SACRAMENTO, Calif. — (AP) — California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a first-in-the-nation law Monday barring school districts from passing policies that require schools to notify parents if their child asks to change their gender identification.
The law bans rules requiring school staff to disclose a student’s gender identity or sexual orientation to any other person without the child’s permission. Proponents of the legislation say it will help protect LGBTQ+ students who live in unwelcoming households. But opponents say it will hinder schools’ ability to be more transparent with parents.
The law comes amid a broader debate over local school districts and the rights of parents and LGBTQ+ students.
“Politically motivated attacks on the rights, safety, and dignity of transgender, nonbinary, and other LGBTQ+ youth are on the rise nationwide, including in California,” Democratic Assemblymember Chris Ward, who authored the law, said in a statement. “While some school districts have adopted …