Chino Valley School District approves controversial gender reporting bill

It was a packed building at the Chino Valley Unified School District office on Thursday night to discuss the board's support of a controversial gender reporting bill. 

"Forcing teachers to out trans kids to their parents put them at risk," said Chino High School valedictorian Daniel Moore. "Risk of being disowned kicked out and even harmed."

The proposed state assembly bill would require schools to notify parents within 72 hours if their student starts identifying as transgender. The polarizing topic brought many to the podium, so much so that hundreds waited outside and watched the meeting on their phones. 

"I our children are struggling with gender identity, we as parents need to know it is absolutely crucial," said one mother. 

The public comments were passionate on both sides but at the center of the contentious issue are vulnerable children.

"There's no way you will be able to pray all of us dead," said one student. 

"This bill is saying 'I'm ok with that blood on my hands,'" said another. 

Some parents said that excluding them puts their children's lives at risk, while others were hesitant to have more government interference. 

Republican state Assemblyman Bill Essayli introduced the controversial bill, AB-1314. He said it does not out trans kids or alter the decisions they choose to make surrounding their identity. 

"All it says is you have to bring the parents into the loop ad they have to know what's happening," said Essayli. 

Even so, Kristy Hirst, the co-founder of the nonprofit "Our Schools USA" said the LGBTQ community knows what this so-called parental notification bill is really about. 

"This is just the first step to dismantling all LGBTQ rights and protections," said Hirst. "That's what they really want to do."

After an hour of public comment, the school board voted 4 to 1 to support the controversial bill.