"The Anderson Union High School District strives to foster trust between the district and parent(s)/guardian(s) of its students," reads AVUHSD’s policy. "To that end, the board supports the fundamental rights of parents)/guardian(s) to direct the care and upbringing of their children, including the right to be informed of and involved in all aspects of their child's education to promote the best outcomes."Anderson Union High School District (AVUHSD) and Temecula Valley Unified School District (TVUSD) passed parental notification policies requiring the district to inform parents if their child requests to be treated as transgender at school.
This is the third and fourth school district in California to adopt a parental notification policy regarding students requesting to identify as transgender.Loading...
The intent of the policy is to provide procedures to maintain and restore trust between school districts, parents, and students, along with ensuring parents are involved in the decision making process regarding their student's mental health and social-emotional issues at the earliest time to prevent or reduce potential instances of self-harm. The policy also aims to promote communication and positive relationships with parents and guardians of pupils that promote the best outcomes for a student's academic and social-emotional success.
"It is the policy of the Anderson Union High School District that district employees, administrators and certificated staff collaborate with parents)/guardian(s) in evaluating the needs of students having academic, attendance, social, emotional, or behavioral difficulties and in identifying strategies and programs that may assist such students in maximizing their potential."
The policy requires principals, certified staff, and school counselors to notify parents or guardians in writing within three days of becoming aware that a student is requesting to be identified as transgender, including using any names or pronouns different from their official records. Parents must also be notified if their student requests access to sex-segregated school programs and activities including athletic teams and bathrooms or changing rooms that don't align with the student's sex listed at birth.
Parents must also be notified immediately, or as soon as reasonably possible, if a student has experienced significant physical injury while at school or participating in a school sponsored activity. All district employees must also take a student's statement regarding suicidal intent seriously.
Administration must also notify parents if their child experiences an incident of bullying within three days of the occurrence.
TVUSD copied AVUHSD's policy, though inserted Temecula in the language rather than Anderson Valley on Monday.
AVUHSD's policy passed 4-1, while TVUSD passed 3-2.
The adoption of the parental notification policy follows Chino Valley Unified School District's (CVUSD) adoption of a parental notification policy in July which passed 4-1.
Murrieta Unified School District (MUSD) similarly used CVUSD's language in their policy.
MUSD's policy passed earlier this month with a vote of 3-2.
