Attorneys of California Teachers Who Sued Over Gender Policy Want to Add Plaintiffs

(L–R) Teacher Lori Ann West, attorney Paul Jonna, and teacher Elizabeth Mirabelli. A federal judge on Sept. 14 blocked a school district in Escondido, Calif., from punishing the two teachers for refusing to keep gender transitions of students secret from their parents. Courtesy of Paul Jonna

SAN DIEGO—Attorneys for two Escondido teachers who sued over school district policies governing what information can be shared with parents of students who change their preferred gender identity are seeking to have a group of teachers and parents, as well as the Lakeside Union School District as a whole, added as plaintiffs to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit initially filed on behalf of Rincon Middle School teachers Elizabeth Mirabelli and Lori Ann West sought to block enforcement of Escondido Union School District (EUSD) policies requiring them to use pronouns or gender-specific names requested by students, while keeping that information private from others, including the students’ parents.