California is the first state to prohibit the forced outing of LGBTQ+ students

California Governor Gavin Newsom, a member of the Democratic party, affixed his signature to a groundbreaking state law on Monday that is designed to safeguard LGBTQ+ students against the unauthorized disclosure of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression by educational institutions.

The SAFETY Act bars schools from implementing regulations that would forcibly unveil a student’s identity and provides protection to teachers and staff members who opt not to comply with such regulations.

This recent legislation establishes California as the inaugural state to proscribe outing policies, as noted by the California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus.

San Diego Democrat Chris Ward, the initial proponent of the bill within the California Legislature, emphasized in a statement on Monday that the SAFETY Act addresses a surge in politically motivated assaults targeting queer and transgender students on a national scale.

“Although some school districts have enforced measures to mandatory disclose students’ identities, the SAFETY Act ensures that discussions concerning gender identity remain confidential within families,” Ward remarked. “I encourage all parents, as a parent myself, to engage in conversations with their children, lend them their ears, and unconditionally embrace their true selves.”

The law’s implementation transpired almost a year following an incident where Tony Thurmond, the state superintendent of public instruction, was forcibly ejected from a local school board assembly as he voiced his opposition to a district’s proposed outing policy, which was subsequently overturned in court.

“Now, our educators can devote their efforts to imparting essential academic competencies that our students require for success, instead of monitoring the gender identities of children,” Thurmond articulated in a statement on Monday.

According to the progressive think tank, the Movement Advancement Project, there are currently eight states, including Idaho and North Dakota, that mandate the disclosure of transgender youth in school settings. An additional five states, such as Florida and Kentucky, endorse the practice, although it is not obligatory.

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