PFLAG LA Responds to Court Ruling Allowing School Policies That Out LGBTQ+ Students

LOS ANGELES, CA (January 20, 2026) — PFLAG Los Angeles — the L.A. chapter of the nation’s largest organization dedicated to supporting, educating, and advocating for and with LGBTQ+ people and those who love them — is concerned by a recent federal court ruling involving the Escondido Union School District that would allow school districts to adopt policies requiring educators to disclose a student’s LGBTQ+ identity to parents without the student’s consent.

“Schools should be places where students feel safe, supported, and able to learn without fear,” said Anthony Eftimeo (he/they/them), PFLAG Los Angeles Vice President. “District policies that allow disclosure remove professional discretion from educators and risk undermining trust between students and the adults responsible for their care.”

The ruling is currently paused under a temporary stay from a federal appeals court. Attorneys supporting the disclosure policies have since asked the U.S. Supreme Court to lift that stay, extending uncertainty for students, families, and educators around student privacy and safety.

Educators and mental health professionals have long emphasized that trust and stability are essential to student well-being. For some LGBTQ+ students, school may be the first place they feel comfortable seeking guidance or assistance from a trusted adult.

PFLAG Los Angeles is concerned that one-size-fits-all disclosure policies, if adopted by school districts, fail to account for the wide range of family circumstances students experience and place educators in difficult positions that may conflict with their professional judgment and responsibility to student safety.

“As this case moves through the appeals process, it’s critical that student well-being remain at the center of these conversations,” Eftimeo added. “Families are best served when schools are able to respond thoughtfully, with care, discretion, and an understanding of each student’s individual situation.”

PFLAG Los Angeles will continue to serve LGBTQ+ people, their families, and allies through education, advocacy, and support, and to elevate policies that foster safe, inclusive, and affirming learning environments for all young people.

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About PFLAG

PFLAG is an organization of LGBTQ+ people, parents, families, and allies who work together to create an equitable and inclusive world. We are hundreds of thousands of people and hundreds of chapters from coast to coast who are leading with love to support families, educate allies, and advocate for just, equitable, and inclusive legislation and policies. Since our founding in 1973, PFLAG works every day to ensure LGBTQ+ people everywhere are safe, celebrated, empowered, and loved. Learn more, find support, donate, and take action at pflag.org.

In Los Angeles, LGBTQ+ people and those who love them are served by PFLAG Los Angeles. Connect with PFLAG Los Angeles on the web at pflagla.org.