Parents who want to be notified if their children request different-sex names and pronouns in class may want to think twice about sending them to public school in California.
Advocates for parents’ rights promised a legal fight after Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation Monday making California the first state in the nation to pass a law forbidding school districts from enacting policies requiring schools to inform parents if their children disclose a change their identification.
The newly signed law seeks to crush an uprising of school boards challenging a state Department of Education directive that says schools “must consult with a transgender student” before informing anyone of the student’s gender identity, including the parents.
“AB 1955 endangers children by excluding parents from important matters impacting their child’s health and welfare at school,” said Assembly member Bill Essayli, a Republican. “Gov. Newsom signing AB 1955 is both immoral and unconstitutional, and we will challenge it in court to stop the government from keeping secrets from parents.”
The California Family Council dubbed the law the “Parental Secrecy Act” and said it was “committed to challenging AB 1955 in court.”
Cheering the law’s passage were Democrats and LGBTQ advocates who oppose what they call the “forced outing” policies.
“Today is a great day for California,” said Democratic state Sen. Susan Eggman, who chairs the Legislative LGBTQ Caucus. “With the Governor’s signature on AB 1955, a first in the nation policy, reaffirms California’s position as a leader and safe haven for LGBTQ+ youth everywhere.”
Eight states have passed measures requiring schools to keep parents in the loop, but “California is the first state to explicitly prohibit forced outing policies in schools,” according to Assembly member Chris Ward’s office.
Mr. Ward, a Democrat and the bill’s sponsor, said the newly signed law would counter what he described as rising attacks on “the rights, safety, and dignity of transgender, nonbinary and other LGBTQ+ youth.”
“While some school districts have adopted policies to forcibly out students, the SAFETY Act ensures that discussions about gender identity remain a private matter within the family,” Mr. Ward said. “As a parent, I urge all parents to talk to their children, listen to them, and love them unconditionally for who they are.”
The measure prevents school officials from informing parents of their child’s “sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression,” or retaliating against teachers or staffers “if they refuse to forcibly out a student.”
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On the other side was Harmeet Dhillon, CEO of the Center for American Liberty, called AB 1955 “an outrageous attempt to keep parents in the dark while schools indoctrinate kids with radical gender ideology.”
“In school districts across California, parents fought back against parental secrecy policies by running for school boards and passing policies that ensure parents are informed about their kids’ education and wellbeing,” Ms. Dhillon said. “By signing the bill, Gov. Newsom is transferring power away from our local communities and centralizing it in Sacramento, blatantly undermining our democratic values.”
The law represents the apex of a yearslong fight over the state Department of Education directive, which spurred a revolt that saw parents’ rights candidates capture majorities on school boards across the state.
More than a dozen districts have now passed policies requiring parental notification when students seek to change their gender identity, led by the Chino Valley Unified School District, which is now locked in a legal battle with Attorney General Rob Bonta.
Mr. Bonta obtained a temporary injunction in October blocking Chino Valley from enforcing what he called its “discriminatory forced outing policy,” prompting the board to overhaul the measure by removing references to ’gender.”
In October, Mr. Bonta obtained a temporary injunction blocking Chino Valley from enforcing what he called its “discriminatory forced outing policy,” prompting the board to overhaul the policy by removing references to “gender.”
Even so, Mr. Bonta filed a motion in April for a permanent injunction “to protect students’ civil rights and ensure that the Board does not reenact or implement its original, discriminatory policy.”
At least one federal judge has ruled in favor of parents’ rights advocates and against the policies against “forced outing.”
In September, U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez blocked the Escondido Union School District from enforcing its student-privacy policy, saying it was “unlikely” that the constitutional right to privacy for children includes a “right of confidentiality from their own parents.”
Sonja Shaw, president of the Chino Valley Unified School District, called Mr. Newsom’s decision to sign the bill an “egregious attack on the constitutional rights of parents and the raising of their children.”
“This legislation weaponizes the system against those who know and care for their children the most,” Ms. Shaw said. “This legislation prevents parents from exercising their rights as legal guardians. Every parent is now aware of this betrayal and will rise to challenge it.”
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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