New Jersey school district challenged over “parental notification” policy amid concerns it may target LGBTQ+ students

Hanover Township Public Schools is dealing with a civil rights grievance filed through the New Jersey Attorney General after a Board of Education vote to put into effect a “parental notification” policy. The Board Policy 8463, often referred to as “Parental Notification of Material Circumstances,” used to be voted on all over a board assembly and used to be authorized through 4 individuals out of six who attended the assembly. The legal professional basic’s grievance is looking for to dam the policy, alleging that it might be discriminatory and in violation of the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, particularly relating to LGBTQ+ students. 
The Board of Education launched a letter the place they referred to the legal professional basic’s feedback about LGBTQ+ students as “erroneous assertions.” They claimed that Policy 8463 would no longer unlawfully discriminate in opposition to any pupil however required the notification of suitable school directors and fogeys each time any factor comes up that can have a subject matter affect on a pupil’s bodily and/or psychological well being and/or social/emotional well-being. The letter indexed problems comparable to substance use, school efficiency, anti-social behaviors, and a preoccupation with anti-social song. However, it additionally incorporated “sexual activity, sexuality, sexual orientation, transitioning, gender identity, or expression” as topics for parental notification. 
The New Jersey governor, Phil Murphy, expressed reinforce for the legal professional basic’s grievance on Twitter, writing that the brand new policy would jeopardize students’ well-being and psychological well being and violate their rights. Meanwhile, some New Jersey state senators praised the policy. The American Civil Liberties Union’s New Jersey department additionally criticized the policy, claiming that it would invade the privateness of LGBTQ+ students and reveal them to bullying, violence, or even abandonment from their households. 
The problem to the policy comes as advocates declare that there’s a upward push in law that objectives the LGBTQ+ group. Some states in the United States have banned gender-affirming handle transgender formative years, and a up to date record from PEN America presentations that 41% of the 1,648 distinctive e-book titles banned between July 2021 and June 2022 concerned LGBTQ+ characters.