A California mother recently secured a landmark parental rights victory, reaching a settlement agreement with a Monterey County school district over allegations that her daughter was "socially transitioned" without her consent, Fox News Digital reported Tuesday.
Jessica Konen, represented by the Center for American Liberty, filed a lawsuit against Spreckels Union School District in 2021 after she claimed a school within the district socially transitioned her 11-year-old daughter, Alicia, without her knowledge or consent.
Konen's daughter was told by school staff at Buena Vista Middle School that she might feel upset because she did not know who she "truly was inside," according to the lawsuit. School officials allegedly allowed Alicia to use the boys' bathroom and be addressed by male pronouns.
The lawsuit was also filed against two seventh-grade teachers who, Konen claimed, kept her daughter's transition a secret. She also said they failed to inform her that Alicia was experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Court papers revealed that Alicia had found remote learning difficult but that there was "a silver lining" when she was "no long in the clutches" of the school officials who had encouraged her to transition.
"Freed from their influence [Alicia] began to return to her old self," it noted.
The single mother stated that the school's support of her daughter's social transitioning initially put a strain on their relationship. Konen noted that Alicia has returned to identifying as her biological sex, and the two are working together to raise awareness for parental rights issues.
The school district agreed to settle the lawsuit for $100,000, but it did not admit fault.
"If you choose not to fight for your children, then they will fight and take your children," Konen stated. "Stand up, parents, it's your right to be able to parent your own children."
"I think it took a lot of guts for both of us to be able to open up publicly and explain what is happening," Konen told Fox News Digital. "Parents, be vigilant, you know, pay attention. Those gut feelings you have, they're real. I feel like this just opened doors."
The Center for American Liberty said, "At its core, this case is about upholding the sacred bond between parents and their children."
"Parents have an inherent right to be involved in pivotal decisions concerning their children's lives," it added. "We are thrilled to have played a role in this landmark victory, which sends a clear message that parental rights must be respected."
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