As this summer comes to an end, schools throughout California are starting their new school year. In light of existing and incoming changes to education policies and the broad legal landscape, we want to check in with a few suggestions for you to consider as you continue to advocate in your local school district.

1. Monitor the implementation of ethnic studies in your local schools.

The 2025-26 state budget does not contain any funding/appropriation portion for the ethnic studies mandate (AB 101). This means school districts are not obligated to make the course a graduation requirement. However, many school districts are teaching the controversial subject to varying degrees: while some like the San Diego Unified School District are requiring ethnic studies for high school graduation, others including the San Dieguito Union High School District have made the course optional. CFER’s school-district database, which has surveyed 426 school districts in the Golden State has more information. If like me, you are also unconvinced about the so-called educational benefits of a contested discipline, you should closely monitor how ethnic studies is being taught in your local school district. Speak up at school board meetings to let the trustees know a mandate for ethnic studies is not backed by state funding and to request public access to course materials as well as evidence of educational efficacy.

2. Protect your child’s rights and advance parental rights by opting out of invasive gender education.

As you may know, the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor allows parents to opt their children out of reading LGBTQ+ inclusive storybooks and other relevant contents in public schools. This is a much-needed blow to the dangerous and constant drumbeat of transgender ideology activists, who have spent the last two decades usurping public education and infiltrating the system with age-inappropriate indoctrination. Our children’s innocence is worth protecting and fighting for. Please pay attention to how your local schools are curating school library books and seek opt-out forms at the school district level. The ruling in Mahmoud v. Taylor protects parents’ First Amendment right to require schools give reasonable notice and opportunity to opt their children out of certain school lessons on the ground of religious or moral belief. You can choose to remove your child from:

· Lessons and activities teaching gender identity and gender transition.

· Lessons and curriculum portraying, detailing and normalizing LGBTQ+ behavior.

· “LGBTQIA+ inclusive” books contradicting your family’s beliefs on marriage/sexuality.

· Health class lessons, literature selections and other school materials that contradict your family’s religious/moral convictions.

In addition to locating opt-out forms from your local school district, you can also utilize this opt-out form from Informed Parents of California the Pacific Justice Institute.

Although topics and focuses pertaining to public education advocacy are constantly shifting and evolving, the core of the battle stays the same**: we must fight to preserve the values and principles necessary for making our schools excellent, accountable and fair**. In this spirit, I want to encourage you to stay engaged and organized in this school year. Check out CFER’s previous posts on elevating your causeand becoming organized. If you can, please also consider making a generous contribution to CFER today so that we can help more and more parents at the local school district level.

Thank you warmly!