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Board hears heated public testimony over proposed parental‑notification policy modeled on Chino Valley
Summary
Advocates and parents sharply split Feb. 6 as Riverside Unified heard public comment on whether to pursue a parental‑notification policy similar to Chino Valley USD; LGBTQ advocates warned the policy could 'forcibly out' students and create legal exposure, while proponents argued for parental transparency.
Riverside Unified trustees heard nearly two hours of public comment on Feb. 6 about whether the district should consider a parental‑notification policy modeled on the controversial Chino Valley Unified School District measure.
Speakers were sharply divided. Opponents — including representatives of the Inland Empire Prism Collective, parents, students and local LGBTQ youth advocates — urged the board not to pursue the Chino model, saying its earlier iteration and legal challenges put vulnerable transgender and gender‑nonconforming students at risk. "This would forcibly out LGBTQ students who ask their teachers to call them by a different name, and who join LGBTQ clubs on their campus," said June O'Bie of the Inland Empire Prism Collective; she noted Chino Valley's policy had faced judicial scrutiny and that California passed AB 1955 (the "Safety Act") to protect student privacy.
Other public commenters recounted local experience: parents and students described harm and fear when students' identities were exposed or when protests targeted trans students. One parent of a trans athlete recounted the student leaving a sport after local protests and said the board should reject policies that could increase emotional harm or litigation exposure.
Proponents spoke in support of stronger parental notice and transparency. Several speakers argued parents retain constitutional rights to be informed about their children's education and welfare and urged the board to adopt measures that ensure parents are notified of record changes and extracurricular involvement. "Parents have the right to know what's going on with their kids," one speaker said.
The board did not take action on the item. Trustee Vickers asked that staff return the proposal as a voting item for future discussion; no formal vote to adopt a Chino‑style policy was taken during the meeting. Trustees noted the legal complexity cited by speakers and the need to reconcile state law and guidance from state agencies before making any policy changes.
What's next: staff will research the policy options and legal context and the board may consider the item at a future meeting if members request it for action.
