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

"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 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 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 granted an emergency appeal from a conservative legal group, blocking California's law that prohibited automatic parental notification when students change their pronouns or gender expression at school. Catholic parents represented by the Thomas More Society argued that schools misled them and secretly facilitated their children's social transitions against their objections. California maintained that students have privacy rights regarding gender expression, particularly if they fear family rejection, and that school policies balance student and parental rights. The Court sided with the parents and reinstated a lower-court order blocking the law while litigation continues. This decision reflects the Court's recent pattern of ruling favorably toward religious plaintiffs in cases involving LGBTQ+ issues, including cases about school materials and transgender healthcare for minors.

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