By James Myers, OAN Staff
Tuesday, July 16, 2024 8:20 AM
California has made history by becoming the first state to ban school districts from requiring staff to notify parents if a student wants to change gender, following a new law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday.
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The law prohibits school policies requiring teachers or other staff to disclose a student’s gender identity or sexual orientation to others without that student’s permission.
Supporters of the new law say it will help protect LGBTQ+ students who don’t want to discuss it with their parents or guardians.
But critics of the law say it will hinder schools’ ability to be more transparent with parents.
“This legislation helps keep children safe while protecting the important role of parents,” Brandon Richards, a spokesman for Governor Newsom (D-Calif.), said in a statement. “It protects parent-child relationships by preventing politicians and school officials from inappropriately intruding into family matters or trying to control if, when and how families have private conversations.”
The new law comes after some California school districts passed policies requiring parents to notify their children if they want to change their gender, sparking backlash from Democratic state officials who say students have a right to privacy.
But Jonathan Zachrenson, a California activist who opposes the law, said informing parents of a student’s request to change gender “is critical to the well-being of children and to maintaining trust between schools and parents.”
Meanwhile, a ballot measure that would require California schools to adopt parent notification policies failed to garner the necessary signatures to appear on the November ballot.
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