AB 1955 Keeps Secrets Enables Predators

Politics in one minute #5

AB 1955 

AB 1955 destroys the bond of cooperation and trust between schools and parents. This legislation, which is now on the Governor’s desk, would prevent school personnel from letting parents know if their child was struggling with gender issues.  This flies in the face of the long-standing partnership and teamwork that has developed with parents and schools to help students grow into outstanding adults.

Parents entrust the schools with their children five, six, seven or more hours a day. When a student is struggling academically, socially, or behaviorally, often times teachers and school personnel are the first to know. It has always been the policy to contact the parents and have a discussion about how to assist the child in addressing those problems. Those relationships and trust are almost always successful in improving student performance. As a parent it is the relationship I would like to have with my child’s school and teachers.

AB 1955 presupposes that parents will always be hostile to gender identity and should be kept in the dark about those issues. It assumes parents won’t be capable of any compassion in helping their child. It also assumes that ignoring the matter and leaving it up to the child is the healthiest course of action. This is the worst thing you could do to a child. Parents always want what is best for their child and the legislature has no business imposing their will, and their one-size-fits-all approach on parents and school officials. 

This legislation will undoubtedly result in years of litigation and political fighting over something that should be a deeply personal and confidential matter for students and parents. This bill does nothing to improve the circumstances of these children and it only increases the community stress and anxiety over how to best deal with gender issues. 

Governor Newson is a parent. He cannot possibly want his children’s school to keep from him the emotional struggles his children might be having over gender issues. As a parent he should veto this bill without hesitation. 

Signing this bill would be a clear signal that the Governor and the Legislature care nothing for the rights of parents or the well-being of their children. Signing this bill is virtue-signaling in its most hypocritical form.

Parents should contact the Governor’s office immediately and ask him to veto this bill. If it is signed parents in California should look to filing a referendum to overturn the bill or an initiative to repeal the bill. 

If the Legislature truly believes that this is the best way to deal with the issue, then putting it to a vote of the parents in this state would be the only fair way to decide the matter. That won’t happen because our legislators know deep down that parents would never support withholding information about the well-being of their children. It’s time for parents to think long and hard about who they are sending to Sacramento in November. Clearly, it’s time for some changes.