US: California sues school for informing parents about pronoun changes by students

California, USA

Democratic Party ruled California is suing a school district for making a rule under which it is required to inform parents if a student asks to change their name or pronoun.

According to the policy adopted by Chino Valley Unified School District, parents must be immediately informed if a student uses facilities or participates in a programme not aligned with the gender assigned to them on paper.

Now, California has sued the school for allegedly violating the state’s constitution and children’s human rights.

What does the lawsuit say?

As per the lawsuit filed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, passing over information to parents without obtaining permission from the students for the same amounts to a violation of civil rights laws.

According to a statement issued by Bonta, “Every student has the right to learn and thrive in a school environment that promotes safety, privacy, and inclusivity – regardless of their gender identity.” 

“The forced outing policy wrongfully endangers the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of non-conforming students,” he added.

School district’s arguments

Chino Valley Unified School District maintains that it protects transgender students under its policies, contrary to allegations levelled by Bonta. 

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In an emailed statement seen by Bloomberg, the school said, “School district staff are required to notify law enforcement if students believe they’re in danger or have been abused, injured or neglected due to their parent or guardian knowing of their preferred gender identity.”

It added that in such circumstances, it doesn’t notify parents or guardians; instead, it first waits for the investigation by officials to conclude.

Other similar court cases

The lawsuit represents the most recent addition to a series of legal cases emerging in courts. Just this month, a federal appeals court situated in Richmond, Virginia, dismissed a challenge from parents who contested the guidelines endorsed by the school board in Montgomery County, Maryland. These guidelines permitted students to formulate gender transition and support plans without involving their parents.

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Similarly, in May, a court in New Jersey ruled a similar judgement to the one Bonta is seeking in California. It temporarily halted the implementation of a policy by the board of education in Hanover Township, New Jersey. This policy would have required schools to inform parents about the gender identity and sexual orientation of LGBTQ students.