Capistrano Unified’s practices keep parents in the dark, causing concern among families.
Recent documents have revealed that the Capistrano Unified School District in southern Orange County, California, trains counselors to assist students in hiding their transgender identity from their parents. This practice, sanctioned by the district, permits students to alter their names and genders in school records without informing their parents.
The Individual Transition Plan, secured through a California Public Records Act request by the Center for American Liberty, includes a section where counselors must determine if the child’s parents “need to know” about the transition. Students are asked to confirm if their parents are aware of their transition by responding “yes” or “no.”
Parental signatures are not required to finalize the transition plan, and this form is not accessible on the district’s website. The process involves the student and school counselor completing the form together, identifying “safe spaces and safe people” on campus, and listing individuals aware of the name change.
Ryan Burris, Chief Communications and Public Engagement Officer for Capistrano Unified, confirmed the use of the Individual Transition Plan. He stated, “The Identity Support document is provided to assist District employees in supporting students who have approached staff members regarding their identity and expression and the need for support in the school setting. This document is intended to be a support and is optional, and is meant to assist staff members in establishing and meeting the student’s needs while complying with applicable laws and the District’s policies.”
Despite these assurances, parents express deep concern. An anonymous mother from Capistrano, fearing retaliation against her young son, criticized the district’s hypocrisy. “They claim to work in partnership with parents but then keep secrets. That’s my biggest concern,” she said. “Don’t keep secrets from the parents.”
Emails obtained through the records request reveal internal disputes between parents and school counselors. One counselor noted a confrontation with a parent over an undisclosed name change, citing Assembly Bill 1266, which mandates that students be treated according to their gender identity at school. The California Department of Education emphasizes the importance of student privacy for safety reasons, often excluding parents from being informed.
Further emails show counselors discussing the legal rights of students to be referred to by their chosen pronouns and use facilities corresponding to their gender identity without parental consent. One email detailed that no staff member could inform parents if the student requested confidentiality, barring a “need to know.”
Training assignments for counselors include reflecting on personal biases regarding LGBTQ issues, with one task requiring a three-to-four-page essay on the human costs to transgender students. Internal communications also suggest steps to ensure parents remain unaware of their child’s transition, such as notifying teachers about name and pronoun changes without making these changes in portals accessible to parents.
Mark Trammell, executive director of the Center for American Liberty, stressed the need for transparency, criticizing the district’s secretive practices. “It raises serious red flags when schools keep secrets from parents and ignore legal obligations. Transparency isn’t merely a request but a requirement for protecting parental rights and government accountability,” he stated. “The Center for American Liberty is committed to ensuring this transparency so parents can be fully aware of what their kids are being taught in schools.”
Parents, not schools, should guide their children’s upbringing, echoed the concerned Capistrano mother. “The parents just want what’s best for the kids,” she said, advocating for a collaborative approach rather than excluding parents from crucial conversations.
