The 3 - September 10, 2023

On this week's edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, there is abundant news out of California as more school districts pass parental notification policies and state officials continue to oppose parents' rights.  Also, the Texas Supreme Court has allowed a law passed by the Legislature banning "gender change" surgeries and treatments to continue to be enforce while the case proceeds.  And, a member of the Parliament in Finland is facing another trial regarding instances of speech consistent with the Bible. 

Gender policy explodes across Golden State

There are numerous headlines this week across California regarding the concept of parental rights and the connect to issues of gender.  First of all, there is good news out of Orange County, where, according to the Los Angeles Times:

The Orange Unified school board Thursday night became the sixth California school system to require notifying parents when their child identifies as transgender — a decision made after state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit against Chino schools over a similar policy.

And, the Attorney General received support from a local judge - FoxNews.com reported:

A California judge has temporarily blocked a school district from enforcing a policy requiring schools to inform parents if their child changes their gender identification or pronouns.

The decision Wednesday by San Bernardino County Superior Court Judge Thomas S. Garza came after California Attorney General Rob Bonta's office filed a lawsuit against the Chino Valley Unified School District over the notification measure.

While the tension between local school districts and state officials continues, the California Legislature weighed in on a bill that deals a blow to parental rights. The Daily Signal stated:

The California State Assembly passed a bill Friday that would require judges in child custody cases to consider whether a parent has affirmed a child’s “gender transition” by making “gender affirmation” an equal part of a child’s “health, safety, and welfare” under state law.

Unfortunately, in the Assembly on Friday, the vote wasn't even close: 57-16. The Senate had approved the bill on Wednesday by a 30-9 margin. The article said that according to the bill...

...parents who refuse to participate in transgenderism by pretending that their child is a different gender could be guilty of failing to provide for the “health, safety, and welfare” of their child—therefore losing custody to another parent or the state.

The article notes:

Threatening the standard of “health, safety, and welfare” of a child under the California Family Code can carry penalties under the California Penal Code—prompting parents, activists, and lawmakers to speculate that AB 957 could result in parents being charged with child abuse or neglect for not participating in a child’s transgenderism.

Highest court in Texas issues ruling to protect children

Meanwhile, in Texas recently, the state's Supreme Court ruled in favor of a new law in the state that is designed to protect minors from harmful surgeries and treatments that promise to help them change their gender. 

On Friday, September 1, Liberty Counsel reported on its website:

The law, known as SB 14, was set to take effect today after it was enacted June 2, 2023, but a district court judge temporarily blocked it last month granting opponents of the law an emergency stay citing potential violations of the state constitution. However, state officials appealed the decision prompting the state’s High Court to deny the emergency stay and let the law take effect while the Court fully considers the appeal.

The website described the law as "banning harmful puberty blockers, hormone treatments, and mutilating surgeries for children..." It points out that, "At least 22 states have enacted legislation protecting children from harmful and often irreversible medical mutilation."

Member of Parliament in Finland on trial before appeals court

Päivi Räsänen is a Member of Parliament in Finland.  According to the Evangelical Focus website:

The case against Räsänen started in 2019 after a tweet in which she quoted Romans 1:24-27. She later was investigated by the police for a booklet titled “Male and Female He Created Them” published 15 years earlier, and remarks on a radio show.

She was acquitted in the Helsinki District Court in March 2022, with an unanimous verdict that ruled she acted within the limits of the law in her expression of her religious convictions about homosexuality. Päivi Räsänen was using her freedom of expression and religion when she referred to her biblical beliefs regarding LGBT issues, the judges said.

But, she and another dependent were placed on trial again recently before the Helsinki Court of Appeal.  The Evangelical Focus article stated:

Right after leaving the court, Räsänen said she was “hopeful that all these charges will be acquitted. It’s a very important verdict for freedom of speech and of religion and Finland, and also has consequences across Europe, I’m hopeful for a good result”.

The court said that a verdict will be issued by November 30.