California Department of Education v. Rocklin Unified School District

On May 16, the Liberty Justice Center announced that it had stepped in to represent the Rocklin Unified School District in a lawsuit over the District’s parental notification policy. The District’s Board voted to retain the Liberty Justice Center as legal counsel in a public meeting that took place on the evening of May 15.

The Liberty Justice Center is representing the Rocklin Unified School District at no cost as it defends its parental notification policy against a lawsuit by the California Department of Education. On April 10, the California Department of Education filed a writ of mandate against the Rocklin Unified School District, alleging that the District’s parental notification policy unlawfully discriminates against students.

The policy requires that school employees notify parents if their children ask to be referred to a name or pronouns that differ from their gender at birth or to access sex-segregated school programs or bathrooms for the opposite gender.

The Liberty Justice Center is fighting back against the California Department of Education’s writ of mandate, arguing the Rocklin Unified School District’s parental notification policy is constitutionally sound and that the California Department of Education does not have the right to demand the District change a validly adopted, legal policy.

“It is essential that schools share vital information about children’s health and well-being with their parents,” said Emily Rae, Senior Counsel at the Liberty Justice Center. “We look forward to defending the constitutionality of this policy in court.”

The first hearing in the case is scheduled for June 13, 2024.

In a related case in San Bernardino County, the Liberty Justice Center is also representing the Chino Valley Unified School District. The Liberty Justice Center is defending the District in court against a lawsuit attempting to block its own parental notification policy.

California Department of Education v. Rocklin Unified School District was filed in the Superior Court of California, County of Placer, on April 10, 2024. The Liberty Justice Center stepped in to represent the Rocklin Unified School District on May 16, 2024.