As we look back on the past year in Massachusetts, it is clear that families, schools, and communities continue to face significant cultural and policy challenges. Yet there is also tremendous hope. In moments like these, I am reminded of George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life, whose steady, everyday faithfulness preserved Bedford Falls from becoming Pottersville. In much the same way, Massachusetts Family Institute has worked decisively to strengthen the values that protect our Commonwealth. Together with thousands of engaged citizens across the state, we are helping ensure that Massachusetts remains a place where families can thrive and freedom can flourish.
It is no secret that here in the Commonwealth, we lack elected officials who consistently defend faith, family, and freedom. Too often, they appear more aligned with progressive organizations, radical ideologies, and agendas that undermine parental rights, religious liberty, and local control. At MFI, we understand that lasting change requires replacing these anti-family officials with leaders who will champion our values. That is why, in 2025, MFI launched Massachusetts Family Action (MFA), our 501(c)(4) partner organization dedicated to electing like-minded candidates who will advance these principles in local and state government.
Although MFI and MFA are distinct entities, they share a unified mission to see our state transformed. In just a few short months, MFA has already celebrated meaningful victories by helping elect strong candidates to school committees and selectboards in Brockton, Worcester, and Abington. As we look ahead to the 2026 spring elections, MFA is preparing to identify and support candidates, especially at the local level. MFI looks forward to continuing this partnership while renewing our focus on educating residents and exposing the issues that impact communities across Massachusetts.
Yet we know that simply electing officials is not enough; it is only the beginning. We must equip them with the tools and support necessary to lead well. This understanding led us to establish the Massachusetts Education Resource Center (MERC), designed to help education leaders build schools where academic excellence thrives, parental rights are protected, and ideology takes a back seat. Local leaders can now get great training, networking, policy development, and legal guidance. These resources empower school committee members and parents to take charge of their local schools and keep education focused where it belongs: on students. We encourage local leaders to join MERC and take advantage of these critical supports.
Across Massachusetts, a powerful shift is underway. Parents are demanding clarity, transparency, and a meaningful voice in their children’s education. One of the clearest signs of this momentum is the remarkable growth of Massachusetts Informed Parents, an initiative of MFI created to educate, empower, and unite families. Today, more than 16,400 parents, grandparents, and concerned citizens are part of this online community, representing a statewide movement that is alert, organized, and unwilling to be sidelined.
Through MIP, families can gain access to MFI’s resources and guidance, helping them navigate challenges and defend their parental rights. This network has become a vital early-warning system for issues emerging in school districts, and it regularly connects us with families facing situations that may require legal support. Time and again, parents have brought forward concerns that help us evaluate whether a matter rises to the level of legal intervention through our law center. In this way, MIP not only informs parents, but it also strengthens our ability to respond swiftly and strategically to threats against families across the Commonwealth.
To meet the growing demand for strong legal advocacy, MFI launched the Massachusetts Liberty Legal Center (MLLC). The legal center now serves as a critical force in defending parental rights and religious liberty across the Commonwealth. This year, we took a major step forward by asking the United States Supreme Court to hear Foote v. Ludlow School Committee, a case that could secure landmark protections for parents and set a national standard for transparency. MLLC continues to assess and pursue cases where schools or state agencies have exceeded their authority. Through this work, MFI’s role as a steadfast defender of constitutional freedoms in Massachusetts is being cemented.
If we were to imagine what Massachusetts might look like without the work of MFI, we would see a Commonwealth where parental rights are increasingly marginalized, transparency in education is diminished, and families face growing challenges without meaningful support. But today, the state of family advocacy in Massachusetts is strong. Parents are reclaiming their role in their children’s education, churches are offering affordable K–12 alternatives, pregnancy resource centers continue to serve without fear of unjust government penalties, children are being safeguarded from inappropriate school materials, school committee members are receiving essential training and resources, and citizens across the Commonwealth are stepping forward to lead.
As we look to the year ahead, we are committed to strengthening these gains and expanding our impact for Massachusetts families. To continue this work, work that would not happen without your partnership, we ask that you invest in MFI. Your support equips us to defend parental rights, advance educational integrity, protect religious liberty, and build a healthier, more hopeful future for the Commonwealth.
Will you join us today?
For our families,
Michael King, President
Help us spread the word: share this blog on social media and encourage others to stand for faith, family, and freedom in the Commonwealth.
