Governor Gavin Newsom has signed legislation that makes California the first state in the US to bar schools from disclosing transgender students’ identities to parents.
The Democratic governor signed Assembly Bill 1955, also known as the SAFETY Act, on Monday, according to a statement from his office, after the measure sailed through the state Congress last month.
The bill prohibits California school systems from releasing information on a student’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression to anyone else, including the student’s family, without their consent. It also forbids retaliation against instructors who advocate for their pupils’ rights.
State Assemblymember Chris Ward, a Democrat, sponsored the bill in May, citing school districts’ regulations requiring instructors to notify parents if their youngsters identify as transgender. He claimed that these measures put those students at risk.
“Politically motivated attacks on the rights, safety, and dignity of transgender, nonbinary, and other LGBTQ+ youth are on the rise nationwide, including in California,” stated Ward in a press release.
“While some school districts have adopted policies to forcibly out students, the SAFETY Act ensures that discussions about gender identity remain a private matter within the family.”
According to Ward’s office, more than a dozen school boards considered or implemented policies last year that require teachers to notify parents if their pupils identify as transgender or request to be addressed by a different name or pronoun.
According to the Human Rights Campaign’s 2023 study on teenage transgender and gender identity, approximately 60% of LGBTQ+ youth had at least one unpleasant or rejecting encounter from parents and relatives, with 45% claiming they were made to feel awful by their parents or family for being LGBTQ+.
Meanwhile, The Trevor Project’s 2023 nationwide survey on the mental health of LGBTQ adolescents discovered that 41% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered suicide in the previous year, with transgender, nonbinary, and persons of color reporting greater rates than their peers.
It also stated that fewer than 40% considered their home to be LGBTQ-affirming.
While supporters of the measure said that it protects LGBTQ youth and could potentially save lives, opponents claimed it violates parental rights.
The conservative Center for American Liberty legal organization slammed the law Monday, calling it “an outrageous attempt to keep parents in the dark” and reinforcing the conspiracy notion that schools were indoctrinating youngsters in “radical gender ideology.”
“In school districts across California, parents fought back against parental secrecy policies by running for school board and passing policies that ensure parents are informed about their children’s education and well-being,” Harmeet Dhillon, the Center for American Liberty’s founder and CEO, said in a statement.
“It’s crucial that we uphold local voices and the integrity of the democratic process in shaping the education of our children.”
On the other side of the political spectrum, LGBTQ and transgender organizations applauded Monday’s signing.
“This critical legislation protects educators who foster inclusive environments, provides vital resources for families, and safeguards against policies that forcibly remove students,” Trans Family Support Services Executive Director Kathie Moehlig said in a statement.
“The SAFETY Act protects students and their parents’ private and consensual interactions by prohibiting unwarranted interference in intimate family problems. This law is a critical step toward ensuring that all California students feel secure and supported in school.”