by Jorge Gomez, Director of Content Strategy • 4 minutes
Great news! We have a big victory to announce in a federal court case involving our clients, Carlos and Jenny Encinas and their son.
The Encinitas Union School District in California has agreed to change its policies to provide notifications and opt-outs to parents and students when promoting gender ideology or any material that substantially interferes with families’ religious beliefs.
This change is a direct result of First Liberty’s federal lawsuit. Last May, a federal district court granted a preliminary injunction holding that schools can’t compel students to speak messages that violate their conscience, and that thie school district must provide notice and the ability to opt out of gender identity curriculum.
This is a tremendous victory for our clients. It guarantees their son—and all students—will not be forced to learn materials that violate their beliefs or teach those lessons to younger students.
“No child should be forced to speak a message that violates his religious convictions,” said Nate Kellum, Senior Counsel for First Liberty. “We are grateful that we were able to reach this settlement on behalf of the families involved.”
Beyond our clients, this is a win for all parents in the Encinitas Union School District. It sets an important precedent protecting parental rights and religious liberty, ensuring that moms and dads are free to raise their children according to their faith.
Thank you for standing strong alongside our clients. You’re the one propelling impactful legal victories for families—just like yours—who simply want what’s best for their children. And it’s all possible because of your faithful support of First Liberty.
As we celebrate this win, we cannot let our guard down. We’re still fighting intense legal battles, as parents and families are facing unprecedented attacks on their rights.
First Liberty will be arguing a case at the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 7 that also involves parents who want to raise their children in accordance with their religious beliefs.
We’re challenging a Washington state law that says the government can hide runaway children—from any state—from their parents and facilitate “gender-affirming” treatment without parental notice or consent.
This week, we secured a win for thousands of families in California. With our upcoming Supreme Court case, we have an opportunity to protect millions of families all across America.
Taking a case to the Supreme Court requires tremendous resources—and we never send our clients a bill, thanks to our faithful supporters.
Please donate to First Liberty today.
