Even in the far-left state of California, many parents are outraged by the outsized influence of transgender activism within the state’s public school system.
A number of districts have pushed back against state mandates, including the Temecula Valley Unified School District, which recently rejected a requirement to offer controversial books and other explicit material to students. When Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom threatened to impose a $1.5 million fine, however, the district ultimately agreed to abide by the state’s decree.
Another district continues to push back against the prevailing leftist narrative, however, and is now the subject of a lawsuit by Democratic California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
The Chino Valley Unified School District implemented a policy requiring parents to be notified whenever a student changes his or her gender identity. Bonta, on the other hand, insists that the only way to prevent the “danger of imminent, irreparable harm” to children who identify as transgender is to force schools to keep secrets from parents.
CA’s regime again threatens the will of the people:
• Rasmussen Poll: 84% of Californians support Parental Notification
• Elected Chino Valley School Board passes Parental Notification rules (below)
• @GavinNewsom’s lapdog Attorney General threatens to crush the School… pic.twitter.com/vQpQSqahlZ
— 𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗖 𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗬 (@EricEarly_CA) August 5, 2023
As the lawsuit claims: “They are in real fear that the district’s policy will force them to make a choice: either ‘walk back’ their constitutionally and statutorily protected rights to gender identity and gender expression, or face the risk of emotional, physical and psychological harm from non-affirming or unaccepting parents or guardians.”
For her part, District President Sonja Shaw seemed to welcome the legal challenge. She asserted that there is no prohibition in state law against a school district prioritizing parental notification, adding that the policy currently in place is overwhelmingly supported by parents across the district.
“I’m not surprised at the aggressive stance Sacramento is taking against the district for daring to question motives and agendas that don’t sit well with parents and families fighting to keep themselves involved in the lives of children,” Shaw said. “Once again, this is government overreach, and the political cartel of Bonta, Newsom and [State Superintendent of Public Education Tony] Thurmond is using their muscle and taxpayers’ dollars to shut parents out of their children’s lives.”
During a meeting in which the policy passed with a 4-1 vote, the board ejected Thurmond from the premises when he refused to end his remarks after his allotted time expired.
Shaw took aim at Bonta in her remarks this week, insisting that he had not specified which law the board allegedly violated by implementing the policy.
“I find it a joke,” she declared. “He knows better, and this is another ploy to stop all the districts around California from adopting a common-sense, legal policy. We will stand our ground and protect our children with all we can because we are not breaking the law. Parents have a constitutional right in the upbringing of their children. Period.”
