Judge Thomas S. Garza from San Bernardino, California, has issued a restraining order against a controversial school district policy regarding LGBTQ+ rights in schools.
Controversial Policy Under Scrutiny
The policy in question requires parents to be notified when their child wishes to be recognized by a different gender identity or pronoun than assigned at birth.
Sensitivity and Caution Emphasized
Judge Garza stressed the sensitive nature of the case, saying that he had blocked the law “Out of an abundance of caution.”
Protecting LGBTQ+ Students
This ruling follows a lawsuit filed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta against the Chino Valley Unified School District regarding the policy. Garza asked, “How do we safeguard these students that identify as LGBTQ?”
Forcing Kids to “Come Out”
Bonta expressed concerns over the policy, referring to it as a “forced outing policy” that potentially harms non-conforming students.
A Victory for the LGBTQ+ Community
The attorney general praised the judge’s decision, saying it “rightfully upholds the state rights of our LGBTQ+ student community and protects kids from harm.”
States Set Out to Strip LGBTQ+ of Rights
Similar policies are being implemented in other states, including Texas and New Jersey, while conservative lawmakers nationwide seek to limit LGBTQ+ rights.
How Does It Affect Children’s Rights?
The laws made in these states restrict LGBTQ+ children and teenagers from participating in sports, strip their right to free healthcare, and prevent them from using the bathroom that they identify as.
A Huge Step in the Fight
Bota claimed, “While this fight is far from over, today’s ruling takes a significant step towards ensuring the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of transgender and gender-nonconforming students.”
Scope of the Judge’s Order
The judge’s order only affects the district’s policy related to parental notification regarding gender identity, whereas other aspects, such as students dealing with suicide attempts and bullying, remain unaffected.
The District’s Response
The school district’s spokesperson, Andi Johnston, expressed his respect for the judge’s order, “will continue to fulfill its purpose of creating and maintaining a collaborative relationship between school and home.”
Rejection of the Judge’s Order
Sonja Shaw, the school district president, hit out at the judge’s ruling, “If a child is coming to their teacher and asking to be called something other than what they were born as, they’re already asking to be out in the public about it,” she argued before claiming that “parents have every right to know about that.”
Transgender children experience vastly higher rates of homelessness compared to other youth, as many of them are kicked out of their homes by their parents, or run away because they no longer feel safe or welcome at home.
Ongoing Legal Battle
The case will continue to unfold, and this legal battle’s outcome will have significant implications for policies related to gender identity and parental notification in schools.
The post Court Protects Privacy, Halts School District’s Plan for Transgender Students first appeared on Pulse of Pride.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Mehaniq. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
