Newsom Signs An End to Anti-LGBTQ+ Parental Notification Policies
Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law that prohibits California school boards from requiring teachers and staff to notify parents if they believe a child identifies as transgender. The Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth, or SAFETY Act, will also protect teachers and staff from retaliation if they refuse to notify parents of a child’s gender identity, and provide resources for LGBTQ+ students at junior and high schools. This law was passed in response to the California school boards that discussed or passed parental notification policies this year. These anti-LGBTQ+ policies would have required school staff to notify parents if a child uses a different name or pronoun than what is represented on their birth certificate or if they participate in activities or use facilities designed for a different gender.
The SAFETY Act is a good law to have in place to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ students, but there has already been push back against it from conservative groups, including a lawsuit from the Liberty Justice Center, which is arguing that schools do not have the right to keep secrets from parents. “Parents’ rights” has been a hot button conservative talking point leading up to the 2024 election, and is often a conservative anti-LGBTQ+ dog whistle. The SAFETY Act shouldn’t be necessary, but in 2024 it seems it is needed to protect vulnerable LGBTQ+ students and ensure schools are a safe place for students to learn, explore, and grow. This is not the end of this divisive issue, but the SAFETY Act is one step towards ensuring California is on the right side of protecting LGBTQ+ rights.
Mallika Seshadri / EdSource
Newsom signs bill to end parental notification policies at schools; opponents say fight is not over
By Diana Lambert & Monica Velez | EdSource | July 17th, 2024