Supreme Court blocks California policies intended to protect transgender students

By John Fritze, CNN

(CNN) — The Supreme Court on Monday blocked a California education policy that restricts teachers from informing parents about a student’s gender expression, pausing an approach the state says is intended to protect trans minors from rejection and abuse at home.

The emergency case raised fundamental questions about whether parents have a right to know their child is going through a gender transition at school, and whether districts have an obligation to respect a student’s privacy wishes – particularly if disclosure could lead to abuse at home. The Supreme Court has repeatedly been asked to resolve that tension on its merits docket and, so far, has declined to do so.

“We conclude that the parents who seek religious exemptions are likely to succeed on the merits of their Free Exercise Clause claim,” the court said in an unsigned order.

The emergency appeal from a group of teachers and parents in California followed a decision from the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals that let the state’s policies stand. The appeals court paused an order from US District Judge Roger Benitez – who was nominated by President George W. Bush – that had sided with the parents and teachers, putting those policies on hold.

The Supreme Court granted the stay with respect to the parents, but declined to do so when it came to the teachers.

This story is breaking and will be updated.

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