Erika Sanzi Director of Outreach | Parents Defending Education
Defending Education, a national nonprofit organization, is advocating for the reversal of a district court decision in the case of Christin Heaps v. Delaware Valley Regional High School Board of Education. The organization argues that the decision undermines the fundamental rights of parents to direct their children's upbringing and education, particularly concerning gender identity issues.
The group emphasizes that the Fourteenth Amendment safeguards these parental rights. They contend that current school policies allowing children to socially transition—changing names, pronouns, and using different restrooms—without informing parents infringe upon these rights. Defending Education highlights that nearly a quarter of students nationwide are subject to such policies.
According to Defending Education, these social transitions are not neutral actions. They argue that while most children with gender incongruence eventually align with their biological sex, those who undergo social transitions often proceed to more invasive medical interventions. These include puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, which can lead to irreversible changes.
The organization criticizes schools for not disclosing these transitions to parents, arguing it sets children on a potentially harmful path without parental consent or knowledge. They assert that courts are failing parents by dismissing their concerns as speculative or by ruling that schools' actions do not constitute active deception.
Defending Education is calling for the court to reverse its decision and uphold parents' rights to be informed about significant decisions affecting their children's lives.
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