US Supreme Court grants emergency relief in California gender identity case

The Supreme Court on Monday granted emergency relief to parents challenging California school policies on student gender identity, allowing a district court injunction to take effect while litigation continues in the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

In an unsigned per curiam opinion, the Court held that the Ninth Circuit’s stay of the injunction was not justified under the governing four-factor test. It found that the parents, particularly those seeking religious exemptions, are likely to succeed on the merits “of their Free Exercise Clause claim.” It further noted that the nondisclosure rules are likely trigger strict scrutiny because they substantially interfere with “the right of parents to guide the religious development of their children.” The Court concluded that parents asserting due process claims are likely to prevail, citing longstanding precedent recognizing parental authority over children’s upbringing and education.

In a dissent, Justice Elena Kagan, joined by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, argued that the Court intervened prematurely while the case is still developing in the lower courts: “If nothing else, this Court owes it to a sovereign State to avoid throwing over its policies in a slapdash way, if the Court can provide normal procedures.” Justice Amy Coney Barrett, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, indicated that she would have granted relief to the teacher plaintiffs.

The split decision follows a legal battle between religious parents and educators in California. Two sets of Catholic parents, represented by the Thomas More Society, challenged state school policies which prevent schools from disclosing students’ gender identities to their families, arguing that they violate the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause and the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause. The plaintiffs stated that these policies misled them and secretly facilitated the children’s social transition. In contrast, California argued that students have the right to privacy regarding their gender expression, particularly if they fear rejection from their families. The state asserted that its school policies and state law are designed to strike a balance between parents’ rights and the students’ need for privacy.

The case will return to the Ninth Circuit while the district court’s injunction remains in effect for the parent class.

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