SLO County parents threaten protest if schools don’t follow Trump transgender orders
A petition circling San Luis Obispo County is calling on local school districts to roll back policies that allow transgender students to participate in sports and use the bathrooms and locker rooms aligned with their gender identities.
The effort comes after President Donald Trump signed executive orders targeting transgender rights in schools and athletic programs across the country.
The local petition was shared publicly on social media in March by the San Luis Obispo County chapter of Moms For Liberty, a national organization dedicated to pushing back against critical race theory and curriculum discussing LGBTQ+ identities in schools.
“Sign this petition to show local school districts that they need to follow federal laws, not state laws that violate federal laws,” the organization wrote in the post.
If school districts don’t comply with the demands, the petition said, the signatories will hold their kids home from school once a month starting in April until the districts cave.
What does the petition call for?
The petition can be found through a website that appears to have been created by a group called California Parents for Change.
The Tribune reached out to the local Mom’s For Liberty chapter to find more information about how the petition originated. The organization responded that it did not start the petition but believed it was started by a group of “concerned parents in North County.”
The website states that some locals are fed up with schools’ resistance to executive orders targeting transgender rights.
Specifically, the petition mentions Trump’s January order that states the federal government will not recognize transgender identities and a February order meant to ban transgender girls and women from participating in girls’ and women’s sports, according to the White House website tallying Trump’s executive decisions.
Notably, California schools also have to adhere to state policies on transgender rights in schools — some of which conflict with the federal directives.
Even then, the group is urging SLO County districts to follow federal rules over local policy.
“San Luis Obispo County schools violate our children’s civil rights by prioritizing gender identity over biological sex in locker room, restroom and sports policies, and installing menstrual product machines in boys’ restrooms,” the website reads. “It’s time for this to stop.”
The group alleges local policies that allow transgender girls to participate in women’s sports and use women’s bathrooms threaten “the dignity, safety and opportunities of both our sons and daughters.”
The petition calls on local school districts to develop a plan to comply with Trump’s executive orders and deliver a public statement by April 15.
If districts don’t comply by April 27, those supporting the petition will keep their kids home from school in protest on April 28, it says.
“This protest will continue, with our children absent from school for one day each month, until the school districts adhere to federal law, respecting Title IX and executive orders that safeguard the rights of all our children, sons and daughters alike,” the website reads.
The protest is designed to hit districts’ pocketbooks, since schools are funded based on average daily attendance, the website states.
It was unclear how many people had signed the petition as of Monday afternoon.
District leader reacts to petition
The Tribune reached out to leaders in the Paso Robles and San Luis Coastal districts to get their reaction to the petition.
Paso Robles did not respond, while San Luis Coastal superintendent Eric Prater said his district is bound by both state and federal laws.
“As a public school district, SLCUSD is guided by both state and federal laws, and we remain committed to upholding the principles of equality and non-discrimination,” Prater wrote. “In alignment with the California Department of Education, we follow current state law, which ensures that all students, including transgender students, have the right to participate in sports and other school activities in a manner consistent with their gender identity.”
Prater added that in early April, state lawmakers struck down two pieces of proposed legislation that would have prevented transgender athletes from playing on girls’ sports teams.
“California’s existing laws and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) guidelines — which have been in place for more than a decade — support the inclusion of transgender athletes,” Prater continued. “As a CIF member, SLCUSD is also required to comply with CIF’s bylaws in order to remain eligible for competition.”
Prater added that San Luis Coastal is committed to creating a school environment where students feel seen and respected.
“That includes ensuring access to extracurricular activities in a way that is safe, inclusive and equitable for all,” he said.
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