The Rocklin Unified School District (RUSD) school board in Rocklin, California, approved a policy change Thursday morning that requires school officials to notify parents within three school days if their student wants to change their gender identity, according to RUSD’s website.
The policy requires that teachers and staff notify parents if a child wants to use a name different than their legal name — excluding nicknames — use pronouns that do not match their biological sex or requests to participate in activities in a sex-segregated group that does not match their biological sex, according to RUSD’s website. The board approved the policy in a 4-1 vote after hours of public comment, according to KCRA 3 News. (RELATED: ‘We’re Here Because Of People Like You’: School Board Votes To Inform Parents About Student Gender Transitions)
“When tough times come to a child, it’s not the school staff, board or people at the state capitol at the child’s side – it’s the child’s loving parents,” Jonathan Zachreson, a parental rights activist who spoke in favor of the policy at the meeting, tweeted.
Speaking at the Rocklin school board meeting in favor of their parental notification policy, I shared a personal story.
When tough times come to a child, it’s not the school staff, board or people at the state capitol at the child’s side – it’s the child’s loving parents. pic.twitter.com/VRbwCwaIOx
— Jonathan Zachreson (@JZachreson) September 7, 2023
Parental notification can be delayed for 48 hours if a staff member and the site administrator have “credible evidence” that notification could result in “substantial jeopardy to the child’s safety,” according to the policy.
“Rocklin Unified stood up for students, parents, and families in passing a parental notification policy that is not only well supported in the Rocklin community, but across California. Their actions demonstrate school board members will not be deterred by the bullying tactics of the California Attorney General and the California Teachers Association,” Zachreson told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Similar policies are being implemented at other school districts in California. Chino Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) passed a parental notification policy in July that was legally challenged by Democratic California Attorney General Rob Bonta in August and blocked in September. Chico Unified School Board passed a similar policy in April.
“Nobody sends their kids to school in hopes that the school will keep secrets from them; we send our kids to school to be educated,” CVUSD president Sonja Shaw told the DCNF.
The Orange Unified School District board in Orange, California, will vote on a similar parental notification policy Thursday, according to NBC Los Angeles.
“We are linked arms alongside parents. Tonight Orange Unified will prayfuly do the same and make the message loud and clear,” Shaw said.
RUSD did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
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