CNA reached out to the school district for comment but did not receive a response by time of publication.
A spokesperson for the California Department of Education told CNA it “cannot comment on pending litigation” but provided a legal advisory regarding the antidiscrimination statutes for transgender youth in schools, which included a frequently asked questions page.
The department’s FAQ states that “disclosing that a student is transgender [to parents, other students, or members of the public] without the student’s permission may violate California’s antidiscrimination law by increasing the student’s vulnerability to harassment and may violate the student’s right to privacy.”
According to the lawsuit, filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of California, the two teachers, Elizabeth Mirabelli and Lori Ann West, were “distressed by the requirements to deceive parents.” They sought a religious exemption “that would allow them to act in the best interests of the children in their care — as required by their moral and religious convictions.” They sought permission “to use students’ legal names and biological pronouns, while also explaining that the student is referred to differently at the school,” but were denied that exemption.
Paul Jonna, who serves as special counsel for the Thomas More Society, said in a statement that the policy pits teachers against parents.
“The real outrage here is that schools are requiring educators to hide critical information from parents about their child’s well-being,” Jonna said. “Rather than partnering with parents to help raise up young people with a well-rounded education and breadth of knowledge, these radical agendas are pitting parents and teachers against one another, to the detriment of their students.”