In a landmark class-action ruling, Thomas More Society achieved a historic victory in Mirabelli, et al. v. Olson, et al., ending California’s gender secrecy policies and restoring transparency and parental involvement in public education. The decision and federal court order issuing a class-wide permanent injunction was issued by U.S. District Court Judge Roger Benitez just days before Christmas.

Under California’s Parental Exclusion Policies, children had an unqualified right to engage in a social transition to the opposite gender at school — forcing all teachers to use opposite-sex pronouns and a new name — and teachers were required to conceal that gender transition from the child’s parents absent the child’s affirmative consent….

As the case progressed, numerous parents who had been directly harmed by these policies approached Thomas More Society. One family who joined the lawsuit only learned that their child was being addressed by a different name at school after a tragic suicide attempt. Recognizing the sweeping nature of the constitutional violations, the Court certified the lawsuit as a class action, meaning that every California parent and teacher who objects to these policies now receives justice….

The case also revealed the lengths California education officials went to evade responsibility. They misled the court by claiming these policies were no longer enforced, only to be caught red-handed enforcing them in mandatory teacher training a week before the summary judgment hearing on November 17. As a result, the Court’s order specifically directs California to add the following statement “in a prominent place” in that training.

From the Thomas More Society