California judge limits school district's gender identity notification policy

A San Bernardino County Superior Court judge has ruled that the Chino Valley Unified School District cannot mandate that staff notify parents regarding a student’s gender identity, though they must disclose such information if a parent specifically asks for it.

Judge Michael Sachs rejected the school district’s attempt to dissolve an injunction blocking its 2023 policy. The original policy required employees to notify parents within three days if a student requested to use different names or pronouns, or if they participated in sex-segregated programs that did not align with official records.

Sachs noted that while there is no mandatory duty for the district to voluntarily release this information, an affirmative inquiry from a parent triggers an obligation to respond. The judge previously ruled that the district's policy was discriminatory because it singled out transgender students for different treatment. The ruling also maintains that the policy conflicts with California law intended to protect student privacy regarding gender identity.