Aurora Regino is speaking out against the Chico Unified School District’s “parental secrecy policy,” which allows school officials to provide gender counseling to students without informing parents.
Regino’s 11-year-old daughter’s elementary school reportedly assisted her in transitioning from female to male during the last school year, but a guidance counselor kept Regino in the dark throughout the entire process.
Regino was diagnosed with breast cancer while this was all going on behind her back. After being kept in the dark about her daughter’s identity and transition, Regino is now suing the district.
Regino expressed her frustration with the district’s policy and is calling for more transparency when it comes to counseling services provided to students. She explained,
“I was diagnosed with breast cancer. My daughter was distressed and began questioning her sexuality, so she decided to reach out to a wellness counselor at her elementary school.”
“The day my daughter shared with her guidance counselor that she felt like a boy. The counselor immediately affirmed this new identity,” the mother said. “My daughter told the counselor she wanted to tell me about her new identity. The counselor ignored her request and did nothing to support her and letting me know what was going on at school.”
Many school districts in California, such as the Chico Unified School District, have policies or practices that allow school officials to provide gender counseling to students without informing parents. This has been a contentious issue, with many arguing that they have a right to know about their child’s counseling sessions.