EL CAJON, Calif. — Cajon Valley Union School District has pushed against a California law that prohibits teachers and staff from notifying parents when their child changes their gender identity or pronouns.
San Diego Assemblymember Chris Ward introduced Assembly Bill 1955, referred to as, the Safety Act. Governor Gavin Newson signed the bill into law on July 17, 2024.
The law, as intended, is to ensure the safety of children and teens and prevent what are referred to as, "forced outings" by school staff.
The resolution
During an August 13 school board meeting at the district headquarters in El Cajon, board member Jim Miller introduced a resolution entitled, "Parental Involvement and Parental Rights."
Among other reforms, Miller's resolution requires teachers or school staff to notify parents of children under 12 years old if their child wants to be identified as a different gender than what is listed on official district records.
Reads the proposal, "This includes any request by the student to use a name that differs from their legal name (other than a commonly recognized diminutive of the child’s legal name) or to 3 use pronouns that do not align with the gender listed on the student’s official District records."
The Cajon Valley Education Association spoke out against the proposal, stating that the resolution violates the state constitution and violates the child's privacy rights.
"If the board passes the policy it will no doubt be struck down by a court of law," said a Cajon Valley Education Association representative.
"Accessing sex-segregated school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, or using sex-segregated facilities, such as bathrooms or changing facilities, that do not align with the gender listed on the student’s official records; and (c) receive notice before a school facilitates a student’s social transition.
The Board Policy/Regulation must include safeguards prohibiting such notification when there is reasonable belief that doing so would subject a student to a risk of abuse, neglect or other substantial harm. "
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