The Chino Valley Unified School District passed a new policy that would require teachers to inform parents if their child identifies as transgender. The motion passed 4 to 1.
Anger and chaos erupted at the Thursday evening meeting when California’s state superintendent of schools, Tony Thurmond, expressed his opposition to the new approved policy, which led him to be escorted out of the building as parents yelled, “leave our kids alone.”
Outside the meeting, Thurmond said the children were the reason he was there.
“I came here today at the request of students who say they have been bullied and afraid,” Thurmond said.
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At issue was whether parents should be notified if their child identifies as transgender at school, is involved in violence or talks about suicide.
“Teachers aren’t trying to keep secrets from parents,” said Angela Chang, a Pomona Unified School District teacher. "We are not trying to lock parents out, but it is not our place to assume kids feel safe talking to their parents about something."
“If you feel you're too scared to come out of the closet or to be what you want to be, then don’t do it, wait until you are of age, but don’t make it a school subject,” added Cece Martinez of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills.
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State Attorney General Rob Bonta sent a letter to the Chino Unified School Board the night before the vote saying he will not hesitate to protect a student's rights, adding that how and to whom they share their gender identity must be protected.
NBCLA legal analyst Royal Oakes said, "Parents have a right to know about significant things going on in their students lives, whether it has to do with health, discipline, or gender issues. Kids can’t say, 'Hey, principal, let’s keep this between us.'"
