‘Deceitful’: California School Launches ‘Transition Closet’ for Students Hiding Gender Identity from Parents

A California high school has launched a “Transition Closet” for teenagers who are hiding their gender identity from their parents and want to change into new clothes at school.

Fremont High School in Oakland launched the Transition Closet in February, with clothes provided on-site for teens who identify as transgender but don’t want their parents to know, according to the sponsor of the closet, the Arkansas-based Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.

Thomas Martin-Edwards, a California teacher who supports the Transition Closet, described it as a way for “students to wear the clothes that their parents approve of, come to school and then swap out into the clothes that fit who they truly are.”

Critics, though, say the concept infringes on parental rights.

“This is completely inappropriate and deceitful,” the California Family Council said. “In addition to gender ideology madness, this school is teaching children that it is acceptable to defy their parents. They are teaching children that their personal thoughts and feelings should surmount the guidance of their God-given authorities.”

It isn’t the first time a California school has approved a policy to hide information from parents.

A California mom filed a lawsuit this year alleging that her 11-year-old daughter’s school adopted a policy allowing teachers and staff to “keep certain information about students’ gender expression and identity secret from parents.”

The suit, filed against Spreckels Union School District, alleges that teachers at the school recruited her daughter to join an LGBT Equality Club and then “planted the seed” in her mind that she was transgender while hiding the information from the mom. The girl briefly identified as transgender but now identifies according to her biological gender.

“It’s clear that we can no longer trust California public schools,” the California Family Council said. “If our children remain in these schools, we must at least demand change and become deeply involved in our children’s education. Ideally, we should remove our children from public schools and seek different educational opportunities.”

Related:

Mom Sues School, Says Teachers ‘Planted the Seed’ in 11-Year-Old Daughter That ‘She Was Transgender’

Photo courtesy: Pixabay

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

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