For the last year the Rocklin school district has been embroiled in controversy over a divisive Gender Notification Policy passed by the school board.
Table of Contents
Why Is This Happening?
This is happening because in 2020 an conservative board majority was elected here in Rocklin. Since then, this board majority has wasted millions of taxpayer dollars passing divisive culture war policies that do not help our students.
Of those who spoke, the majority were opposed to the policy. Several community members voiced concerns about potential harm to students outed to families who do not accept them.
More reporting from our own Rocklin High School Flash can be found here.
Destiny Church
Board President Tiffany Saathoff is former pastor and former employee of Destiny Church. Destiny has a long history of preaching hate against various folks, including the LGBTQ+ community, as a way to make money via their gym, cafe, private school, and tax-free donations to the church.
You can find more information about Destiny’s anti-LGBTQ+, anti-Democratic culture and their backers here.
California Republican Party
Board President Tiffany Saathoff is a current employee of CA Assemblyman Joe Patterson. In 2023, Patterson and his Republican colleagues failed to pass a state-level Gender Notification Policy with CA AB-1314. Because of the time and money they spent to capture school boards, which are supposed to be non-partisan, several districts in California passed these policies in lockstep to force these culture war decisions on tight-knit communities like ours for their own political gain.
You can find more information about political interference in the district here.
What Does Rocklin Think?
As stated by Board Member Michelle Sutherland, at the time of the meeting emails regarding the Gender Notification Policy were 184 emails in opposition and 22 in support: 90% did not want this. After reviewing several board meetings, public comments were over 80% against this policy. Every comment made by a Rocklin USD student or teacher, as well as the Student Body Presidents of both Rocklin High Schools, was made against the policy.
Board Meeting and Vote
Some highlights from the board meeting:
- 15:50: RTPA President Travis Mougeotte explains to the board some of the values Rocklin holds dear
- 45:20: Board Member Sutherland does a great job articulating how the board has caused division within the Rocklin community
Links
Updated March 06, 2024 | Sac Bee: School district violated code with gender notification policy, CA Department of Education says
November 16, 2023 | Fresno Bee: Hundreds ‘begged’ California school board not to pass parent notification policy, emails show
November 9, 2023 | Granite Bay Today: What we know about the parental notification policy
Updated September 23, 2023 | Sac Bee: Rocklin teachers file unfair labor charge over school district’s gender notification policy
September 09, 2023 | Sac Bee: Placer County school officials are punishing transgender kids for being trans | Opinion
September 08, 2023 | Rocklin High School Flash: Rocklin school board passes controversial parent notification policy
September 7, 2023 | Sac Bee: See reaction to trans ‘outing’ policy proposed by Rocklin school board
September 7, 2023 | CA AG: Rocklin Unified School District School Board’s Forced Outing Policy Endangers California LGBTQ+ Students’ Civil Rights
September 06, 2023 | Sac Bee: Rocklin Unified will vote today on cruel policy that would forcibly out trans children