Title: California State Superintendent of Schools Removed from Board Meeting Over Transgender Policy Debate
By Nicholas McEntyre | July 22, 2023 | 3:20am
California’s state superintendent of schools, Tony Thurmond, was forcefully escorted out of a board meeting on Thursday night in Chino Valley Unified School District. The incident occurred after he expressed opposition to a policy that requires teachers to notify parents about students who identify as transgender.
During the meeting, a heated exchange took place between Thurmond and Chino Valley Unified School District official Sonja Shaw. Attendees at the meeting voiced their discontent with Thurmond’s presence, telling him to “leave our kids alone.”
Thurmond, speaking as a parent, raised concerns about the policy’s potential negative impact on students’ mental health. He highlighted the alarming statistic that nearly half of LGBTQ+ students contemplate suicide. Thurmond argued that the policy not only violated students’ privacy and safety but could also put them at risk if they were not in supportive home environments.
However, Shaw cut Thurmond off, claiming he had exceeded his allotted speaking time. She blamed the state official for the situation the school district found itself in, accusing him of proposing policies that “pervert children.”
Thurmond tried to bring up a point of order but was rejected by Shaw. She accused him of attempting to blackmail the school board and insisted that he sit down. Eventually, Thurmond was escorted out of the meeting when he surpassed the one-minute speaking limit.
Despite Thurmond’s opposition, the school board voted 4-1 to mandate the notification of parents regarding transgender students’ self-identification, name/pronoun changes, and requests for access to gender-based facilities that do not correspond with their assigned gender at birth.
In a tweet following the incident, Thurmond explained that he attended the meeting at the invitation of LGBTQ+ students who wanted to speak out against the policy they considered radical. He described being verbally attacked by Shaw and criticized the school board as extremists.
Thurmond’s removal from the meeting raises questions about the ability of everyday parents and students in Chino Valley Unified to have their voices heard. The incident highlights the ongoing debate surrounding transgender policies in schools and the challenges faced by education officials in ensuring the safety and well-being of all students.