Newsom Signs Law Barring Schools from Requiring That Parents Be Informed of Child Gender Transition

California governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation Monday barring school districts from requiring that parents be informed of their child’s change in sexuality or gender identity without the child’s permission.

The legislation, assembly bill 1955, overrules school boards with policies in place requiring that schools be transparent with parents about their child’s perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, an issue that remains an active subject of debate especially given its potentially life-altering consequences. California is the first state to adopt such legislation and it remains to be seen whether other Democratic states follow its example.

The legislation will almost certainly face legal challenges and greater scrutiny if Newsom remain a national Democratic party figure. The start of the Republican National Convention and failed assassination attempt against former president Donald Trump greatly overshadowed Newsom signing AB 1955.

Formerly sleepy school-board races have begun to attract greater media attention in recent years in large part due to Covid school closures and the introduction of left-wing racial and gender ideology into K-12 curricula.

Republicans nationwide have pushed for greater parental involvement in education, with school transparency being a key plank of the parents-rights movement. In addition, numerous GOP states have banned transgender procedures for minors to prevent distressed children from being rushed into life-altering surgical and hormonal interventions.

A growing number of people who underwent transgender procedures and later renounced their transgender identity have come forward to warn of the medical complications of transition. Although major medical organizations wholeheartedly support child gender transitions, the significant lack of evidence of their effectiveness has prompted many European nations to scale back the minors’ access to the procedures.

LGBT advocates believe the lack of transparency from schools protects children from unsupportive families and prevents staff from getting involved with private matters. Newsom has long been an advocate for LGBT issues dating back to his time as mayor of San Francisco two decades ago.

“This law helps keep children safe while protecting the critical role of parents,” Newsom spokesman Brandon Richards told the Associated Press.

“It protects the child-parent relationship by preventing politicians and school staff from inappropriately intervening in family matters and attempting to control if, when, and how families have deeply personal conversations.”

Newsom’s press office repeatedly disputed X posts on Monday criticizing the legislation for allowing schools to keep childrens’ identity a secret from parents, reflecting the salience of the issue.

The bill “DOES NOT allow a student’s name or gender identity to be changed on an official school record without parental consent. DOES NOT limit a student’s ability to discuss their gender identity with their own family. DOES NOT take away or undermine parents’ rights. Parents have a crucial role in discussions about a student’s LGBTQ+ identity, & AB 1955 does not prevent families from having these conversations,” Newsom’s press office said.

California law allows parents to access educational records and gives parent the right to consent to a child’s name change on legal documents.