A California judge, during a recent ruling against a Southern California school district, implied that certain parents might present a “clear and present danger” to LGBTQ students, following a new policy by Chino Valley Unified School District’s which mandates that school staff notify parents if their child identifies as transgender.
The decision to issue a temporary restraining order against this policy was a direct response to a lawsuit initiated by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who challenged the district over this very notification policy. Judge Thomas S. Garza of the San Bernardino County Superior Court drew a parallel during the hearing.
“Let’s say that a student were raised under one religion, then decides to change that religion on their own, at whatever age,” Garza said, as reported by The Washington Free Beacon. “With that in mind, whatever the class of protected students are, students are students. Whatever makeup that they comprise, it strikes me that you are singling out a group that is exposed to a clear and present danger.” Garza said.
Reporters who attended the hearing highlighted an interesting point: the judge admitted to not having thoroughly perused the school district’s defense of its pro-parent policy. Furthermore, he seemed to express a certain level of confusion regarding its “purpose” and how it would advance the “educational pursuits of students.”
Susan Crabtree, a correspondent from Real Clear Politics, provided some insights.
“The judge admitted he had not fully read the district’s argument against the restraining order, but said the issue is ‘how do we safeguard students identifying as LGBTQ+?’” Crabtree said.
“He also argued that there is a ‘clear and present danger’ posed by some parents,” Crabtree continued, referencing her post on X, which was formerly known as Twitter.
The state’s Attorney General, Rob Bonta, had been vocally opposed to the policy. He believed it “unconstitutionally discriminates” against LGBTQ students and severely infringes on their privacy rights. After the judge’s decision, he didn’t hesitate to express his approval.
“San Bernardino Superior Court’s decision to issue a temporary restraining order rightfully upholds the state rights of our LGBTQ+ student community and protects kids from harm by immediately halting the board’s forced outing policy,” Bonta said in a press release.
“While this fight is far from over, today’s ruling takes a significant step towards ensuring the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of inclusivity,” Bonta added.
However, not everyone agreed with the judge’s ruling. Chino Valley Unified School District Board of Education President Sonja Shaw was particularly vocal in her disagreement. In a statement to Fox News Digital, she labeled the opponents as “government bullies.”
Shaw also took issue with the attorney general’s assertion, particularly his belief that the policy doesn’t adequately shield children from potential abuse. She stated emphatically, “Bonta does not get to talk to us regarding our policies and procedures.” She continued, “He continues to distort the truth, and muddy the waters so everyone gets confused. Our administration regulations spell this out and he knows that. When a child wants to change their records etc., admin will ask them if their parents know. If the student says they are in danger, then right there before any harm is done as mandated reporters they are required to take action.”
Shaw further emphasized the rights of parents in the educational process, declaring, “Parents have a right to come to the classroom, pull records, ask questions, and be actively engaged in their child’s education.”
“Bonta’s solution is to sanitize secret keeping. He is doubling down on a child’s mental health issues by encouraging an identity at home and one at school. Bonta is a direct danger to our children,” Shaw concluded.
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