On April 24, Attorney General Rob Bonta announced his plan to pursue a permanent injunction against the Chino Valley Unified School District’s parental notification policy.
Following Attorney General Bonta’s announcement, the Liberty Justice Center’s President Jacob Huebert issued the following statement:
“With this motion, AG Bonta is attempting to enjoin a policy (5020.1) that no longer exists. On March 7, 2024, CVUSD voluntarily voted to replace 5020.1 with 5010, in response to the judge’s recent rulings in the case. The updated policy maintains the District’s original requirement that school administrators notify parents within three days if their child requests changes to their official or unofficial records. The policy also requires parents to be notified if their child was bullied. To that end, the Board supports the fundamental rights of parents and guardians to direct the care and upbringing of their children, including the right to be informed of and involved in all aspects of their child’s education to promote the best outcomes.
The AG’s motion here, against a policy that no longer exists, is just more political grandstanding in opposition to parental rights.
We believe that both versions of Chino Valley’s parental notification policy are common sense and constitutional, particularly in light of the recent ruling in the Temecula Valley Unified School District case, which reaffirmed that parents’ right to direct their children’s upbringing is essential, not negotiable. Additionally, we believe the AG’s entire case is moot now that 5020.1 has been replaced by 5010 and look forward to arguing that point in court.”
The Liberty Justice Center’s filings in California v. Chino Valley Unified School District are available here.