School district in Orange County becomes latest in California to approve transgender policy

Orange USD adopts transgender notification policy

The Orange Unified School District has become the latest district to approve a transgender notification policy.

ORANGE, Calif. - The Orange Unified School District became the latest district in California to approve a transgender notification policy following a packed meeting that grew heated at times Thursday night.

The policy requires the school to notify parents when their children under the age of 12 request to use different names or pronouns than what is on their birth certificate.

Prior to the meeting, school board members said they received an email from California Attorney General Rob Bonta threatening to take action to protect student civil rights. Meanwhile, students and their families anxiously awaited the fate of the proposed policy.

It was a packed house with demonstrators spilling into the parking lot. During the meeting, there were several delays and disruptions, along with over three hours of public comment from both sides.

Despite Bonta's warning, the policy was approved in a 4-3 vote around 11:30 p.m. to a roar of applause.

Board members Ana Page, Kris Erickson, and Andrea Yamasaki, who opposed the policy, left the meeting early citing safety concerns.

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Meanwhile, the Chino Valley Unified School District is at the center of an ongoing legal battle with California Attorney General Rob Bonta over the controversial policy. A judge issued a temporary block on Chino Valley's policy.

Orange USD now becomes the third Southern California school board to allow such a policy.