In a resounding victory for California families, parental rights advocates are celebrating the election of at least 34 pro-parental rights school board candidates across the state. This wave of success signals a growing demand for transparency, accountability, and the protection of parents’ constitutional rights to direct the upbringing of their children.
Assemblyman Bill Essayli has worked with parental rights groups like the California Family Council to champion Parent Notification Policies in school districts statewide. He considers these election wins significant. “Parental rights were on the ballot this election, and common sense prevailed with the election of candidates who will fight to protect a parent’s constitutionally protected right to raise their children,” Essayli said. “Democrats in Sacramento have made it their priority to keep secrets from parents and control their kids in school, but we fought back at the local level, and we’re winning.”
In recent years, school districts, under pressure from the California Department of Education, have adopted policies to keep the gender identity of students a secret from parents, under the mistaken notion that children have privacy rights from their parents. Parental rights groups, in collaboration with Essayli, pushed back by getting ten school districts to introduce Parent Notification Policies that require schools to let parents know if their child starts identifying as another gender at school with a new name and pronoun. The pushback has been intense. Attorney General Rob Bonta filed lawsuits and threatened other school districts with legal action, with courts approving some policies and striking down parts of others. A federal judge struck down a secrecy policy in Escondido, but some board members in other districts who approved notification policies were later recalled. Then, state legislators enacted AB 1955, banning parent notification policies regarding gender identity and sexual orientation. However, several school districts, parents, and even the City of Huntington Beach sued to stop its enforcement. Now, the latest election results signal a shift in support towards parents and against secrecy policies.
Sonja Shaw, President of the Chino Valley Unified School Board, helped pass the first notification policy in the state. She praised families for standing strong against external pressures: “California families are standing up, and we refuse to be marginalized in our children’s education,” she Shaw said. “Despite relentless pressure from unions and special interests who want to prioritize ideologies ahead of basic education—reading, writing, math, and STEM—we are leading a movement to put parents back in charge. Together, we’re reclaiming our schools and securing a brighter future for our children.”
As a result of these wins, several school districts flipped, so the majority of its members are now pro-parental rights. Those districts include Temecula Valley Unified School District, Capistrano Unified School District, Placer Union High School District, and Corona-Norco Unified School District. These boards are poised to champion transparency, focusing on students’ academic success and restoring trust between parents and schools.
A New Era for Parental Rights in California
For Greg Burt, Vice President of the California Family Council, these victories represent a crucial turning point: “Parents are the heart of our communities, and they deserve to know what’s happening in their children’s schools. The state should never stand between parents and their kids. These wins remind us that when families unite, we can overcome even the most entrenched bureaucracies.”
This wave of pro-parental rights victories underscores the importance of grassroots efforts and the collective power of California families to influence policy at the local level. Organizations like the California Family Council and other parental rights groups are working tirelessly to ensure that schools respect parents’ rights and prioritize students’ education over divisive ideologies. These groups published a press release celebrating these election victories and listing the winners.
Join the Movement
As these newly elected school board members take office, the fight for parental rights continues. Now is the time for families across California to stay engaged, support their local boards, and advocate for policies that reflect their values. The California Family Council and its allies invite parents to join this growing movement and stand together for faith, family, and freedom.
Together, we can ensure that California schools remain places of learning, transparency, and respect for parents’ God-given role in their children’s lives. As we celebrate these victories, let us remain vigilant and committed to advancing God’s design for life, family, and liberty.
Here is a list of the 34 newly elected pro-parental rights school board members. Some of these races still have votes to be counted, but the listed candidates on in the lead:
- Dr. Joseph Komrosky: Temecula Valley Unified School District
- Melinda Anderson: Temecula Valley Unified School District
- Steve Lesch: Roseville City School District
- Jonathon Zachreson: Roseville City School District
- Heidi Hall: Roseville Joint Union High School District
- Jeremy Jeffreys: Placer Union High School District
- Emily Craig Travis: Auburn Union School District Board
- Brenda YH Lebsack: Santa Ana Unified School District
- Dr. Aakash Ahuja: William S. Hart Union High School District
- Erin Wilson: William S. Hart High School District
- Julie Hupp: Rocklin Unified School District
- Rachelle Price: Rocklin Unified School District
- Candy Olson: Redlands Unified School District
- Diana Greene: Colfax Elementary School District
- Jeannette Wilson: Redlands Unified School District
- Heidi Moore: Elk Grove Unified School District
- Jackie LaBarbera: Shasta County Board of Education
- Teresa Roberts: Shasta County Board of Education
- Steven Lewis: Golden Valley Unified School District
- Julia Rinauro: Anderson Union High School District
- James Na: Chino Valley Unified School District
- Andrew Cruz: Chino Valley Unified School District
- John Cervantes: Chino Valley Unified School District
- Jennifer Adnams: Capistrano Unified School District
- Lisa Zollinger: Capistrano Unified School District
- Lisa Davis: Capistrano Unified School District
- Tracie Thill: Santee School District
- Leandra Blades: Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District
- Tim Dougherty: Poway Unified School District
- Lief Hansen: Fallbrook Union Elementary School District
- Tom Duncan: Placer Union High School District
- Jami Merchant: Corona-Norco Unified School District
- April Huckabey: Orcutt Union School District
- Rebekah Koznek: Atascadero Unified School District
