California Enacts Law Barring Schools From Notifying Parents Of Their Child’s Gender Identity Change
California has become the first state in the US to prohibit school districts from mandating that staff inform parents of a student’s gender identity change, under a new law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday.
The legislation, which took effect immediately, prohibits school policies that require teachers and other staff to disclose a student’s gender identity or sexual orientation to anyone, including parents, without the student’s consent, according to Associated Press.
Supporters of the law argue that it will provide protection for LGBTQ+ students who may face unsupportive home environments.
Conversely, opponents claim that the law will limit schools’ ability to maintain transparency with parents.
The new legislation was enacted amidst a broader national discussion concerning the balance between the autonomy of local school districts, parental rights, and the rights of LGBTQ+ students.
According to a statement released by Brandon Richards, a spokesperson for Governor Newsom, “This law helps keep children safe while protecting the critical role of parents.”
“It protects the child-parent relationship by preventing politicians and school staff from inappropriately intervening in family matters and attempting to control if, when, and how families have deeply personal conversations,” he added.
The enactment of the new law follows the adoption of policies by several California school districts that mandated parental notification in cases where a student requests to change their gender identification.
This prompted a response from Democratic state officials, who argued that students have a right to privacy.
However, Jonathan Zachreson, a California advocate supporting parental notification policies, has expressed opposition to the law, stating that informing parents about a student’s request to change their gender identification is essential for the well-being of children and maintaining trust between schools and parents.
Across the country, various states have pursued measures to enact bans on gender-affirming care, exclude transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports, and require schools to notify parents about students who identify as transgender or nonbinary.
