Court blocks California law barring teachers from telling parents if their child is transgender | EdSource
This story was originally published by EdSource. Sign up for their daily newsletter.
The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily blocked enforcement of a California law this week that prevents school employees from being required to disclose information related to a student’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression to their parents or any other person without their consent, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The ruling, which said the state law could be unconstitutional, puts it on hold while a legal battle over it continues.
The original case was filed in April 2023 by Escondido Union School District teachers Elizabeth Mirabelli and Lori Ann West, who claimed that district policies that stopped them from disclosing a child’s gender identity violated their constitutional free speech and religious rights. The case also named California state officials, including State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, the State Board of Education, and California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
Assembly Bill 1955, known as the SAFETY Act, was passed in 2024 to protect children from families who could be hostile to their transgender children, according to supporters. But a growing movement calling for “parents rights” have demanded an end to the law.
The court had previously allowed the law to stand while the state fought an injuction from a Santa Ana district court. But the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the temporary hold on the law, sending it back to the appellate court.
There are several court cases on the matter headed to the U.S. Supreme Court, most championed by conservative activists, according to the Los Angeles Times.
EdSource is dedicated to covering in California and nationally. Other publications may republish EdSource articles, online or in print, at no charge, provided adherence to our guidelines. The embed code provided here includes a tracking pixel to enable us to measure the reach of our stories. It must be included in any online pickup of EdSource stories.
The following guidelines apply to all EdSource content, including stories, podcasts and video:
Editing stories: Trimming stories for length or adding additional localized reporting is allowed. However, if you wish to make material edits, please contact EdSource for approval prior to publication. Please reach out to Andrew and Smita at republish@edsource.org with questions.
Crediting EdSource: Authors and EdSource should be credited in the byline with a link back to the original article. (This is in the embed code. Please be sure to include it.)
Monetization: EdSource stories cannot be sold, but it’s OK to put EdSource articles on pages with ads.
Photos and graphics: Assets such as photos and graphics must be added manually. Photos taken by EdSource staff may be republished, but some images, such as those from third-party providers (Associated Press, iStock), may not be republished without permission or payment. Proceed with caution. You may also run your own photos with the EdSource story. On occasion, EdSource editors may be able to provide partners with embed codes for graphics or localized data. If you have questions, please contact us.
RSS Feeds: News organizations cannot systematically republish all EdSource articles via RSS feed or other mechanism.
News Brief
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 — 10:44 am
June 23, 2026
The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily blocked enforcement of a California law this week that prevents school employees from being required to disclose information related to a student’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression to their parents or any other person without their consent, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The ruling, which said the state law could be unconstitutional, puts it on hold while a legal battle over it continues.
The original case was filed in April 2023 by Escondido Union School District teachers Elizabeth Mirabelli and Lori Ann West, who claimed that district policies that stopped them from disclosing a child’s gender identity violated their constitutional free speech and religious rights. The case also named California state officials, including State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, the State Board of Education, and California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
Assembly Bill 1955, known as the SAFETY Act, was passed in 2024 to protect children from families who could be hostile to their transgender children, according to supporters. But a growing movement calling for “parents rights” have demanded an end to the law.
The court had previously allowed the law to stand while the state fought an injuction from a Santa Ana district court. But the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the temporary hold on the law, sending it back to the appellate court.
There are several court cases on the matter headed to the U.S. Supreme Court, most championed by conservative activists, according to the Los Angeles Times.
More News Briefs
Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 9:04 am
Sacramento City Unified considers parcel tax to reduce budget deficit
Monday, June 22, 2026, 9:50 am
Twin Rivers Unified board to vote on contract for new superintendent
Monday, June 22, 2026, 8:09 am
Carvalho resigns as Los Angeles Unified superintendent amid FBI probe
Thursday, June 18, 2026, 10:36 am
California Teachers Association opposes one-time billionaire tax
Thursday, June 18, 2026, 10:25 am
Parents of kids with disabilities protest federal changes to special education, civil rights
EdSource in your inbox!
Stay ahead of the latest developments on education in California and nationally from early childhood to college and beyond. Sign up for EdSource’s no-cost daily email.
Thanks for signing up!
Stay informed with our daily newsletter