Originally published September 25, 2023 2:00 pm PDT
In a significant legislative move, California’s Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has endorsed a new law, mandating the presence of at least one gender-neutral bathroom in all public schools in the state, catering to students from the first to the 12th grade, by the year 2026.
This comes in alignment with the state’s persistent efforts to expand and enhance LGBTQ+ causes.
The new law broadens the scope of the existing 2013 law that mandates K-12 public schools in California to allow students the freedom to use bathrooms that align with their so-called gender identity, even if it is opposite to their sex, The Daily Wire reports.
The latest enactment explicitly calls for the establishment of an additional gender-neutral restroom.
Governor Newsom articulated the state’s dedication to fostering inclusive and safer spaces, stating, “California is proud to have some of the most robust laws in the nation when it comes to protecting and supporting our LGBTQ+ community, and we’re committed to the ongoing work to create safer, more inclusive spaces for all Californians.”
He claims that these legislative advancements will “promote acceptance” and are crucial to “protect vulnerable youth” and facilitate “more supportive environments in our schools and communities.”
Several bills emphasizing the well-being of LGBT youth were also endorsed by Newsom, Daily Wire notes.
These include legislation mandating LGBTQ cultural competency training for public school educators and staff.
Moreover, another critical enactment necessitates foster care families to “demonstrate an ability and willingness to meet the needs of a child, regardless of the child’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.”
The enactment of the gender-neutral bathroom law is attributed to recent policy developments in a school district in the Los Angeles area, focusing on student gender transitions.
Specifically, the Chino Valley Unified School District unveiled a policy in July that necessitates schools to notify parents if their child identifies with a gender incongruent with the one on their birth certificate.
This includes scenarios where students opt to utilize bathrooms or participate in sports teams aligned with the opposite sex.
This policy was met with significant backlash, leading to a legal tussle initiated by California Attorney General Rob Bonta against the Chino Valley district, leading to a temporary suspension of the district’s policy amid the ongoing lawsuit.
The district has been outspoken about its stance, with Chino Valley school board president Sonja Shaw expressing discontent about state officials “overstepping their boundaries.”
She further contended, “This is a ploy to try to scare all the other boards across California from adopting the policy,” vowing not to “back down and will stand in the gap to protect our kids from big government bullies.”
