Supreme Court blocks law against schools outing transgender students to their parents in California

"The order blocks for now a state law that bans automatic parental notification requirements if students change their pronouns or gender expression at school. It comes after religious parents and educators challenged California school policies aimed at preventing schools from outing students to their families. Two sets of Catholic parents represented by the Thomas More Society say it caused schools to mislead them and secretly facilitate the children's social transition despite their objections."

"California argued that students have the right to privacy about their gender expression, especially if they fear rejection from their families, and school policies are aimed at striking a balance with parents' rights. The high court, though, sided with the parents and reinstated a lower-court order blocking the law and school policies while the case continues to play out."

"The Supreme Court has ruled for religious plaintiffs in other recent cases, including allowing parents to pull their children from public-school lessons if they object to storybooks with LGBTQ+ characters. The California order comes months after the court upheld state bans on gender-identity-related healthcare for minors."

The Supreme Court granted an emergency appeal from a conservative legal group, blocking California's law that prohibited schools from automatically notifying parents when students change their pronouns or gender expression. Catholic parents represented by the Thomas More Society argued schools were misleading them and secretly facilitating their children's social transitions. California maintained students have privacy rights regarding gender expression, particularly if they fear family rejection, and school policies aim to balance student and parental rights. The Court sided with parents, reinstating a lower-court order blocking the law while litigation continues. This decision aligns with recent Supreme Court rulings favoring religious plaintiffs on LGBTQ+ issues and follows the Court's previous decisions upholding state bans on gender-identity healthcare for minors.

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