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California School District Defies State Government, Implements Policy Protecting Parental Rights

AP Photo/Rick Bowmer

California’s government has been gung-ho about pushing transgenderism on children in K-12 schools. However, some districts are pushing back in what has been a fierce debate over LGBTQ issues in schools and parental rights.

California, along with other states, has taken the position that teachers should not inform parents if their children exhibit signs that they are suffering from gender dysphoria.

This has prompted a fiery backlash from parents across the country, many of whom have vociferously spoken out against progressive efforts to indoctrinate children and usurp their roles. However, a school district in Roseville, California, has taken a strong stand for the rights of parents.

A Roseville school district on Thursday became the latest in California to adopt a policy to notify parents if their child requests to be identified as a gender other than their biological sex.

The Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District Board of Trustees passed the policy unanimously following about two hours of public comment.

"Dry Creek is committed to working with parents and guardians, community, and educational partners in efforts that continue to promote a safe, welcoming and inclusive school environment for all students," the school district said in a statement. "As a District, we believe communication and honesty between students and families is profoundly important, and we encourage families to speak about sensitive and important matters."

Buckeye Union School District in El Dorado Hills is also mulling a similar policy.

Naturally, this move was met with mixed reactions. Those supporting the measure believe it will strengthen trust between students, their families, and members of school staff. On the other side, opponents argue that it will jeopardize children’s safety and open them up to potential abuse.

Andrea Murphy, a parent with a child in the district, expressed concerns about the policy. “It’s just wild to me that there are people out there that are yelling out for parent rights but who’s looking at the kids,” she argued.

Another parent named Cara Hytoff lauded the measure. "We really want parents to be notified of very important mental and health things that are going on with their students and we feel that teachers keeping secrets is not good for kids. It's not good for families. It's not good for teachers," she said.

This is the latest development in an ongoing battle between California’s government and parents concerned about their children. State Attorney General Rob Bonta has condemned these efforts, arguing that they constitute the forced outing of students. He recently filed a lawsuit against Chino Valley Unified School District for implementing a similar policy.

Today, Bonta doubled down on their promises to make school districts pay for their refusal to accept the state's agenda for children.

California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit Monday against the Chino school district, ordering an end to a policy that requires notifying parents if their children change their gender identity, alleging it is discriminatory and violates civil rights and privacy laws.

The “parental notification” policy, which has been proposed by a handful of conservative-leaning districts in California, puts transgender and gender-nonconforming students in “danger of imminent, irreparable harm” by potentially forcibly “outing” them at home before they’re ready, according to the lawsuit.

“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,” states the lawsuit, which asks the San Bernardino County Superior Court to immediately ban the practice.

Even further, the state recently passed a slew of laws requiring districts to conceal information about students from their parents. One measure would punish parents who do not affirm their children’s chosen gender. Another prohibits districts from removing sexually inappropriate material from school libraries.

The battle over parental rights and the mental health of children continues to rage even in deep blue states like California. Hopefully, those opposing the notion that the state should take the place of the parent will continue the fight.

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