|

California Law Banning Schools From Notifying Parents of a Child’s Pronoun Change Is Spurring Some Businesses to Move Out of State

California State Capitol building, Sacramento Sundry Photography Shutterstock

​​A controversial new California law banning schools from notifying parents of a child’s pronoun change is spurring various reactions, including lawsuits from school districts and Elon Musk’s decision to move SpaceX and social media company X’s headquarters from California to Texas.

California’s Legal Precedent

San Diego California Dancestrokes Shutterstock
image credit: Dancestrokes/Shutterstock

California is the first state in the nation to make it illegal for a school district to have in place rules requiring the school to notify parents in the case of a child wanting to identify with a sex other than that assigned at birth.

Nationwide Practices

Teacher school classroom staff board admin education academic stockwars Shutterstock
image credit: stockwars/Shutterstock

Many school districts nationwide require teachers and staff to inform parents when a child desires to change their gender identity. The new California law is the first to ban such requirements.

Supporters’ Perspective

LGBTQ flag pride gay drag homosexual makeup Jacob Lund Shutterstock
image credit: Jacob Lund/Shutterstock

Supporters of the new California law claim that the change to require consent from the student before informing parents will protect LGBTQ+ students who fear their family’s reaction and rejection.

Opponents’ Concerns

School Classroom Laptop Students Elementary Drazen Zigic Shutterstock
image credit: Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock

Those opposed to the bill argue that the law will result in schools being less transparent with parents.

Parents, by and large, want to know what is going on with their children academically, socially, and psychologically at school, and preventing school officials and teachers from disclosing certain relevant information to parents may result in worse outcomes for many students.

The Broader Debate

Teacher helping young students using laptops in class Monkey Business Images Shutterstock
image credit: Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock

Some see the debate as pitting the rights of parents against the rights and privacy of their minor children. The legislation came about after several school districts in the state passed policies increasing parental rights and transparency initiatives requiring parental notification if a child expresses an interest in changing their gender orientation.

Democratic activists and leaders swiftly responded at the state level by prohibiting independent local school districts from enacting such policies.

Governor Newsom’s Defense

California Governor Gavin Newsom Democrat Politics Jana Asenbrennerova Shutterstock
image credit: Jana Asenbrennerova/Shutterstock

Governor Gavin Newsom’s spokesman said, “This law helps keep children safe while protecting the critical role of parents. It protects the child-parent relationship by preventing politicians and school staff from inappropriately intervening in family matters and attempting to control if, when, and how families have deeply personal conversations.”

Opponents’ Arguments

Transgender woman african american black LGBTQ pride Ivan Moreno sl Shutterstock
image credit: Ivan Moreno sl/Shutterstock

On the other hand, opponents say that without the disclosure by the schools, and with the assistance of services the students may access at the schools, children can progress far down a path of irreversible actions related to changing their gender identity, taking hormone-altering medications and pursuing permanent surgeries to their sex organs, and even being aided in alienation from parents who want to do the best for their child.

Jonathan Zachreson, who opposes the California law, said that schools should notify the parents of the students’ gender identification because it is “critical to the well-being of children and for maintaining that trust between schools and parents.”

Legislative History

Law legal judgement legislation court Chinnapong Shutterstock
image credit: Chinnapong/Shutterstock

California’s law was debated vigorously before its passage. Assemblyman Bill Essayli, representing Riverside County, criticized Democratic leaders for not allowing debate last year on his legislation that would have required that parents be told of their child’s expressed gender identity change.

Teachers Unions’ Support

Elementary School Computer Science Teacher Uses Interactive Digital Smartboard Whiteboard Gorodenkoff Shutterstock
image credit: Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock

Teachers unions largely support the California law, as they claim it puts educators in an unfair position to notify parents, Shaye Stephens, a teacher and union representative, said.

Stephens argued, “It’s kind of a lose-lose situation for teachers and administrators or anybody being asked to do this. I don’t think it’s safe for students. I do not think we are the right people to have these conversations with a parent or guardian.”

Legal and Business Reactions

Family Cooking Kitchen parenting healthy eating popcorner Shutterstock
image credit: popcorner/Shutterstock

The law has already spurred outrage from parents’ rights groups and school districts whose boards had already passed the parental notification mandate. The first lawsuit is on behalf of the Chino School District in Southern California.

Elon Musk’s Response

Elon Musk founder CEO SpaceX Tesla neuralink X thinking Frederic Legrand Shutterstock
image credit: Frederic Legrand/Shutterstock

Additionally, California will lose Elon Musk’s investment. The tech scion vowed to move the headquarters of SpaceX and social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to Texas as a result of the new law. Musk had already moved Tesla, the first of his three major business ventures, to Texas from California in 2021.

Musk wrote on X, “This is the final straw. Because of this law and the many others that preceded it, attacking both families and companies, SpaceX will now move its HQ from Hawthorne, California to Starbase, Texas.”

He continued, “I did make it clear to Governor Newsom about a year ago that laws of this nature would force families and companies to leave California to protect their children.”

Conservative Reactions

Caitlyn Jenner red carpet Hollywood celebrity Tinseltown Shutterstock
image credit: Tinseltown/Shutterstock

Conservative activist and celebrity Caitlyn Jenner, also a transgender individual, responded to Musk, saying, “Strong move. The state is not the parent!”

Loss of SpaceX and X from State Economy

Spacex building Cape Canaveral, Kennedy Space Center L Galbraith Shutterstock
image credit: L Galbraith/Shutterstock

Republican Congressman Kevin Kiley from California lamented the loss of Musk’s presence in the state. He said, “SpaceX is leaving California. Newsom just lost us one of the world’s greatest companies.”

Juliet Potrykus

Juliet Potrykus is a distinguished writer with expertise in political news, public policy, and legislation, boasting a decade of Capitol Hill experience in Washington, D.C. She holds a Master's Degree in International Relations and American Politics from George Washington University. Now based in Washington state with her family, Juliet continues her advocacy on critical issues like immigration, education, and constitutional matters.