Supreme Court blocks California ban on notifying students' parents about gender transitions

The Supreme Court granted an emergency appeal blocking a California law that banned schools from notifying parents about students' gender identity changes. Supreme Court Supreme Court blocks California ban on notifying students' parents about gender transitions The Thomas More Society called the ruling the 'most significant parental rights decision in a generation' By Landon Mion Fox News Published March 2, 2026 10:55pm EST Facebook Twitter Threads Flipboard Comments Print Email Add Fox News on Google close Video Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vows transgender protections during State of the State address Michigan Democrat Gov. Gretchen Whitmer vows to veto LGBTQ legislation targeting minors after President Donald Trump called for banning sex changes without parental consent. (Credit: Governor Gretchen Whitmer/YouTube) NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! The Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for California schools to notify parents if their children want to change their gender identity without approval from the student amid a challenge against the Golden State's ban on so-called forced outing of transgender students. The court granted an emergency appeal from a conservative legal group, the Thomas More Society, blocking, at least for now, a state law that prohibited automatic parental notification requirements if students change their gender expression or pronouns at school.The Thomas More Society praised the decision as "the most significant parental rights ruling in a generation." Two sets of Catholic parents represented by the legal group argued that the state law, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2024, caused schools to mislead them and secretly facilitate the students' gender transitions. Two sets of Catholic parents argued that the state law, signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2024, caused schools to mislead them and secretly facilitate the students' gender transitions. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images) But California contended that students have the right to privacy about their gender expression, particularly if they fear rejection from their families who may not support their decision to adopt a new gender identity. The state also said school policies and state law sought to balance student privacy with parental rights. Last year, state education officials told school districts that the state's policy "does not mandate nondisclosure." Newsom's office also previously said that "parents continue to have full, guaranteed access to their student’s education records as required by federal law."The Supreme Court sided with the parents on Monday and reinstated a lower-court order blocking the law and school policies while the case continues. "The parents who assert a free exercise claim have sincere religious beliefs about sex and gender, and they feel a religious obligation to raise their children in accordance with those beliefs. California’s policies violate those beliefs," the majority wrote in an unsigned order, adding that state policies also burden the free exercise of religion. The Thomas More Society praised the decision as "the most significant parental rights ruling in a generation." (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)Conservative Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas also said they would have gone a step further and granted the teachers' appeal to lift restrictions for them. The three liberal justices dissented, saying the case is still working its way through lower courts and there was no need to take action now. "If nothing else, this Court owes it to a sovereign State to avoid throwing over its policies in a slapdash way, if the Court can provide normal procedures. And throwing over a State’s policy is what the Court does today," Justice Elena Kagan wrote. A federal judge ruled in December 2025 that schools cannot prevent teachers from sharing information about a student’s gender identity with their parents, but an appeals court blocked that ruling last month, leading the plaintiffs to ask the nation's highest court to step in.TRUMP ADMIN FINDS CALIFORNIA BAN ON NOTIFYING PARENTS OF GENDER TRANSITIONS VIOLATED FEDERAL LAW The Supreme Court sided with the parents and reinstated a lower-court order blocking the law and school policies while the case continues. (OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images)CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP The high court has been weighing whether to hear arguments in cases out of other states such as Massachusetts and Florida filed by parents who say schools facilitated gender transitions without notifying them.The U.S. Department of Education also announced last month that the California law violates federal law. The findings of the federal investigation could put at risk the nearly $8 billion in education funding the federal government gives the state each year if state officials do not work with the Trump administration to resolve the violations.The Trump administration is also pursuing legal action against California and threatening to withhold funding over a policy allowing biological males to compete in girls’ sports. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Related Article Catholi