Assemblymember Ward proposes bill to ban parental notification policies in California schools

(US MEDIA GROUP) – The fight over parental notification policies in California schools saw new developments on Wednesday as Assemblymember Chris Ward announced updated legislation to ban such policies. Several school districts, including the Rocklin Unified School District, have adopted parental notification policies, which require teachers and staff to inform parents if a student asks to go by a different name or gender. This has been met with backlash and even lawsuits from state leaders. Opponents of the policy, known as the “outing policy,” argue that it puts LGBTQ+ youth at risk if they are not ready to come out to their parents or feel unsafe doing so. Proponents argue that it keeps parents informed about important developments in their child’s life. Assemblymember Ward, a Democrat from San Diego, announced his newly updated legislation, AB 1955, that would ban California school districts from implementing parental notification policies. “We need to be consistent across all California schools and protect all California youth from these harmful policies,” Ward told ABC10. At Ward’s news conference, 20-year-old Kai, who identifies as transgender, spoke in support of the legislation. Kai, who graduated from Rocklin Alternative Education Center in 2022, credits their sixth-grade teacher for providing...