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Teacher and community members press board over 'outing' policy, legal risk and student confidentiality
Summary
During public comment at the Murrieta Valley Unified school board meeting, teachers and parents urged the board to reconsider reinstating an outing policy they said conflicts with a California Court of Appeals action and could expose the district to further legal fees; speakers also raised concerns about how board members obtained sensitive student information.
A group of teachers, parents and former trustees used the public‑comment period at the Murrieta Valley Unified School District board meeting to demand the board stop adopting policies they said invite lawsuits and to explain how board members obtained private student information.
Jenny Sharf, a teacher and parent who identified herself as a plaintiff in a separate lawsuit, told trustees the California Court of Appeals issued a preliminary injunction related to a CRT ban and declined to rule on an outing policy. She said the board “immediately after” reinstated the outing policy in Murrieta and asked why the district would ask teachers to follow a policy that she said a court “stated … is actually illegal in the state of California.” Sharf also asked the district to investigate how board members obtained confidential student details about gender identity and sexual orientation, saying, “As a teacher, I do not even have access to that information.”
Emily Brooks, a former board member who said she served 21 years, warned that repeated adoption of contested policies has financial consequences. Brooks cited previous complaints to the California Department of Education and the Public Employment Relations Board that cost the district “over $30,000 in attorney fees” and warned of larger liabilities, referencing a separate case where a district was ordered to pay more than $350,000. “If you continue to approve illegal policies, things can get even more expensive,” she said.
Parent Jeremy Murphy told trustees the board majority has been taking “shortcuts” rather than doing the collaborative work he said is necessary to avoid legal pitfalls and protect classroom funding. “Actions speak louder than words and right now your actions have kind of just been shortcuts,” Murphy said, urging the board to prioritize student learning.
Superintendent Dr. Andress responded during his report that board members had asked questions about student situations but that no confidential identifiers (names, student ID numbers) were shared with trustees. He said staff discussed situations only in aggregate and that staff who work directly with students retain access to protected information.
The board did not take action on the public comments during the meeting but did approve several agenda and consent items later in the session.
