TRENTON, N.J. – It’s back to school for New Jersey students and teachers this week. It should also be back to Trenton for state legislators, says Assembly Republican Leader John DiMaio. He is calling on Senate President Nick Scutari and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin to put to vote a bill that protects students and their parents and guardians from government overreach.
Assembly Republicans Greg McGuckin and John Catalano plan to introduce a bill that would require schools to provide “truthful” information at a parents’ request about their children’s mental and physical health. That information would include if their child identifies as transgender or gender nonconforming while in school. Current state rules require school officials to withhold that information from parents and guardians.
“This is nothing less than state-sanctioned lying by omission. If schools can withhold information about some students from their parents, they can withhold information about all students,” DiMaio (R-Warren) said.
Three school districts in Monmouth County defied those rules and adopted policies that would allow schools to notify parents if their children are transitioning in school. However, Corzine-appointed Superior Court Judge David Bauman issued an injunction against those policies in August after state Attorney General Matt Platkin sued.
“The aggressive stance the Murphy administration has taken on keeping information from parents about their own children should concern everyone,” DiMaio added. “Fathers, mothers and guardians must be protected from this gross government overreach and be free to do what is best for their own children. Except in the worst of circumstances where true harm may occur and proper investigations have been completed, no government bureaucrat should be making such decisions on behalf of any child.”