A California court has upheld a parental notification policy adopted by Chino Valley Unified School District, marking a significant development in the battle over parents’ rights in education. The ruling, which allows the district to notify parents when students seek changes to official or unofficial school records, was not appealed by the state, effectively securing a partial win for both the school district and California officials.
Chino Valley Unified School District implemented its parental notification policy in 2023, requiring parents to be informed if their child requests changes to their name, pronouns, or seeks to use facilities and programs designated for the opposite gender. California Attorney General Rob Bonta opposed the policy, backing lawsuits against the district and supporting AB 1955, a law banning parental notification for gender-related requests, which took effect on January 1, 2025.
A judge ultimately blocked Chino Valley’s original policy but upheld its right to notify parents regarding official and unofficial student records changes—except for gender-related changes, which AB 1955 prohibits. The school district has since sued to block AB 1955, in a case that remains undecided.
Both Liberty Justice Center (LJC), which represents Chino Valley, and Bonta’s office claimed victory following the court’s ruling. LJC highlighted that since Bonta did not appeal the judge’s decision, the case is now formally closed, allowing Chino Valley to continue enforcing its parental notification policy in certain circumstances.
Meanwhile, Bonta celebrated the court’s injunction against the district’s original policy, stating, “This ruling… reaffirms this obligation by ensuring no child becomes a target again by blocking Chino Valley Unified from ever adopting another forced outing policy.”
The debate over parental rights in education has intensified, with entrepreneur Elon Musk citing AB 1955 as a key factor in his decision to relocate business headquarters out of California. With legal battles ongoing, the Chino Valley case is expected to influence future disputes over parental notification laws in schools.
