The California Family Council and several other state Pro-Family organizations released a parental rights policy they hope school districts around the state will adopt to ensure parents have the final say regarding when, and if their children are taught about transgenderism and gender identity.
The policy was created in response to a June 7 incident at Rocklin Academy Gateway, a charter school in Rocklin, California, when one of the school’s kindergarten teachers announced the “new” gender identity of one of her pupils in a way that confused and scared some of her students. Without notifying parents, the teacher also read two books about transgenderism to her class, one of which told the story of a three-year-old boy who’s doctor told him he had a girl’s brain, but he was stuck a boy’s body. Parents only found out what happened from their own children, some of whom became frightened they might change into the opposite sex. (Additional details)
Upset parents, who expected the teacher to notify them this was going to happen, were told by school officials that state privacy and anti-discrimination laws did not require notification. Only sex education requires parental notification. Teaching on gender identity doesn’t qualify as sex education, according to state law.
Several parents reached out to pro-parental rights groups including the California Family Council, Capitol Resource Institute, the Pacific Justice Institute and Alliance Defending Freedom for help. As a remedy to protect their parental rights and the privacy of their children, the concerned parents and organizations came up with a proposal for the Rocklin Academy Charter School Board to consider named the “Parental Rights in Child’s Education Policy.”
The policy has two main provisions. The first would require schools to treat the teaching of gender identity with the same notification, inspection, and opt-out provisions required of sex education curriculum. Schools would have to tell parents about and be given the opportunity to inspect any instructional material related to gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, harassment, bullying, intimidation, relationships or family. If parents don’t think their child is ready for this information or they disagree with the content, they can’t opt their child out.
The second policy provision seeks to ensure a child’s constitutional right to bodily privacy at school and at school sponsored functions. Schools would be required to notify parents if their child might be in a “state of undress” in the same room as someone of the opposite biological sex. If this might happen, then parents would have a right to “obtain a privacy accommodation for their child, such as a single-user restroom, locker room, or similar facility.” The same notification and accommodation would need to offered to children on overnight field trips.
The right to bodily privacy has the support of the Federal Ninth Circuit Court, which, recognized, “[s]hielding one’s unclothed figure from the view of strangers, particularly strangers of the opposite sex, is impelled by elementary self-respect and personal dignity.” Michenfelder v. Sumner, 860 F.2d 328, 333 (9th Cir. 1988).
The Rocklin Academy Charter School Academy Board of Directors has scheduled a school board meeting on the evening of September 18 to discuss the incident further. The board has also been asked to vote for or against the proposed Parental Rights policy.
Please voice your support for this Parental Rights policy by contacting the Rocklin Academy officials listed below. Or call: (916) 778-4550.
