Lawmakers Criticize School Superintendents Over Gender Policy and Parental Rights

Members of the U.S. House Education and Labor Committee have expressed their discontent with school superintendents from Chicago, San Francisco, and Loudoun County, Virginia, regarding their gender policies and the rights of parents in schools. The committee’s recent hearing focused on claims that certain schools withheld important information from parents, and raised concerns surrounding events like drag queen story time and student privacy protocols.

In the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), a recent legal challenge has led to a significant change: educators are no longer required to “affirm and respect” the identities of LGBTQ students. Previously, middle and high school teachers had to complete annual cultural competency training designed to support LGBTQ students. This training mandated that teachers acknowledge, by checking a box, their understanding of the district’s policy to affirm all student identities, including those identifying as LGBTQ+.

On June 8, the Freedom Attorney dispatched a demand letter to LAUSD, claiming that this requirement violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. After receiving the letter, Liberty Counsel noted that LAUSD revised their training prompts merely two days later, substituting the earlier wording of “affirming and respecting” with a simpler directive for teachers to confirm their awareness of the district’s nondiscrimination policy.

Two LAUSD sixth-grade teachers shared their relief over this change through a statement issued by Liberty Counsel. “Earlier, when the mandatory LGBTQ training was put in place, I felt anxious about my job. I knew I needed to stand firm in my beliefs,” one teacher said. “This feels like a victory for religious freedom! Thank you to the Liberty Lawyers for their commitment to protecting the rights of individuals of faith.” Meanwhile, Liberty Counsel’s Chairman, Matt Staver, commended the district for acting swiftly.

He emphasized that the modifications made to the training certification language are appropriate and highlight that federal law protects teachers from being compelled to affirm a student’s perceived gender identity when it clashes with their religious beliefs. Title VII safeguards employees from having to choose between their job and their faith.

LAUSD did not respond promptly to requests for comments. The online training is part of California’s Safe and Supportive Schools Act, initially introduced in 2019, which was expanded in 2023 to mandate annual training for educators on supporting LGBTQ students. This initiative has seen collaboration with LGBTQ advocacy organizations to develop an online training program known as PRISM.