New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin has called out three New Jersey school districts for discriminating against transgender students.
Platkin has filed an injunction to stop a new policy that Manalapan, Marlboro and Middletown districts voted on this week.
The policies entail having the school contact the parent of a child if the student has decided to be recognized by a new gender and name.
The state attorney general says these three districts are breaking state law on discrimination. Platkin is going to court to block the policies from going into effect.
“In New Jersey, we will not tolerate any action by schools that threatens the health and safety of our young people. Without question, the discriminatory policies passed by these Boards of Education, if allowed to go into effect, will harm our kids and pose severe risk to their safety,” Platkin wrote in a statement.
Under these policies, notification would take place when a student "requests a public social transition accommodation," such as a name or pronoun change, a bathroom or locker room accommodation, or a change in sports that would fit their gender identity.
People gathered outside Middletown High School North on Tuesday to loudly protest the policy. They said that it is a breach of a student’s privacy. They also said that school staff would essentially be “outing” a student to their family – which could be dangerous.
"A lot of the reason trans people don't come out to their parents is because they're in a situation where they can be harmed or will be shamed by their parents for doing so,” said student Jordyn Javaruski.
"These are children who deserve to have a safe space and a place to be loved. It doesn't matter if they are trans or gay or bi or whatever, they're kids. They need a safe space,” one of the protestors said.
School board members in favor of the policy say that parents have a right to be notified about such a change in their child.
The change apparently goes against the Department of Education policy concerning confidentiality and privacy.
News 12 New Jersey asked to speak to school board members and administrators. News 12 was told that this was not possible due to the pending lawsuit.