Porterville city leaders are considering a proposal that would require schools to notify parents if their child requests to be identified as another gender. The ordinance would allow parents to sue any school that violates the new rule, with a “legal assistance fund” established by the city to help parents pursue litigation.
The proposal was Vice Mayor Ed McKervey's idea. He says it's not a gender identity proposal, but rather a policy aimed at promoting parental rights.
Mayor Greg Meister, who supports the proposal, accuses the state of overreach.
“‘Public schools’ is a farce,” Meister said. “We no longer have public schools, they are state-ran schools. The administrators and teachers in our community are great people, we greatly respect them, but unfortunately they are caught in a bad position between parents and a student that may be going through hard issues.”
Until the situation changes, Meister encouraged parents to consider taking their children out of public school and homeschooling them instead.
The school district said the following in a statement:
“Porterville Unified School District has always been committed to following all applicable federal and state laws that govern public education in California. Our policies and practices are designed to comply with federal regulations, the California Education Code, and other relevant state requirements while prioritizing the safety, well-being, and educational needs of all students.
“Our focus remains, as always, on our core mission of providing quality education in a supportive environment where students can thrive, maintaining appropriate communication with families, and operating our schools in accordance with federal and state law.”
Read more at the Fresno Bee.