Existing law requires the adopted courses of study for grades 1 to 6, inclusive, and grades 7 to 12, inclusive, to each include, among other courses, social sciences, drawing upon the disciplines of anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, and sociology, designed to fit the maturity of the pupils. Existing law requires instruction in social sciences to include, among other things, the early history of California and a study of the role and contributions of people of all genders, Native Americans, African Americans, Latino Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, European Americans, LGBTQ+ Americans, persons with disabilities, and members of other ethnic, cultural, religious, and socioeconomic status groups, to the economic, political, and social development of California and the United States of America, with particular emphasis on portraying the role of these groups in contemporary society.

If any part of a school’s instruction in health conflicts with the religious training and beliefs of a parent or guardian of a pupil, existing law requires the pupil, upon written request of the parent or guardian, to be excused from the part of the instruction that conflicts with the religious training and beliefs.

This bill, notwithstanding any other law and upon the written request of a pupil’s parent or guardian, would require the pupil to be excused from, and would prohibit the pupil from participating in, (1) any part of a public school’s curricula, instructions, lessons, presentations, or assemblies discussing, involving, or referencing transgender concepts, as defined, and (2) any anonymous, voluntary, and confidential tests, questionnaires, or surveys discussing, involving, or referencing transgender concepts. The bill would prohibit a school district, county office of education, or charter school from subjecting a pupil to any disciplinary action, academic penalty, or other sanction for being excused from participation.

This bill, notwithstanding any other law, would provide that any individual whose rights pursuant to the bill have been violated shall have a private right of action against the individual, entity, or local educational agency engaged in the violation for damages and any equitable relief as the court may determine justified, and would authorize the court to also award reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs to the prevailing party.