CV NEWS FEED // A city in California has passed a “Parent’s Right to Know” ordinance to challenge the state’s Assembly Bill 1955, aiming to uphold parental rights to know about changes in their children’s “gender identity” despite new state mandates.
According to a September 16 press release from the national nonprofit coalition United States Parents Involved in Education (USPIE), the Huntington Beach city council enacted the ordinance on September 3, allowing the city to file a lawsuit against the state and arguing that AB 1955 infringes on constitutional rights.
AB 1955, which Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law in July, requires schools to keep students’ “gender identities” confidential from their parents, overriding any school board policies that mandate transparency.
As CatholicVote previously reported, the legislation bans educators and school staff from informing parents about occurrences such as their child requesting to update school documents with a new name or pronouns, or deciding to use bathrooms/lockers intended for the opposite sex.
The press release stated that as a response to AB 1955, “the Huntington Beach ordinance prohibits educators from hiding information about students’ sexual orientation or gender identity from parents.”
City Attorney Michael Gates highlighted that the ordinance seeks to restore the relationship between parents and educators that existed before AB 1955 by demonstrating that it was “unconstitutional in the first place.”
“It sends a signal to our community in Huntington Beach of 200,000 residents that we are a ‘Parents’ Right to Know’ city, and that educators should not interfere in the parent-child relationship,” Gates told The Daily Signal.
As a charter city, Huntington Beach has the authority to self-govern its municipal affairs.
According to the press release, the ordinance reflects a belief that parental rights regarding their children’s education are protected under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, a stance supported by Supreme Court precedent.
Huntington Beach Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark is prepared to defend the city’s position against any potential state lawsuits and anticipates that other cities might follow suit in protecting parental rights.
Van Der Mark told The Daily Signal that the state of California dislikes “dissension.”
“Every time we’ve done something they don’t like, they sue us,” she stated, according to the article. “Every time we’ve done something they don’t like, they sue us. And I’m hoping that parents come together and say, ‘We’re ready to push back.’ And if that’s the case, we’re ready to take that on.”
Sheri Few, the founder and president of USPIE, stated in the press release, “If cities can declare themselves sanctuary cities and break federal immigration law, it seems cities can set themselves up as sanctuaries for children and families.”
USPIE “seeks to return education to its proper local roots and restore parental authority over their children’s education by helping parents and local communities to escape federal and other national influences,” according to the press release.