A Southern California school district has sued Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom over a new law that prohibits districts from notifying parents of their child’s gender identification change.
The Chino Valley Unified School District and a group of parents argued that the law violates parental rights protected under the U.S. Constitution,stating that school officials do not have the right to keep secrets from parents, but parents have the constitutional right to be informed about their minor children’s activities at school.
Flashback: Attorney General Rob Bonta had previously sued the Chino Valley Unified School District over a gender-identity policy, leading to an ongoing legal battle.
- The district had initially required school staff to notify parents if their children changed their gender identification or pronouns, which was halted by a judge.
- The district responded by changing the rule to broadly require that parents are notified if their child requests any changes to student records.
The big picture: The law bars school districts from requiring teachers and other staff to tell parents what their child’s gender identity or sexual orientation is without the child’s permission.
- The law will take effect in January.
What they’re saying: “School officials do not have the right to keep secrets from parents, but parents do have a constitutional right to know what their minor children are doing at school,” said district lawyer Emily Rae in a statement.
- A Newsom spokesperson dismissed the lawsuit as being unserious.
- “California law ensures minors can’t legally change their name or gender without parental consent, and parents continue to have guaranteed and full access to their student’s educational records consistent with federal law,” the spokesperson told the Associated Press. “We’re confident the state will swiftly prevail in this case.”
