The legal battle began in August 2023, when Chino Valley Unified became the first school district in the state to require schools to inform parents if their child requested to change their name, pronouns, or gender identity at school.
The Superior Court of California in San Bernardino ruled in September 2024 that while schools were not mandated to notify parents of name or pronoun changes, they were required to inform parents if any official or unofficial school records related to their child were changed.
Calling this "a significant shift in the battle over parental rights in public schools," California Family Council explains this ruling provided a pathway for parents to remain informed about significant developments in their child's life, and Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) has opted to drop his case against the district.
Emily Rae of Liberty Justice Center disagrees with his claim that informing parents endangers students.
"Before the policy, parents were largely kept in the dark about what their kids were doing at school if they were transitioning their gender," she tells AFN. "Chino wanted to enact a policy that allows them to keep parents in the loop, where they should be."
As for its perceived conflict with AB 1995, which prohibits school districts from adopting policies that require teachers or school staff to notify parents when a student changes their name or pronouns at schools, she asserts that Chino Valley's policy remains fully legal because it aligns with federal protections under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
And now that the policy has withstood this legal challenge, Rae hopes other California school districts will follow Chino's lead.
"This decision proves that the courts recognize parents' fundamental rights and signals that legal threats against districts enacting similar policies may no longer hold weight," she submits.
Meanwhile, Chino Valley Unified School District Board President Sonja Shaw advises parents to remain vigilant for their kids and to keep those in authority accountable.
