The Huntington Beach City Council voted to draft a “Parent’s Right to Know” ordinance.
Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark says it’s in response to AB 1955, a state law recently signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom that says school boards cannot pass policies requiring educators to tell parents if their child uses different pronouns at school.
The issue has left some communities across the state divided, with some parents saying it is their right to know and other parents expressing concern for the students who don’t feel their home environment is safe enough to do so.
The law doesn’t prohibit teachers from letting the parent know, but does not require them to notify either.
As for the proposed ordinance, the mayor says they still do not know the exact details of what it would entail as Tuesday's vote was just the starting point, allowing the city attorney to draft the paperwork.
The city attorney has until September to present the city council with that draft and is now looking at what is possible in this situation, given the city does not have jurisdiction over schools.