The Shredder is outraged that one of the candidates for a school board is a member of “The SLO County chapter of Moms for Liberty, an organization whose goal is to protect ‘parents’ rights.’ They want schools to notify them if their kids are going gay or trans. Rat kids out about their pronouns!” (“Read all about it,” Sept. 17).
Actually, on this point, Moms for Liberty is spot on. Parents do have rights. And California is wrong.
Perhaps you have forgotten Mirabelli v. Bonta, the U.S. Supreme Court’s March 2, 2026, decision holding that California’s policy directing school teachers and administrations not to inform parents of a student’s change of pronouns or gender would likely violate the constitutional rights of the parents?
SCOTUS upheld a permanent injunction against the state of California.
SCOTUS said: “The injunction prevents the schools from ‘misleading’ parents about their children’s gender presentation at school and their social transitioning efforts. … It also requires the schools to follow parents’ directions regarding their children’s names and pronouns. And it compels defendants to include in state-created or approved instructional materials a notice of the rights protected by the injunction.”
Too bad that most California school districts have not complied with the Constitution. Maybe they are like Alabama in 1954, nobly ignoring Brown v. Board of Education.
Is it outrageous for a parents organization to demand that California schools follow the Supreme Court’s decision? Or is it outrageous for the Shredder to urge the defiance of the Constitution?
Alex Karlin
San Luis Obispo
This article appears in Oct 1-8, 2026.
Should the upbringing of children be controlled by parents, or by The State? Judging by the falling rates of student competence in reading, writing, math, science, etc., I question whether the public schools are capable of taking on yet another role and doing it competently. Perhaps if the schools vastly improve their own performance in their intended role, parents might feel more comfortable yielding to them in taking on far more sensitive efforts.
Dear Shredder:
Just to clarify.
I do NOT support Mom’s for Liberty or any of its candidates.
I support the Constitution.
Alex
According to the most recent California Healthy Kids Survey, about 0.6% to 0.9% of responding students explicitly identify as transgender, depending on the specific grade level (such as 7th, 9th, or 11th grade).
But, oh my god, ICCCKK!!!
Oh my god, California schools are flaunting the Constitution on a subject that is likely non-existent in most California parents’ minds.
OMG!!!!
Most parents also don’t spend a lot of time thinking about the free expression, racial equality, due process rights etc. guaranteed by the Constitution. Should they be abandoned due to popular disinterest?
Neither does Donald Trump.
Aaaaah….it always comes down to Trump, for Mr.Smith, lol. Earthquake? Trump did it. Bird flew by? Trump did it. Bit of food stuck in your tooth? Trump did it. The sooner we understand this, the sooner moral will improve. Until then, the beatings will continue.
Did I hear a magaphile yelling? Deprogramming is in order, for these cult members, and magaphiles.
Mind your own business, and keep your minds out of children’s “business” that you should not be thinking about. Magaphile.
Alex Karlin seems to be a contradiction. He does not support Mom’s for Liberty, but he defends their right-wing fringe and false conspiracy theories.
To those who make distorted and overblown false statements about how prevalent and widespread trans kids are, need to stop judging children, and get your minds out of those children’s, their parents, and their “private business.
I have begun calling these religious perverts, maga-philes…
All of these antics are to distract from his fake gold idols Epstein Files, ICE Terrorism, and his war in Iran, named Epic Fury, same initials as those Files.
The much bigger danger are the religious perverts, maga-philes…
No contradiction. The crucial test of Freedom of Speech is defending the right of your OPPONENTS to speak. I do not support Mom’s for Liberty, but I will defend their constitutional right to speak. So will the ACLU.
This is especially true here, because the Supreme Court has already ruled that the California school policy of hiding a child’s change of pronouns from the parents is unconstitutional. Mirabelli v. Bonta (March 2, 2026).
Why are you even arguing about it?
I’d encourage you (and others) to read the ACLU’s discussion of Mirabelli. Your understanding of the case may be incomplete.
https://www.aclusocal.org/know-your-rights/know-your-rights-mirabelli-v-bonta-faq/
I agree.
Alex, I do agree to allow Free Speech from all People with differing views.
But when Mom’s for Liberty, or nazis go out in public and spread false fascist propaganda or false religions’ lies, I will be one of the first people to call out those people who spread hate and lies, to justify their false self-righteousness, and nazi white nationalism. Including you Alex. And I use my Free Speech Rights to call them who and what they are, magaphiles, like their fake gold idol, er, I mean fuhrer…
George Carlin Spoke the True as well!