This legislation, known as AB-1955, was passed strictly along party lines, with the 29 Democrats in favor and the eight Republicans opposed, according to The Post Millennial.
The bill now heads to the state Assembly, where it must navigate through committees and secure approval on the floor before it can be forwarded to Governor Gavin Newsom's desk. The legislation aims to bar school districts and other educational institutions' governing bodies from implementing or enforcing any policy or rule that obligates an employee or contractor to reveal any information related to a student's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression to any other person without the student's consent, unless the law requires it.
Additionally, the bill seeks to shield employees from retaliation or adverse action based on their support for a student's exercise of specified rights, work activities, or provision of certain instruction. This move has been met with resistance, particularly from conservative quarters.
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Republican state Senator Kelly Seyarto was among those who voiced opposition to the proposal. According to the Associated Press, Seyarto argued that schools should be doing more, not less, to keep parents informed about what transpires within the classroom. "If we include parents," he contended, "that's the best way to take something from people being angry and mad to developing a solution that works for everybody."
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Greg Burt, vice president of the California Family Council, echoed Seyarto's sentiments, cautioning against the assumption that "all parents are unsafe." Supporters of the bill, however, pointed to instances of young people being expelled from their homes due to their families' non-acceptance of their identities.
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Governor Newsom has yet to comment on the bill, but he has expressed his eagerness to review it, should it land on his desk. This legislation, while seen by some as a step towards protecting individual rights, is viewed by others as an encroachment on parental rights, underscoring the ongoing debate over the role of parents and schools in shaping a child's identity.
