(US MEDIA GROUP) – The fight over parental notification policies in California schools saw new developments on Wednesday as Assemblymember Chris Ward announced updated legislation to ban such policies.
Several school districts, including the Rocklin Unified School District, have adopted parental notification policies, which require teachers and staff to inform parents if a student asks to go by a different name or gender. This has been met with backlash and even lawsuits from state leaders.
Opponents of the policy, known as the “outing policy,” argue that it puts LGBTQ+ youth at risk if they are not ready to come out to their parents or feel unsafe doing so. Proponents argue that it keeps parents informed about important developments in their child’s life.
Assemblymember Ward, a Democrat from San Diego, announced his newly updated legislation, AB 1955, that would ban California school districts from implementing parental notification policies. “We need to be consistent across all California schools and protect all California youth from these harmful policies,” Ward told ABC10.
At Ward’s news conference, 20-year-old Kai, who identifies as transgender, spoke in support of the legislation. Kai, who graduated from Rocklin Alternative Education Center in 2022, credits their sixth-grade teacher for providing support when they came out as transgender. Kai now wants other students to have the same opportunity to come out on their own terms.
The proposed legislation, in addition to banning parental notification policies, would also protect teachers who object to disclosing a student’s gender identity to their parents.
Meg Wiese, chapter chair of Placer County Our Schools USA and advocate for LGBTQ+ students, supports Ward’s legislation. Wiese believes it sends a powerful message to the LGBTQ+ community and prevents extremist school boards from bullying students. She also believes that involving parents in the process will ultimately benefit students, as long as parents are accepting and supportive.
However, not everyone is in favor of the proposed legislation. Rocklin parent Leah Tuifua, who has four children in the district and one who has already graduated, believes that parents should be involved in important decisions regarding their child’s gender identity. She argues that parental notification policies give parents a fundamental right to be involved in their child’s life.
In response to Ward’s legislation, Republican Assemblymember Bill Essayli released a statement saying, “We will continue to fight these indefensible policies in the Legislature and if this bill passes, I dare Governor Newsom to sign this bill into law so that we can immediately challenge it in court.”
Top elected leaders, including Governor Gavin Newsom, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, and State Attorney General Rob Bonta, have spoken out against parental notification policies.
Asm. Ward hopes that his proposed legislation will help settle the matter, as there are currently legal challenges with Rocklin USD’s policy. The district’s lawsuit with the state is set for a hearing on June 13.
However, Rocklin USD parent Mike Murray opposes Ward’s legislation, stating in an email to ABC10, “The move today by state leaders to create a law to ban schools from exercising local control and responding to what parents and students need is disappointing. Parents will continue to advocate for policy that affirms their fundamental rights to care for and educate our children.”