Huntington Beach City Council majority calls for creation of a ‘Parents’ Right to Know’ ordinance

Huntington Beach is again doing battle with a policy of the state of California.

On Tuesday night, the conservative majority on the City Council voted to declare Huntington Beach a “Parents’ Right to Know” city in relationship to a child’s gender identity or expression.

The vote was 4-3 to direct the city manager to work with the city attorney to prepare an ordinance for introduction in September. Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark, Mayor Pro Tem Pat Burns and Council members Casey McKeon and Tony Strickland voted for the item, while minority council members Dan Kalmick, Natalie Moser and Rhonda Bolton voted against.

The vote goes against Assembly Bill 1955, passed in June by the California Senate. Also known as the Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth (SAFETY) Act, it prevents educators from being required to disclose information related to students’ sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression without the student’s consent, unless otherwise required by law.

Diane Bentley, left, listens to Paula Jean discuss agenda item No. 30, proposing that Huntington Beach be a “Parent’s Right to Know” city, at Tuesday night’s City Council meeting.

(James Carbone)

Though they are not required to do so, AB 1955 does not prevent educators from communicating this information to families when deemed appropriate or necessary.

Van Der Mark believes parents should always know. She introduced the agenda item, saying she’s been fighting for parental rights for nearly a decade.

“This bill is a direct violation of our Constitutional rights to raise our own children,” she said. “It is deeply disturbing that the state of California believes that strangers are better suited to make life-changing decisions for our children than we, as the parents, are.”

The public comments on Van Der Mark’s item were fairly evenly mixed, though several of the more prominent speakers who were in favor of the item were not from Huntington Beach. They included Manuk Grigorian of North Hollywood, one of several right-wing parental rights activists who made the trip to Surf City. Often engaging with other members of the crowd, he wore a hat that read “Fk Nwsom” in the style of a car license plate and a shirt that read “Leave Our Kids Alone.”

Individuals wait to speak to the Huntington Beach City Council about an ordinance declaring the city a “Parents’ Right to Know” city during Tuesday night’s meeting.

(James Carbone)

The meeting veered unruly at times.

“You guys are so obsessed with children’s sexuality, and it’s weird and embarrassing,” one male speaker against Van Der Mark’s item said, as a woman in the crowd shouted out, “You’re a pervert!”

“Stop wasting taxpayers’ time and money with this crap,” the speaker continued.

Van Der Mark then called for a five-minute recess — just half an hour into the meeting — before Huntington Beach Police Lt. Thoby Archer addressed the crowd.

Huntington Beach Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark listens to the public comments during Tuesday night’s meeting.

(James Carbone)

It was ultimately unclear what would happen to teachers in Huntington Beach who violated the proposed ordinance. Multiple elementary school districts have campuses in Huntington Beach, including Huntington Beach City School District and Ocean View School District.

“The ordinance piece of this is weird,” Kalmick said. “A violation of the municipal code is a misdemeanor, as far as I understand it. How are we going to enforce a misdemeanor against an educator?”

Moser directly asked Van Der Mark that question.

“We’re at the exploratory phase, and when the item comes back Sept. 3, we’ll know what it looks like,” Van Der Mark responded.

Buffie Channel holds a sign reading “weird” during public comments at Tuesday night’s Huntington Beach City Council meeting.

(James Carbone)

Moser followed up by asking if it was possible that educators may face prosecution, penalties or potential misdemeanors for non-compliance with the potential city ordinance.

“Anything is possible,” Van Der Mark said, before Strickland quickly stepped in.

“No, anything’s not possible,” he said. “We’re directing the city attorney, and the city attorney is going to insure that we’re protecting ourselves as he drafts all of this language. That’s a better question for when we bring an ordinance back. We’ll see what the ordinance looks like. Quite frankly, I hope the city attorney will run the traps on this and bring it back in a form that is worthy of the council’s support.”

Moser paused for a second before responding sarcastically.

“Anything is possible,” she said.