VIDEO: Privacy policy for transgender NJ students goes before federal court
Questions regarding a parent’s right to know about their kid’s identity and their child’s right to privacy are heading to federal court after a lawsuit from a conservative political organization.
Moms for Liberty argues a policy by the School District of the Chathams in New Jersey allows schools to essentially conceal children’s gender transitions. The school district claims it is simply following state law and state school guidelines.
The lawsuit targets New Jersey Policy 51 45.7, which was adopted in January 2024.
Moms of Liberty argues the policy lets kids change their name and gender at school without telling parents, lets counselors decide what parents hear, and can punish other kids for using a student’s name or pronouns that match their sex determined at birth. They accused the district of violating parents’ constitutional rights to due process under the 14th Amendment.
“The issue here is that they are completely overriding parental rights and they are hurting children in the process,” said Alex Bougher of Moms for Liberty. “These parents that are named in our lawsuit, who are Moms for Liberty members, are asking to be told things ahead of time, to have an option of an opt-out, to not change things on school records without parental consent, and to not force a child to use language that is not in their religious beliefs.”
The lawsuit comes after the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Mirabelli v. Bonta, which granted an injunction against similar California policies keeping students’ gender identities confidential from parents.