California’s ‘anti-snitch’ law prevents forced outing of LGBTQ+ students

California has taken one more step towards LGBTQ+ equality by passing a law that prevents schools from forcing teachers to out queer students to their parents.

The new law, adopted following a Monday (23 December) vote, prevents school districts from firing teachers who choose not to disclose the sexuality of their students to parents.

The law’s proposal and subsequent passage came in response to a handful of school districts across the state that implemented policies forcing teachers to notify parents if students have expressed non-cisgender or non-heterosexual identities.

“I don’t think teachers should be gender police”

“Teachers can still talk to their parents,” State governor, Gavin Newsom, said at a press conference on Monday. “What they can’t do is fire a teacher for not being a snitch. I don’t think teachers should be gender police.”

Among several districts that implemented a “snitch” policy was Chino, Temecula. The policy initially required staff to notify parents if a student was using a different pronoun or bathroom designated for another gender.

Shortly after the policy was announced, California’s attorney-general Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against the school district and called for the San Bernardino County Superior Court to immediately ban the policy, warning that it could put transgender students in ”danger of imminent, irreparable harm” by possibly outing them at home before they’re ready.

“[The law] could not be more timely or necessary,” Tony Hoang, executive director of Equality California, said to local outlet KQED, adding that queer Californian youth could ‘breath a sigh of relief.’

“LGBTQ+ youth can now have these important family conversations when they are ready and in ways that strengthen the relationship between parent and child, not as a result of extremist politicians intruding into the parent-child relationships.”

The move comes as a welcome change from other states in the US, which have enacted opposing laws which force teachers to out students across the state.

Of the 574 anti-LGBTQ+ bills proposed in the US in 2024, 223 restrict student and educator rights, including 60 that force teachers to out LGBTQ+ students.

Idaho, South Carolina, and Tennessee have all passed bills forcing teachers to out students across the state’s school district.

USC education professor, Morgan Polikoff, said that the Californian law was necessary despite the opposition it received in more conservative parts of the state.

“Will everyone like this law? Certainly not. Will it lead to conflict? There is no doubt,” she said. “But I am hopeful this will be good for the queer kids in California’s schools and will point the way toward similar efforts in other states.”