California school board president on AG probe into policy requiring staff to inform parents about kid's gender identity: 'Laughable'
CVUSD Board president Sonja Shaw told Fox News Digital that the civil rights investigation against her school district is a 'ploy' to blackmail them and other districts.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday announced a lawsuit against the Chino Valley Unified School District [CVUSD] Board of Education "to immediately halt the enforcement" of their mandatory gender identity disclosure policy.
"Every student has the right to learn and thrive in a school environment that promotes safety, privacy, and inclusivity – regardless of their gender identity," Attorney General Bonta said.
"We’re in court challenging Chino Valley Unified’s forced outing policy for wrongfully and unconstitutionally discriminating against and violating the privacy rights of LGBTQ+ students. The forced outing policy wrongfully endangers the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of non-conforming students who lack an accepting environment in the classroom and at home," he continued. "Our message to Chino Valley Unified and all school districts in California is loud and clear: We will never stop fighting for the civil rights of LGBTQ+ students."
California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday announced a lawsuit against Chino Valley Unified School District [CVUSD] Board of Education’s (Board) "to immediately halt the enforcement" of their mandatory gender identity disclosure policy. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)
The lawsuit argues that the parental notification policy violates California’s Equal Protection Clause and Education and Government Code and constitutional right to privacy.
CVUSD President Sonja Shaw told Fox News Digital that she is "not surprised" at this move.
"I’m not surprised at the aggressive stance Sacramento is taking against the District for daring to question motives and agendas that don’t sit well with parents and families fighting to keep themselves involved in the life’s of children," Shaw said.
She continued, "Once again this is government overreach and the political cartel of Bonta, Newsom and Thurmond is using their muscle and taxpayers dollars to shut parents out of their children’s lives. We again had to learn first hand from reporters of their lawsuit. Bonta can’t even cite a law we are breaking in the documents and I find it a joke."
CALIFORNIA SCHOOL BOARD VOTES TO ALLOW PARENTS TO BE NOTIFIED IF CHILD IDENTIFIES AS TRANSGENDER
Chino, CA - July 20: Chino Valley Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Norm Enfield, left, and President Sonja Shaw, right listen to a speaker during a board meeting at Don Lugo High School in Chino on Thursday night July 20, 2023. (Will Lester/MediaNews Group/Inland Valley Daily Bulletin via Getty Images)
She went on to say, "He knows better and this is another ploy to stop all the districts around California from adopting a common sense legal policy. We will stand our ground and protect our children with all we can because we are not breaking the law. Parents have a constitutional right in the upbringing of their children. Period. Bring it."
This move came after other central California school districts Temecula Valley Unified School District (TVUSD), Murrieta Valley Unified School District (MVUSD), and Chino Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) passed parental notification policies.
All three school districts prompted California Attorney General Rob Bonta to denounce their actions.
The Murrieta Valley Unified School District (MVUSD) earlier this month passed the policy by a 3-2 vote after parents spoke in favor.
The policy included a copy of CVUSD policy, which is similar in that it also requires staff to notify parents if their child is transgender.
Sonja Shaw kicks out California State Superintendent Tony Thurmond. (Fox News Digital)
The State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond emailed a letter to the MVUSD board requesting them to reverse the policy.
Bonta released a statement condemning all three school districts.
"The rise in school districts adopting policies that target California’s vulnerable LGBTQ+ student population is of grave concern," Bonta said.
Earlier this month, Bonta announced opening a civil rights investigation into CVUSD for potential legal violations after they passed a policy requiring staff to notify parents of their child’s gender identity.
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