California’s Attorney General investigates district’s decision to notify parents if their children identify as transgender, calling it a scheme.

Parental ⁢rights advocates say California’s top cop trying ‍to stifle⁣ dissent

California’s⁣ Democratic attorney general launched a ​probe into a school district⁤ that plans⁣ to ‌alert parents if their child starts to identify⁣ as a different gender. Critics ⁣say he’s trying ⁤to stifle opposition to the state’s ⁤LGBT agenda in schools.

The state’s top⁢ cop Rob Bonta said⁤ Friday​ he is ⁢exploring⁤ “potential legal ⁣violations”⁤ by Chino Valley Unified School District in Southern California,​ alleging that its⁤ parent notification⁣ policy could ‌”expose a student to parental abuse⁢ or increase their risk of self-harm or suicide.” Chino’s board voted last month to⁢ reject state guidance that urges ⁣schools to ‍keep students’ gender exploration hidden from their parents.

“This‍ is a ploy to try ⁣to scare ⁣all ⁤the other boards across California from⁢ adopting the policy,” Chino school board president Sonja Shaw told the Washington Free​ Beacon. “We have united all over California, and ⁢people from all over the nation are linking up‍ to protect our kids ​and ensure ⁣parental rights. They did us a favor and just revealed more​ of their agenda and exposed their⁣ intentions.”

Bonta’s investigation comes amid a spate of Democratic crackdowns on ​parents and school officials in the name‍ of LGBT ideology. Gov.⁤ Gavin Newsom (D.) condemned Armenian parents in Glendale who protested against their school‍ district’s decision to celebrate‌ Pride month. He also threatened ​a $1.5⁣ million fine against a different Southern California school board that ⁢rejected an LGBT-themed social⁤ studies curriculum—a move ‌he lacked the legal grounds to make—which ultimately led the board to backtrack.

Dozens ⁣of California school districts are considering policies similar to ‌Chino’s, said Jonathan ⁤Zachreson, ⁣a Northern California school board member and parental rights advocate. One of these,​ Murrieta‍ Valley Unified⁣ School District in Riverside ⁤County, is⁣ poised to⁤ pass its own version on Thursday.

“There are plenty of school boards in California that understand the ‍importance parents play in‍ their⁤ children’s lives and plan to pass⁤ a similar policy,”​ Zachreson said. “I don’t anticipate ⁣these school districts ‍being deterred⁢ by Bonta’s baseless investigation.”

When the‌ Chino school district trustees approved‌ the parental notification policy ​on July 20, they drew a⁣ rare in-person appearance ​from state public schools‍ chief Tony Thurmond, ​who condemned⁣ the move and tried⁢ to⁤ take over the meeting.⁢ Bonta ⁢also⁤ sent the district a warning letter saying the policy may violate state ⁤and ‌federal privacy laws—although⁢ he failed to cite any relevant statutes or legal precedents.

Lance Christensen, vice president of policy ⁤for the California Policy Center and a 2022 Republican candidate for public schools chief, said the investigation shows that Democratic leaders⁣ are doing the ⁣bidding ‌of left-wing activists, by trying to⁣ “silence parents any​ way they can whether it be ​through intimidation, bullying, lawfare, or a massive disinformation ‍campaign.”

The California Justice Department missed a deadline for⁣ a ‌ Free Beacon public records ⁢request for emails discussing Chino’s‌ case, ⁣saying Friday that “an extension is needed ​to consult with multiple ⁣components of the Department with‍ a substantial interest in the records‌ requested.”⁤ The department did‌ not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A statewide poll⁣ in June found that​ 62 percent ⁢of⁢ California voters would support a law requiring schools to tell parents if their child is‍ “identifying, requesting to identify, or being⁢ treated as a gender​ that‍ doesn’t align with their biological sex.”