CV NEWS FEED // A bill prohibiting California educators from telling parents if their child requests to use a different name or pronouns at school—or even if their child decides to use a bathroom that does not match the child’s sex—has passed the California legislature and is now awaiting Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s signature.
The bill would ban employees of school districts, county education offices, charter schools, or state special schools from disclosing any information about changes in a student’s behavior or practice to anyone—including parents—without the child’s consent unless otherwise required by law.
The information could include a student’s request to update documents with a preferred name or preferred pronouns, a request to be called by the different name or pronouns while at school, or a student’s decision to use bathrooms, locker rooms, or other single-sex spaces that do not match the child’s biological sex.
The bill was opposed by the California Catholic Congress (CCC), which started a petition to lobby against it.
“AB 1955 erodes parental engagement and responsibility and could undermine trust between children, parents, and educators,” the CCC stated in the petition. “Legislation should foster collaboration between parents and schools at every stage of a child’s development.”
The bill also ensures that members of school boards cannot enact policies to counteract the requirements, which the CCC said “undermines local control by removing authority from locally elected school board members who are entrusted with governing their community’s public schools.”
School boards ensure school districts reflect their communities’ values, beliefs, and priorities,” the CCC added.
