ROCKLIN, Calif. — California Attorney General Rob Bonta says a new forced outing policy at Rocklin schools puts the rights of students at risk.
The Rocklin Unified School District passed a controversial parental notification policy requiring teachers to tell parents when a student asks to identify as a different gender. School board members approved the policy 4-1 after nearly six hours of highly divisive public discussion and flaring tempers.
In a statement, Attorney General Rob Bonta says the policy targets transgender and gender-nonconforming students, adding it bears similarities to forced outing policies in other districts. He adds the policy also requires notification if a student requests to use a facility or participates in a program that doesn't match their sex.
“Despite our ongoing commitment to stand against any actions that target and discriminate against California’s transgender and gender-nonconforming youth, Rocklin Unified has chosen to endanger their civil rights by adopting a policy that forcibly outs them without consideration of their safety and well-being,” said Bonta. “I have said it before and I will say it again: We will not tolerate any policy that perpetuates discrimination, harassment, or exclusion within our educational institutions.”
In a news release, Bonta cited research that says protecting a transgender student's ability to make choices about how and when to inform others is important to well-being.
Bonta praised a move from a San Bernardino court that issued a temporary restraining order against a Chino Valley Unified School District policy about forced outing. He also recently announced a lawsuit challenging the policy.
Board member Tiffany Saathoff argued near the end of the meeting the district was not passing Chino Valley's resolution. She said the temporary restraining order regarding Chino Valley applies only to that district and the resolution that district passed.
"I want to reiterate this is not Chino Valley's resolution," said Saathoff. "We have not only received very clear legal counsel that the policy that is being provided tonight does not break state or federal law... but I myself have also met with multiple civil rights attorneys, both at the state and federal level, that have agreed with that."
It remains to be seen how the lawsuit could impact Rocklin's policy.
Supporters of the policy argued Wednesday night it's about making sure parents stay involved but opponents countered saying the policy could put students at risk.
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