By Matt Rooney
The Murphy Administration’s Policy 5756 – which sought to restrain schools from sharing a student’s gender “preference” with parents – may have just been dealt a fatal blow, Save Jerseyans.
In a 6-3 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court decided a similar California policy is violative of parental rights.
“California’s policies will likely not survive the strict scrutiny that Mahmoud demands,” explained the Court. “The State argues that itspolicies advance a compelling interest in student safety and privacy. But those policies cut out the primary protectorsof children’s best interests: their parents. See Troxel v. Granville, 530 U. S. 57, 68–69 (2000) (plurality opinion). California’s policies also appear to fail the narrow-tailoring requirement. The State’s interest in safety could be servedby a policy that allows religious exemptions while precluding gender-identity disclosure to parents who would engage in abuse. For these reasons, the parents who object to the California policies on free exercise grounds are likely to succeed on the merits.”
The former administration sued multiple school districts over Policy 5756. New Jersey parental rights advocates are calling on the new Sherrill Administration to adjust accordingly.
“The Court’s decision should be a turning point in the parental rights debate — for all states, including here in NJ — and an opportunity to dial back the divisive rhetoric directed at parents for far too long,” Assemblywoman Vicky Flynn (R-13), a lawyer and former school board president, stated on X. “I urge @NewJerseyOAG to take this moment to dismiss the lawsuits filed by her predecessor against local school districts, including Middletown, which was forced to defending itself in court while losing millions in state aid. Dialogue and good-faith engagement should come before litigation. Let’s keep tax dollars in classrooms, where they belong – supporting kids.”
You can read the full opinion here.
The Court’s decision should be a turning point in the parental rights debate — for all states, including here in NJ — and an opportunity to dial back the divisive rhetoric directed at parents for far too long.
I urge @NewJerseyOAG to take this moment to dismiss the lawsuits… pic.twitter.com/GlMw1yHVqZ
— Victoria Flynn (@AswVickyFlynn) March 3, 2026
