The United States Supreme Court blocked enforcement of a California education policy that restricted teachers from informing parents about a child’s gender transition at school and required educators to use a student’s preferred pronouns. The court’s unsigned order allows a federal judge’s earlier ruling in favor of parents who objected to the policy on religious grounds to take effect. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had previously permitted the policy to remain in place while litigation continued.
The high court ruled in favor of parents but declined a similar request from teachers who objected to the policy. The justices did not explain the denial. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito would have granted both requests, while Justice Sonia Sotomayor would have denied both. Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented, criticizing the court for acting through its emergency docket.
In its reasoning, the court stated that parents were likely to succeed in arguing that the policy violated their rights to the free exercise of religion and to raise their children under the 14th Amendment.
