In Purely Symbolic Act, Council Declares Anderson a “Parent Right to Know City”
Last week the Anderson City Council passed a resolution mirroring the language of Anderson Union High School District’s lawsuit against the state. The school district has faced legal issues since passing a new policy in August 2023.
On the evening of September 17, the Anderson City Council passed a resolution designating the municipality as a “Parent Right to Know” city. The vote was unanimous, with all five Council members in favor.
The resolution, drafted by City Manager Joey Forseth-Deshais with the help of the City Attorney Collin Bogener, articulates the Council’s support for the Anderson Union High School District (AUHSD) Board’s refusal to comply with California’s “Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth” (SAFETY) Act, also known as AB 1955.
As the Council deliberated on how to vote, Mayor Stan Neutze proposed the resolution as Anderson’s way of pushing back against what he called the state legislature’s “progressive Marxist bent.”
AUHSD’s August 2023 decision to pass a new gender-related policy was what launched the District into its ongoing legal dispute. In July, Governor Gavin Newsom responded by signing the SAFETY Act, which prohibits schools from requiring educators to inform parents when a student requests to go by a different name or pronoun at school. Importantly, the SAFETY Act does not mandate that school staff withhold this information from parents.
California’s new law was designed to prevent teachers from being required to engage in the “forced outings” of queer and trans students, potentially exposing children to harm in their homes should their families disapprove of their sexual orientation or gender expression. But critics of the SAFETY Act feel it incentivizes school staff to shield students from parental oversight, violating a parent’s “right to know” how their child identifies in the classroom.
Controversy surrounding the SAFETY Act appears to be reaching beyond school board and city council meetings. Around Shasta County, campaign signs emblazoned with the words “Parents’ Rights Under Attack” have cropped up on street corners and front lawns. And despite the fact that the SAFETY Act does not take away teachers’ rights to inform parents of children’s requests about gender expression, it seems likely that the highly politicized terminology of “parents’ rights” may factor heavily in the nonpartisan races for four open Shasta County Office of Education (SCOE) Board seats on November 5.
Anderson’s “Parent Right to Know” resolution mirrors the language of the joint AUHSD, Orange County Department of Education (OCDE), and Chino Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) lawsuit, specifically citing trans youth’s increased likelihood of suicide–suggesting that withholding students’ trans identity from their families sabotages the parents’ ability to intervene if their child is at risk of self-harm.
Indeed, suicidal ideation among LGBTQ+ students is astonishingly high–roughly fifty percent of trans youth have considered ending their lives. A turbulent home life plays no small part in this figure. According to the Trevor Project, trans youth who experience “LGBTQ+-based physical harm, discrimination, housing instability, and change attempts by parents” were twelve times more likely to attempt suicide than trans children raised in safe environments. A 2023 survey found that only one in three trans and nonbinary youth reported living in a gender-affirming household.
While sometimes touted as an “attack” on parents’ rights, the SAFETY Act was actually passed in response to a series of new school policies put in place by Districts across California that require teachers to tell parents within a specified time if their child asks to go by different pronouns, even unofficially. Those policies, including one passed at AUHSD, led to a rebuke from California Attorney General Rob Bonta, and eventually a lawsuit by Bonta against CVUSD, alleging civil rights violations.
AUHSD responded to the legal threat by updating its new policy to remain functionally the same while omitting mention of protected characteristics like gender. After the state passed the SAFETY Act, reinforcing previous state law in an attempt to push back on the newly implemented district policies, AUHSD joined CVUSD and OCDE in a lawsuit against Governor Newsom over the law’s alleged unconstitutionality.
Now, despite their lack of jurisdiction over school district policies, cities are getting involved too. Like Anderson, Huntington Beach recently passed a “Parents’ Right to Know” resolution and then voted to sue the state over the SAFETY ACT.
Anderson’s resolution alleges the SAFETY Act oversteps the state’s right to administer public education, while violating the first section of the Fourteenth Amendment, which defines parents’ and children’s rights. Whether this is a Constitutional issue will soon be litigated by California’s court system. But it’s clear that the SAFETY Act contributes to the Anderson City Council’s ongoing resentment toward Newsom about other issues of perceived state overreach.
In the words of Councilmember Mike Gallagher, “the same legislature . . . does housing, transportation, and public health, it’s the same group of people… there is an agenda and they’re hitting us from all angles.”
The only public comment on Anderson’s “Parent Right to Know” resolution came from Leslie Sawyer, chair of the Shasta County chapter of Moms for Liberty, who enthusiastically thanked the Council for bringing the resolution forward, “on behalf of everyone who could not be here right now.”
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This is such a polarizing topic across the County but as a 40 something Mom with 2 kids in the Shasta County school system I will say that I am appalled by this move of M4L and the type of boogie man rhetoric these groups and comments are spreading. I believe this type of legislature, AB 1955, is meant to ensure that schools are a safe and accepting environment for everyone, it is not a means of stripping away the rights of all parents. Insinuating as much screams volumes about your lack of character and empathy for who this law is meant to protect.
Since I did not grow up during the civil rights movement, I can only speculate, To the people in the comments reeling against the government trying to mandate fair treatment of a minority group, this feels a lot like screaming about desegregating schools and you should take a long hard look at yourselves and determine what it is you are really afraid of.
Jen,
Insanity! We are all afraid of stupid insanity!
Happy Citizen, I’m getting a little disgusted with your nonsensical comments. which of course you have every right to make. Besides, if you were a really true concerned citizen, you’d use your real name, but no, you want to hide behind a sorrowful label…you aren’t happy, you are a sad individual.
Anderson will always be a complete cultural and economic backwater. It has literally nothing to offer except a place for its proudly ignorant residents to avoid being exposed to ideas while freeloading off more productive areas and people of California.
Excellent job! Anderson city Council!
All five members that got it right for common sense.
The school board lets the parents know if their children got any potential gender issues going on.
This means the school board doesn’t have to play God? And give their own social engineering opinions about gender issues.
School boards can stick to over seeing math, english, science, and history.
What a local win for Shasta county!
When an official speaks of “progressive Marxist bent”, it’s clear both that they are regurgitating right wing propaganda and that they have no idea what Marxism is.
A child whose parents are inflexible in understanding a confused gender identity can certainly cause harm to the child.
The intent of the SAFETY act is to ensure that such parental harm is not condoned by laws that require sharing information that counselors deem dangerous to the child’s well being.
Why don’t you explain to us idiots what Marxism is!!! He’s dead and his policies lead to the slaughter of millions!
……..Aaaaaand Go…..
“Marxism is a political, economic, and social philosophy that analyzes social conflict, class relations, and social transformation. It’s based on the ideas of German philosopher and economist Karl Marx and his collaborator Friedrich Engels, and is named after Marx.
Marxism’s key ideas include:
Historical materialism
A dialectical and materialist interpretation of history that emphasizes economic factors in shaping human behavior
Class struggle
The struggle between the bourgeoisie (capitalists) and the proletariat (workers) defines economic relations in a capitalist economy
Classless society
The means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned by the community as a whole, not by private individuals
Surplus value
Capitalists extract “surplus value” from workers by paying them less than the value of the products they produce.”
In a nut shell and completely dumb downed so you can understand what Marx actually thought about the capitalist society.
Choose this day, whom you will serve. It’s come down to this, because there a great obvious divide now, what is righteous and what is not.
Your religion cannot have a part here… its not about faith. It’s about respect abd value of life. I am no Maga supporter. I am a person in the lgbtq group angered by this belligerent act still being carried out by these cult members. Maga is a cult make no mistakes. I wish these people could see the damage forced outing does. You’re just going to exacerbate the situation. The suicide rate will rise if you do this. Who wants children to be hurt so bad by everyone that they do this!? Sick people!!!!
You are definitely a liar! The same are constitutionalists and do not care for any of your policies whatsoever! This is an effort to try and destroy one of the last great conservative strongholds in the state of California.
So Elizabeth, which religion is the righteous one and who gets to decide?
What does that mean for everyone else?
Those placing political signs without who paid for them are not living up to the FPPC rules about such. Who’s going to alert the FPPC so they can be outed and fined ? Shame on the Anderson City Council and their pointless vote. Do they want to be part of the court ruling that makes them look foolish ? And then there’s the attempt to take over the Shasta Co. Bd. of Education on Nov. 5th. Beware of such Mom’s For Liberty candidates like LaBarbera, Gallardo, Tyson and Roberts. Vote for sensible representation: Orlicky, Vogt, Cavalieri and French.
Treadway: A note that so far Gallardo, Tyson and Roberts have not responded to our requests for interview and LaBarbera has declined to interview with us. Something the public should be aware of . . . uncertain why Shasta Scout candidate interview requests wouldn’t be accepted by all SCOE candidates as they have been by all supervisorial and city candidates in past.
The public is going to vote for conservative Republicans and not communist left infiltrators!
How can you speak for the public? I know of no “communist left infiltrators” active in Shasta County, California, or anywhere in the USA.
Your mislabeling of liberals as such shows a perspective that is highly prejudicial.
Thank you for the tip regarding candidates. My biggest frustration as a citizen of Shasta County and the City of Anderson has been not knowing how to research candidates and then feeling really frustrated when they show their true colors. Where would be a good place to find helpful and accurate information about candidates and their agendas?
Julia: We’re working on this coverage.
Thank you, Shasta Scout, for the report. This disturbing movement that has popped up in Anderson is an arm of the tRump campaign that includes Project 2025 and Momies For Liberty, a hate group promoted by convicted criminal white nationalist and Christofascist Steve Bannon, “The path to save the nation is very simple — it’s going to go through the school boards,” and convicted criminal tRump, who called MFL, “the best thing that ever happened to America.”
Using the hate of our children as a tool for political gain is nothing new. We have seen this in the MAGA White Nationalist – Chrostofascit movement locally with the anit LGBQT+ rhetoric from the “leaders” of Bethel Church. So, while it is sad to see the City of Anderson officially endorse the Momies For Liberty Hate Our Children movement, it’s not too surprising that they are mimicking the Shasta County Supervisors, J.C.K., who currently rule Shasta County in the hope of turning our county completely MAGA. But, our local White Nationalist Children haters are in for a big surprise.
First, Shasta County will never become the “State of Jefferson” or a “New California,” as many of our local MAGA politicians and their supporters dream of.
And second, the LBGQT+ hate supporter politicians will cost the county and school districts millions upon millions of hard-earned taxpayer money trying to bend this county to the will of the tRumpian social-political MAGA movement. So far, the JCK Cartel has done just that, while what is needed is more teachers in school rooms and police officers on the streets, as well as a living wage for both.
Third, the majority of people in California and the USA fully support LGBQT+ rights and support our kids in the right to be who they are without all the MAGA hate.
The Momies For Liberty and MAGA infestation will pass. But we must continue to support our kids from the MAGA movement’s hate until it does.
Solution? Do the research on all politicians and School Board members. Don’t vote for hate.
Too late, the people as a majority have voted for these people and that’s what we want for governance and decision-making. We do not want anything to do with the liberal left Democrats whatsoever. You’re gonna have to get over it.
Jon, Shasta county will never be the state of Jefferson or New California, You’re going to have to get over it. Shasta County Will never be thai New Confederacy, You’re going to have to get over it. You lost the Civil War, you’re going to have to get over it. White nationalist Nazis lost world War II, you’re going to have to get over. Neo-Nazi tRump lost in 2020, you’re going to have to get over it. If you can’t get over it there might be a militia compound in Idaho are something you can move to. If you move because you can’t accept your loss, well that’s sad, but we will get over it.
“Purely Symbolic” pretty much describes Anderson’s Council…
Hey, one can always decide to shop elsewhere, there’s the power of the pocketbook and Anderson relies on business tax. You 5 councilmembers should have thought of that before doing something economically unwise. Call the city attorney and ask why he was so willing to do such to Anderson.
The Anderson city Council represents the will of the people. If you do not agree with their move, you will find yourself in the extreme minority. Sadly, in the state of California, it’s horseshit like this that gets the most attention.
In school, church, and neighborhoods, adults entrusted with children’s care are supposed to be an arm of parents, with the same morals, and standards. The reset has begun. America will be saved.
Elizabeth…Are you calling teachers immoral ? If parents can’t have an open dialogue with their children, that’s what school counselors are for. School counselors live by California State Education Codes and Standards. Don’t like them, put your children in private schools. Remember, you do live in California and must abide by its laws.
Typical left-wing tactic. Twist the wording to confuse the issue and then deflect to another topic. We don’t all have the option of private schools. We ALL pay taxes to provide public schools and those schools need to answer to the taxpaying community that supports them. That is local control.
Well said!
The schools have to provide services to every student, not just those in the majority cultural group. What level of participation an individual chooses is what determines his or her level of influence. Join the site council of your local school if you want more influence
And that’s a bunch of bullshit. Democrats don’t live by the laws of the constitution and they get away with it. Locally we are going to go with moral laws and not the laws of the state! #phucem
And this is where MAGA falls short of logic and into drunken stupidity. You see MAGA thinks tRump, an adjudicated rapist, documented racist, a 34 count convicted felon, a open white nationalist who wants to be a dictator is the personification and the very definition of the United States of America Constitution. This white nationalist fascism is not new. We saw this twisted, racist, misogynist, xenophobic logic in the original MAGA during the 1930s with its American Hitler supporters, and way back in the Civil War, and as the greatest Nation is the world proved in both these examples, tRumpian fascism not only lost, but was proven to be not American or anything close to the definition of the United States of America’s Constitution. tRumpian logic lost then and will do so in November. Jon, you lost. Get over it.
So, by moral laws, do you mean religious laws?
Elizabeth: an arm of which parents with which moral and standards?