In a deeply concerning development, the Judicial Council of California has begun offering mandatory training for judges specializing in child abuse and neglect cases that many believe pushes a progressive agenda at the expense of parental rights and religious freedom.
The “LGBTQ+ Considerations” course, offered semi-annually, covers a range of topics related to LGBT issues, but has drawn sharp criticism for its apparent bias and potential to influence judicial decisions.
One particularly alarming aspect of the training involves hypothetical scenarios that seem to pressure judges into siding with LGBT children over their parents.
In one example, a mother who has overcome alcoholism and is working to regain custody of her daughter is portrayed as an obstacle for refusing to use her child’s preferred male name and pronouns due to her religious beliefs.
The course materials ask judges how they would handle such a hearing, seemingly implying that the mother’s stance is a form of abuse.
Kate Anderson, senior counsel and director of the Center for Parental Rights at the Alliance Defending Freedom, expressed grave concern about the training, stating, “Parental rights, free speech, and religious freedom are bedrock constitutional rights that every judge should protect when considering the specific facts of a sensitive dependency case or any other case that comes before them.”
If you don’t “Affirm” your child’s pronouns, a judge can take her/him away from you.
🔻California Bill AB 957 will require judges take into account whether a parent "affirms" a child's "gender identity or gender expression" in determining custody.https://t.co/OJkJWpybh2
— 🇺🇸𝕄𝔸𝔾𝔸 𝑵𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒚 ن ♱ (@45LVNancy) September 9, 2023
The revelations about this training have sparked outrage among many Californians who see it as yet another example of the state’s increasingly radical agenda.
As families continue to flee California in droves, seeking refuge from the relentless onslaught of progressive policies, this latest development is likely to accelerate that trend.
It is simply unconscionable for the state to inject itself into the most intimate and personal matters of family life, such as a child’s gender identity and a parent’s religious beliefs.
The notion that a loving parent’s objection to their child’s preferred pronouns could be considered a form of abuse is not only absurd but deeply offensive to the very concept of parental rights.
As California continues down this dangerous path, it is becoming increasingly clear that the state has lost its way.
Rather than focusing on the real issues facing its citizens, such as rampant homelessness, rising crime rates, and a failing education system, California’s leaders seem more interested in pushing a radical social agenda that undermines the very foundations of family and faith.
It is time for Californians to stand up and say enough is enough. The state must respect the rights of parents to raise their children according to their own values and beliefs, without interference or coercion from activist judges or bureaucrats.
Only then can California hope to stem the tide of families fleeing its borders and begin to rebuild the once-great state that it used to be.
