Parents in Irvine, California, are expressing concern about emails sent between local school district personnel discussing the possibility of concealing the legal names of students who identify as transgender from school nurses, as reported by the Epoch Times. They are rightfully concerned that such a decision could lead to tragic or fatal outcomes during emergencies.
The parent group, called Irvine Unified Exposed, obtained an email thread through a public records request. The email exchange reveals that a 911 emergency call was initiated on Dec. 8, 2022, for a child with a “gender support” plan.
During this incident, school nurses and health clerks could only view the child’s “preferred name” in the system. Within the email communication, staff deliberated on whether to grant school nurses, health clerks, and front office personnel access to students’ legal names on such plans. Ultimately, the decision was made to withhold this information.
Maureen Muir, a mental health specialist providing districtwide “LGBTQ+ community support,” Tim Tatum, director of student services, and Shadlie Kensrue, coordinator of health services, collectively determined not to disclose legal names to school nurses, according to the emails.
The email correspondence also mentions Aeries, a computer program that empowers district staff to toggle between hiding or revealing the legal names of transgender students.
A parent, using the alias Sarah Park to protect her family from potential retaliation, informed The Epoch Times of this situation, noting that concealing the legal names of students may present challenges for school nurses when administering medications. “If nurses are not being given the student’s real name and gender, how are they supposed to give medications or give the child’s medical history to paramedics in an emergency?” asked Ms. Park. “I was horrified to hear that the school nurse and other officials are not involved in this secretive plan. As a parent of a child with a life-threatening health condition, it scares me for my child and all students at [Irvine Unified School District] who might not receive timely lifesaving care due to the chaos caused by this secrecy policy. Schools should not be hiding things.”
Another concerned parent, who prefers not to disclose their identity due to fears of reprisal, expressed to The Epoch Times that they are anxious about their child, who faces a life-threatening health condition, since gender support plans can be put into effect without parental notification.
Parents are also worried that confidential gender “transition” policies not only contribute to record-keeping complications but also come at a time when academic performance has declined in California. In one specific instance, a student expressed a desire to be addressed with both he/him and they/them pronouns at school but with she/her pronouns when school staff communicated with her parents, noted Park. “What teacher can possibly keep track of all of this?” she asked. “This is just unbelievably stupid—a waste of time and taxpayer dollars.”
This isn’t the first time a California school district has been hiding pertinent information about students. Earlier this year, several California schools were caught hiding students’ “gender identities” from parents or even encouraging students to “transition” behind their parents’ backs. One school even went so far as to fire a teacher for respecting parental rights and refusing to hide students’ “gender identities” from parents.
Thankfully, however, a California school district recently reached a $100,000 settlement with a mother who alleged that her daughter was “socially transitioned” to a boy without her consent. Jessica Konen’s 11-year-old daughter, Alicia, was convinced by two teachers at her school within the Spreckels Union School District, located in Monterey County, that she was experiencing feelings of distress because she had not yet discovered who she “truly was inside.” Then, the school permitted her to utilize the boys’ restroom, referred to her using male pronouns, and facilitated a “social transition.” Now, the school is being held accountable.
Further, earlier this year, two teachers sued Escondido Union School District (EUSD) and the state education board over policies that forced them to keep parents in the dark when it comes to students’ intentions to “change” genders and socially “transition” at school. Recently, in a major victory for parents’ rights, a federal judge has blocked the district from enforcing these policies.
Parents alone have the right to make important decisions regarding their child’s health care. School administrators in Irvine are not only violating parents’ rights but prioritizing a radical ideology over the health and safety of their students. However, recent victories go to show that standing up and speaking out for parental rights really can make a difference.
