LA School District Faces Backlash Over Secrecy Policy
The Los Angeles Unified School District is facing criticism for its “secrecy policy,” which kept the gender identity of a couple’s only child hidden until his tragic death by suicide.
Dylan Park, who was navigating a tough sophomore year at Palisades Charter High School during 2019-2020, had communicated to school officials his wish to use different pronouns and to be called “Aria.”
In a lawsuit filed in federal court in California, his parents, Kathleen Mulligan and Andrew Park, disclosed that their 19-year-old son had been diagnosed with depression and struggled with how he was perceived by others.
Despite the parents’ active involvement in Dylan’s life, school staff chose to keep his declaration of being transgender a secret, creating a divide between him and his worried parents, as alleged in court documents.
Sonia Shaw, a candidate for California Superintendent of Schools, spoke out strongly against the school’s actions, stating, “Government should never replace parents.” She expressed her condolences, saying, “This story is heartbreaking. No parent should have to go through a loss like this.” Shaw also criticized policies supported by leaders like Gavin Newsom, which she claims undermine parental rights in critical matters concerning their children.
She emphasized that this situation could have been avoided and highlighted concerns that excluding parents could lead to devastating outcomes. “This tragedy should be a wake-up call for California,” she added, labeling such policies as reckless and dangerous.
Mulligan reassured school officials that she was “not transphobic,” but raised concerns regarding Dylan’s vulnerabilities, including his autism spectrum diagnosis and emotional distress over being cut from the baseball team.
“Dylan felt particularly susceptible to social pressures around his gender identity, as it seemingly offered him validation among peers,” Mulligan noted in the lawsuit.
“If I genuinely believed Dylan was transgender, my perspective would be different. However, I know my son better than anyone. I understand what he’s going through, and my primary concern is his well-being. He has so much potential, and I worry about his mental health,” she wrote.
Despite her attempts to communicate with the school’s staff, Mulligan reported that her messages went unanswered, and she felt excluded from her son’s care. The lawsuit asserts that school staff treated Dylan’s transition as a definitive choice, supporting it with approval, while also directing him toward services for LGBTQ youth.
As a result, the family’s dynamics were reportedly strained, leaving the parents feeling confused and on “thin ice,” with Dylan becoming more withdrawn and distrustful. Eventually, Palisades Charter High School included Dylan in its June 2022 graduation program as “Aria Park.” He sadly took his life in March 2024.
