California attorney general, Rob Bonta, announced on Friday that he has launched an investigation into a local school district’s policy that may violate students’ civil rights. The policy, adopted by the Chino Valley Unified School District in July, requires teachers to inform parents if their child identifies as transgender or expresses a desire to use a name or pronoun different from what’s on their birth certificate.
Bonta expressed concerns that this policy could potentially put students at risk of bullying, self-harm, or suicide, as it could lead to students being involuntarily “outed” at school. He emphasized that students should be able to attend school without fearing discrimination for their gender identity. The policy also mandates that parents be notified within three days if their child seeks access to gender-based sports or wants to use a bathroom or changing room that corresponds to their gender identity.
In response to the investigation, the school district board president, Sonjia Shaw, accused state officials of overstepping their boundaries and attempting to intimidate other school boards from adopting similar policies. Shaw asserted her commitment to protecting students from what she described as “big government bullies.”
The school district spokesperson noted that Bonta’s office did not inform them about the investigation. The board maintains that parents have a right to be informed about their child’s gender identity. The district is located approximately 35 miles east of Los Angeles.
The policy in question was adopted after a contentious hearing attended by hundreds of people, including state Superintendent of Schools Tony Thurmond, who opposed the proposal and was escorted out of the meeting. Prior to the adoption of the policy, Bonta had sent a letter to the district warning that it might infringe upon students’ rights.
The policy closely resembles failed legislation proposed by a state Republican lawmaker earlier in the year. This legislation aimed to require California school districts to notify parents if a child publicly identifies as a gender different from their birth certificate.
Throughout the country, numerous bills have been introduced this year targeting various aspects of transgender existence, such as healthcare, athletics, and bathroom access. Some of these proposals seek to grant parents more rights by mandating schools to notify them of any changes in their child’s gender identity.
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While some parents and educators argue that they should be informed about such matters, others caution that it could have negative effects on the mental health and physical safety of gender-nonconforming children and may also place educators in challenging situations.
