A federal judge is considering sanctions against the California Department of Education (CDE) after evidence provided by California Family Council (CFC) revealed that state officials misled the court about rescinding their unconstitutional “gender secrecy” directives. The discovery has rocked the ongoing Mirabelli v. Olson case, in which two Christian teachers are suing the state for requiring them to hide students’ gender identities from parents.
CFC’s Role in Uncovering the Deception
For months, CDE attorneys have claimed that the state no longer instructs teachers to conceal a child’s gender transition from parents. But CFC obtained and shared access to the Department’s new PRISM training, a mandatory course for educators developed in partnership with LGBTQ advocacy organizations, which proves otherwise. The evidence came from two courageous Christians, one a teacher and another a school board member, California State Superintendent Sonja Shaw, who provided access to the hidden materials.
The PRISM curriculum, CFC discovered, explicitly instructs teachers to withhold information about a student’s sexual orientation or gender identity from parents without the student’s permission. The training hyperlinks to resources from groups like GLSEN, the ACLU, and Our Family Coalition that state directly: “School staff shall not disclose any information that may reveal a student’s transgender status to others, including parents or guardians…”
Federal Judge Calls Out State Misconduct
According to the Thomas More Society (TMS), which represents the teachers in Mirabelli v. Olson, U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez is now weighing whether to sanction the California Department of Education for misleading the court. “The State claimed in court that it had rescinded the gender secrecy directives we are challenging,” said TMS Special Counsel Paul Jonna. “But we now have evidence of a coordinated, statewide campaign to enforce Parental Exclusion Policies. … This is one of the most egregious attempts I’ve seen—if not the most—to mislead a Court, and it warrants severe sanctions.”
Judge Benitez had already certified Mirabelli v. Olson as a class action on behalf of every California teacher and parent impacted by these “Parental Exclusion Policies.” The upcoming November 17 hearing was expected to deliver a landmark ruling affirming parental rights. However, CDE lawyers have been attempting to derail the case by claiming it was “moot,” insisting that the secrecy directives had been withdrawn. Thanks to CFC’s evidence, that claim has now been exposed as false.
Evidence Hidden in “Mandatory Training”
The PRISM training not only restates the unconstitutional secrecy rules, but it also embeds them deeper within California’s education system under new branding. According to the Thomas More Society, the materials were password-protected and distributed statewide with the approval of CDE officials. Partnered with 19 LGBTQ+ groups, the Department effectively reintroduced the same “don’t tell parents” policies it had promised to remove.
In one section of the training, teachers are instructed to “advocate for gender-affirming policies” and directed to download GLSEN’s model district policy prohibiting the disclosure of a student’s transgender status to parents. Another section links to the ACLU’s gender privacy guidance, which reiterates that teachers must not inform parents of a student’s LGBTQ status.
These revelations contradict the state’s sworn statements to the court, a move that caused Judge Benitez to order state officials to show cause as to why they should not be sanctioned for misleading the Court.
Connection to AB 5 and the State’s “Loyalty Training”
This controversy comes just as California’s new AB 5 law takes effect, mandating that all public school employees complete a “cultural competency” course focused on LGBTQ+ issues. As CFC reported in recent weeks, the law effectively acts as an LGBTQ loyalty test, requiring teachers to affirm beliefs that conflict with biblical truth. Christian educators who refuse to endorse gender ideology could face retaliation or certification issues.
CFC’s recent articles, “We Will Not Bow: Christian Teachers Must Claim Their Right to Refuse California’s LGBTQ Loyalty Training” and “CA Teachers Forced into LGBTQ Loyalty Test That Labels Christian Beliefs as Bigotry,” detailed how the new law pressures educators to publicly affirm same-sex marriage and transgender ideology or risk being labeled as discriminatory.
The exposure of PRISM proves these trainings are not about “tolerance” or “inclusion.” They are ideological indoctrination, and they continue to enforce parental exclusion, even as state lawyers insist otherwise.
A Turning Point for Parental Rights
California Family Council Vice President Greg Burt praised the teachers’ courage and the Thomas More Society’s tenacity. “This case is about truth and transparency,” Burt said. “For years, California officials have lied to parents and punished teachers who dare to tell the truth. Now, the evidence is undeniable: the state has been caught red-handed promoting secrecy and deception.”
“This is exactly why CFC exists, to expose corruption that threatens the family and to defend the God-given rights of parents to raise their children according to their value,” Burt said.
What’s Next
Judge Benitez’s ruling could have sweeping implications for every public school in California. If sanctions are imposed, it will send a strong signal that state officials cannot hide unconstitutional directives behind “training programs.” More importantly, the Mirabelli case could set a national precedent reaffirming that parents — not bureaucrats or activists — have the primary right to direct the care and upbringing of their children.\
