Teachers sue Escondito school district over transgender student policy

Two teachers at a middle school in Escondido, near San Diego, last week sued the school district and the state Board of Education over a policy that bars teachers from discussing a student’s gender transition with parents.

The suit, filed on the teachers’ behalf by the conservative Thomas More Society, argues that the state’s policy of preventing teachers from discussing a student’s transgender status with parents violates the teachers’ right to free speech.

“Schools routinely send notes home to parents about trivial matters, like missing homework, so it is unfathomable that Escondido Union School District has a policy that forces teachers to withhold from parents some of the most fundamental and basic information about their children,” said Paul Jonna, an attorney for the Thomas More Society.

Currently, California law protects students’ right to privacy in issues related to gender. If a student is “out” at school, teachers may not inform the student’s parents without the student’s permission. The rule is intended to protect students from potential emotional or physical harm from family members who might disapprove of their transition.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California.