Parents Win Big: Elk Grove Schools Set to Revamp LGBTQ+ Club Secrecy Policies

In a significant victory for parental rights, the Elk Grove Unified School District (EGUSD) has proposed new guidelines requiring parental consent before students can join LGBTQ+ clubs in elementary schools. This decision comes after California Family Council (CFC) and the National Center for Law and Policy helped organize concerned parents to address the school board, spotlighting the issue of secret LGBTQ+ clubs that had been operating without parental notification. 

The controversy centered around a third-grade teacher at Pleasant Grove Elementary School, who had been actively recruiting young students into a “UBU” (You Be You) club. The club was advertised for boys who “crush on boys” and girls who “crush on girls,” though it was open to any student. What alarmed parents most was that these clubs were being formed without informing families.

For months, parents had been unaware of the existence of these clubs and the ideological content being presented to their children during school hours. It wasn’t until early 2024 that parents discovered their children were being introduced to discussions on gender identity and sexual orientation—concepts that many felt were inappropriate for such young students. For the families involved, the idea that their children could be encouraged to explore these topics without their knowledge struck at the heart of their parental rights. 

With help from CFC, these concerned parents mobilized. The council assisted in organizing their attendance at a school board meeting where dozens of parents voiced their disapproval of how the district handled these sensitive issues. The parents were resolute that while they respect the rights of others, their own rights to guide their children’s education and moral instruction must also be respected. 

Education activist Heidi Moore, mother of four, leader with Informed Parents of Elk Grove, and candidate for Elk Grove Unified School Board, Area 7, spoke. “Pleasant Grove Elementary School staff betrayed the trust of parents when they held this UBU club during lunch time and did not notify parents or require permission slips for the club,” Moore said.

Another mother, Mary Congdon, expressed her disappointment as well. “This is a clear violation of our parental rights,” she said. “Parents decide when to have life-altering discussions with their child. We are the parents. My husband and I reminded our sons that we are their safe space, not the UBU Club. These clubs are too much, too soon for young children.”

This outcry was amplified by the involvement of constitutional attorney Dean Broyles, who serves as president and chief counsel for the National Center for Law & Policy (NCLP). Representing several families from the district, Broyles submitted a cease and desist letter to the school district, demanding that they halt these clubs permanently in all district elementary schools because sexual orientation and gender identity clubs are not age-appropriate for younger students and undermine the religious beliefs of many families. But as an alternative solution, Broyles asked the school district to provide informed consent to parents in the form of detailed descriptions of the clubs, including all activities, materials and books used and an opt-in permission slip signed by parents before young children could participate. 

Broyles also submitted a California Public Records Act (CPRA) request to EGUSD on April 1st, which was crucial in pressuring the district’s attorneys to closely examine the policies, practices, and communications related to these clubs.

The legal challenge, combined with the passionate voices of local parents, spurred the district into action. On September 5, 2024, EGUSD proposed a new policy requiring parental consent for participation in LGBTQ+ clubs in elementary schools. This shift marked a significant change in the district’s approach, ensuring that parents are now an essential part of the decision-making process. Yet despite the requirement that parents sign an opt-in permission slip before their children can attend, Broyles still thinks the policy is vague regarding the information given to parents about the clubs. Although the policy requires a staff member seeking to start an elementary school club to provide the school principal with detailed information regarding the club’s purpose, objectives, and activities, the same information is not required to be given to parents. 

“We have submitted a letter to EGUSD thanking them for their positive policy changes but also asking them to strengthen the parental notification piece to make sure parents are adequately informed about these clubs,” Broyles said. “Parental consent must be informed consent, especially when you are dealing with controversial and sensitive issues. Children belong to their parents and families, not the state. California has no legitimate role in coercively imposing its preferred sexual orthodoxy on children and families.  If we are to remain a free republic, parents must retain their 14th Amendment’s fundamental constitutional right to direct the education, care and raising of their children.”

Despite the work that still needs to be done, the change the school district did make is a victory and a testament to the power of parents banding together to protect their rights. CFC’s involvement was instrumental in rallying community support, providing resources, and helping to amplify the voices of concerned families. The leadership of Dean Broyles and the NCLP also played a crucial role in holding the school district accountable and reminding them of the constitutional rights of parents.

Greg Burt, Vice President of California Family Council, praised the parents’ persistence: “This is what happens when parents refuse to be silenced. The government works for us, and we must hold them accountable when they try to undermine parental rights. The Elk Grove Unified School District learned a valuable lesson—policies change when parents show up and speak out.”

Dean Broyles is also pleased with the change, but offered this criticism. “The government must stop using sex as a weapon,” he said.  “In America, where the U.S. Constitution requires that we respect the fundamental rights of parents and honor the religious freedom of families, these clubs should not even exist at the elementary school level. However, I am pleased that Elk Grove Unified School District has decided to provide parents with informed consent before young students may participate in these controversial clubs that focus on controversial viewpoints about human sexuality.”

As the district prepares to adopt this policy at the upcoming September 17th board meeting, parents remain hopeful that this will set a new standard of transparency and respect for family values. “We deeply appreciate EGUSD’s commitment to upholding the principles of parental consent,” parent Mary Congdon said. “By valuing the voices of parents, the district ensures that every decision made is in the best interest of our children and respects the vital role that families play in their education and well-being.”