindergarten, woven not just into sex education but “into math, science, history, gym — you name it.” He added, “Seattle Public Schools even posted policies on their own website and then called their own posting misinformation. It’s ridiculous.”
Initiative IL26-638: Protecting Fairness in Girls’ Sports
The second initiative, IL26-638, would bar biological males from competing in girls’ sports, aligning state policy with Title IX’s original intent. “It’s a really simple measure,” Heywood said. “Students already need a physical to participate in athletics. Our initiative just requires that their biological sex listed on that physical, determine eligibility for boys’ or girls’ teams.”
Heywood acknowledged there will always be attempts to game the system, but the principle matters: “The focus is changing the standard from, ‘It’s fine for biological males to compete in girls’ sports’ to ‘That’s not okay.’ If we don’t push back, this will destroy girls’ sports. And it’s not just about scholarships or titles. It’s about safety and fairness for the 120,000 girls who participate in school athletics.”
He added, “If a biological male stood outside your daughter’s window naked, you’d call the police. But if he walks into her locker room naked, she gets in trouble for being a bigot while he gets a medal. That’s insanity.”
Looking Ahead: School Choice on the Horizon?
When asked about broader reforms, Heywood said school choice is also on his radar, though not part of this year’s push. “I love the idea, and I think competition would force public schools to improve,” he said, while noting concerns from homeschool families about state overreach.
A Grassroots Battle
Let’s Go WA ’25 is relying on small-dollar donors and volunteers to collect signatures. Heywood framed the fight in stark terms: “We don’t co-parent with the government. No government employee can care about or love your child like you do. If you believe in protecting kids, families, and the integrity of girls’ sports, we invite you to sign your name next to ours.”
If successful, the initiatives will head to the legislature in 2026 — and could mark the next major showdown between grassroots activists and Olympia’s Democratic ruling majority.
