The city of Huntington Beach, California, filed a lawsuit against the state over a recent law that prohibits school districts from requiring teachers to notify parents of any changes to their child's sexuality or gender identity.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, signed the legislation in July.
The city filed the suit "to protect parental rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, to protect children who need parents to know their medical situation, and to protect communities who suffer when parents and children suffer," according to the complaint.
Huntington Beach Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark, a Republican, released a statement calling the bill an "egregious piece of legislation that seeks to compel educators to keep secret from parents sensitive, private, and often life-saving information related to their child's gender issues and/or expression."
Newsom is named in the complaint along with California Attorney General Rob Bonta and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond. Proponents of the law argue it's necessary to protect transgender kids.
One LGBTQ+ activist said: "This critical legislation strengthens protections for LGBTQ+ youth against forced outing policies, provides resources for parents and families of LGBTQ+ students to support them as they have conversations on their terms, and creates critical safeguards to prevent retaliation against teachers and school staff who foster a safe and supportive school environment for all students."
The executive director of conservative America First Legal Foundation, which is helping with the lawsuit said: "Parents — not the government or any school system — have the utmost right to raise their children and protect their children from this dangerous ideology. We are proud to represent these courageous parents and the City of Huntington Beach in this righteous fight against tyranny."
Kate McManus ✉
Kate McManus is a New Jersey-based Newsmax writer who's spent more than two decades as a journalist.
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