(Tampa Free Press)—The Superior Court of California ruled on Monday in the California v. Chino Valley Unified School District case, upholding a preliminary injunction that prevents the district from enforcing parts of its old parental notification policy.
This policy required staff to notify parents if a student requested to use a name, pronouns, or facilities that differed from their sex at birth.
However, the court also determined that the part of the policy requiring staff to notify parents about changes to their minor child’s official or unofficial records is constitutional and should not be blocked.
This legal battle began in August 2023 when Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a temporary restraining order against the district. The Liberty Justice Center subsequently stepped in to defend the policy.
In March, the district updated its policy, removing the language requiring staff to notify parents about name, pronoun, or facility requests. The updated policy still requires notification for changes to official or unofficial records.
The recent court ruling pertains to the district’s old policy, which is no longer in effect.
“We are disappointed in the Court’s decision on sections 1.a and 1.b of Chino Valley’s old parental notification policy and intend to appeal the ruling. But we are pleased that the Court rightly ruled that the District’s policy does not infringe on minor students’ privacy rights and that schools may inform parents of changes to their children’s records,” said Emily Rae, Senior Counsel at the Liberty Justice Center. “We look forward to the next steps in this lawsuit and will continue to fight for California families at no cost to taxpayers.”