Parents responded with cheers of “leave our kids alone” when a California superintendent was kicked out of a school board hearing for aggressively opposing a policy that forced teachers to notify parents if their child is transgender.
Tony Thurmond, the California State Superintendent of Schools, was ejected from the Chino Valley Unified school board meeting Thursday after running over his allotted time to vigorously attack the policy.
More than 300 people filled the main hall of Don Lugo High School in Chino, California to attend the hearing, which was marked by animosity as Thurmond clashed with school board president Sonja Shaw.
After Thurmond condemned the new guidelines as “putting transgender students at risk,” Shaw responded that the official was “proposing things that pervert kids.”
The board eventually voted 4 to 1 to implement the parental notification policy, a move that was met with cheers from the public.
Parents at the hostile hearing cheered when the policy was approved 4 to 1
Before Thurmond was led away by security yelling “kick him out,” the administrator denounced the proposal to target vulnerable students.
The policy, which was introduced in June, requires schools to notify parents within three days of their child identifying as transgender. Teachers should also inform parents if their child is involved in any violence or conversations about suicide.
Students who identify as transgender are defined under the policy as trying to change their name or pronouns, or asking to access sports based on gender, bathrooms or locker rooms that differ from their biological sex.
“The policies you are considering tonight may not only fall outside privacy laws, but may also put our students at risk,” Thurmond said at the meeting.
After reaching the end of his time, Thurmond could be heard in footage from the hearing interrupting Shaw when she ordered him to return to his seat.
Loud cheers erupted as Thurmond sat back down, prompting Shaw to ask the audience to “be respectful.”
She then berated the superintendent for his role in escalating issues with transgender students, saying, “Tony Thurmond, I really appreciate you being here, but here’s the problem — we’re here because of people like you.”
“In Sacramento, you imagine things that hurt kids,” she continued. The California state legislature, which has passed several controversial laws about transgender youth, is based in the city.
Chino Valley Unified School District President Sonja Shaw slammed the superintendent for “proposing things that pervert kids”
Tony Thurmond, the California State Superintendent of Schools, was ejected from the Chino Valley Unified school board meeting Thursday after exceeding his allotted time to vigorously attack the policy
Thurmond then returned to the soap box as Shaw continued to tear it up, leading her to punch him for supporting her opponent during her latest election to the school board.
“Why was it so important for you to walk with my opponent?” she asked. “You’re the very reason we’re in this.”
Thurmond tried to shout a “point of order” to stop her attacks, whereupon Shaw shot him again, saying, “No!” This is not your meeting, you can have a seat.
“If I did that to you in Sacramento, you wouldn’t accept it,” she added. “You’re not going to blackmail us, you’ve already sent us an extortion letter… you’re not going to bully us here in Chino.”
The rift among many Americans over the issue of transgender minors was on full display in the California school hall, as much of the public behind the dueling officials shouted “leave our kids alone” while others held signs calling for Shaw to be recalled.
Due to the large number of people in attendance, speaking time at the hearing was reduced from the usual three minutes to one minute.
Furious parents on both sides of the aisle voted in favor of the event, with Chino Valley school parent Nick Wilson telling the board, “It’s morally repugnant that they think parents should not interfere with their children,” said Mercury News.
“We are here today because our children are in danger,” added another parent, Oscar Avila. “Our children are at risk from groomers.”
After the debate, the board voted 4 to 1 in favor of introducing the parental reporting policy.
Speaking time during the hearing was reduced to one minute due to the large number of people who wanted to participate. Pictured: A youth in a wheelchair puts his head in his hands as a man speaks at the school board meeting
Residents on both sides of the aisle showed up at the hearing, which devolved into hostility
It has not been verified which “blackmail” letter Shaw was referring to in the footage, but she may have been referring to a letter California Attorney General Rob Bonta sent to the school board Thursday night.
“By allowing the disclosure of a student’s gender identity without their consent, the parental notification policy proposed by Chino Valley Unified School District would deprive them of their liberty, violate their autonomy and potentially put them in a harmful situation,” Bonta said.
“(My) office has a significant interest in protecting the legal rights of children in California schools and protecting such children from trauma and exposure to violence,” the letter continued.
“I will not hesitate to take appropriate measures to vigorously protect students’ civil rights.”
The hearing comes as questions are raised about the most appropriate way to help minors suffering from gender dysphoria. In recent years, a series of lawsuits have been filed against caregivers of former transgender people who feel they have been forced into invasive surgeries.