Middle school is a confusing time for kids. But it is especially confusing when schools exclude parents from important decisions in the lives of their children—like whether to be socially transitioned to a different gender.

This was the experience of Jessica Konen. Her daughter, Alicia, was recruited to join an “Equality Club,” where she was taught about bisexuality, transgender identities, and other LGBT concepts in just the sixth grade.  Shortly after joining the club, the school began to foster Alicia’s identification as a boy, giving her articles on how to conceal her supposed new gender identity from her mother and giving her a “Gender Support Plan” that required school staff to refer to her by a male name and male pronouns and to let her use the unisex teachers’ restroom instead of the girl’s restroom—all without even informing Jessica what it was doing.

After many months, the school eventually told Jessica that it had socially transitioned Alicia behind her back and demanded that Jessica refer to her daughter by a male name and male pronouns.

The Supreme Court has consistently held that parents have the right to direct the upbringing and education of their children. This includes the right to have a say in whether their children’s school socially transitions them to a different gender. Parents are denied that right when schools think they know better than parents how to raise their children and intentionally hide information from moms and dads.

Jessica and Alicia are not alone. In fact, the California Department of Education actually encourages schools to keep secrets from parents, much like the Spreckels Union School District did with Jessica. Schools across the country are doing the same thing. The Center for American Liberty will not allow this usurpation of parental rights to go unchecked.