California activists unveil child protection initiatives to combat 'out of touch' policies
Protect Kids California activists Jonathan Zachreson and Erin Friday discuss ballot initiatives to protect children as concerns grow over slipping parental rights in the Golden State.
California education activists accused state Attorney General Rob Bonta of "lying" about a recently passed parental notification policy after he said it would allow children to be abused by their parents.
Bonta's office is suing Chino Valley Unified School District [CVUSD] for passing a policy in July requiring school staff to inform parents if their child identified as transgender. The attorney general said the policy "unconstitutionally discriminates" against LGBTQ students and violates their privacy rights.
In a social media post on Tuesday, the state official doubled down on this position and claimed the school notification policy doesn't protect children from being abused.
He described a scenario where a child objects to their parents finding out about their gender identity and tells a school official they will "get hurt" if their parents find out they are transgender. Under the CVUSD policy, it is "mandatory" for that official to then tell the parent, he argued. "Exactly what the child said could happen, could very well happen," Bonta warned in the video.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks at a news conference at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., Feb. 23, 2022. ((AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli))
"It is children who would be the losers from this policy," he stated.
Education activists in the Golden State fired back at the state official, claiming he was mischaracterizing the policy.
".@AGRobBonta is lying. The attorney for Chino Valley explicitly said the policy does not do what Bonta is claiming, and he said so on the record in open session at the same meeting the policy was passed," Protect Kids California co-founder Jonathan Zachreson wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Protect Kids California is a newly formed bipartisan group that petitioned for three statewide ballot measures geared toward protecting children on gender issues.
Los Angeles-based lawyer and Palos Verdes School Board Member Julie Hamill also objected to the attorney general's characterization of the pro-parent policy.
"Mr. Bonta - if a child believes their parent is going to hurt them, the right move is a call to CPS. Why send the kids home after school or for summer if the school believes the parents are dangerous? This doesn't make any sense. What are you doing?" she asked.
A protester holds a cardboard poster reading, 'Science Teachers Know Gender Is a Social Construct' during a Black Trans Lives Matter rally in New York, NY on Sept. 19, 2022. (ohn Nacion/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Escondido's Republican City Council Mayor Dane White responded bluntly, "Bonta... you're not my co-parent. Sincerely, California Parents."
A Chino Valley Unified School District spokesperson told Fox News Digital that "Attorney General Bonta's comments were not accurate."
"Through BP 5020.1, staff are required to notify CPS/law enforcement if the student or staff member believes the student is in danger or has been abused, injured, or neglected due to their parent or guardian knowing of their preferred gender identity. In these circumstances, CVUSD staff will not notify parents or guardians, but rather, wait for the appropriate agencies to complete their investigations regarding the concerns shared by the student," the spokesperson added.
In response to the AG's lawsuit, a California judge issued a temporary restraining order on the school district policy on Wednesday.
Chino Valley Unified School District Board president Sonja Shaw blasted the judge's decision in a statement to Fox News Digital, calling opponents "government bullies."
"Parents this is the inflection point in history where we have the opportunity to stand up to the government bullies in the political cartel and let them know we have rights over our children. Nobody sends their kids to school in hopes that the school will keep secrets from them; we send our school kids to school to be educated. We have a sacred duty, responsibility and constitutional rights over our children," she said in part.
The California Attorney General's office did not respond to a request for comment.
This article has been updated with statements from a Chino Valley Unified School District spokesperson and board president Sonja Shaw.
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