04/22/2026
At the CAGOP Convention, the delegates overwhelmingly passed the following resolution to affirm Parental Rights in CA.
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Resolution Affirming Parental Rights in California
Submitted to the California Republican Party Convention, 2026
WHEREAS, the rights of parents are foundational to Western society and shall be respected, protected, and promoted as the preeminent right of parents to raise their children in their own manner, including but not limited to, the right to direct and control the upbringing, health care, and education of their children; and
WHEREAS, the California Republican Party affirms that parents have the fundamental right to consent to or refuse any medical or mental health care for their minor children, including but not limited to any counseling, medication, or surgical procedure related to gender dysphoria or gender transition; and
WHEREAS, parents have the right to access and review all school and health records of their minor children, and schools and health care providers shall not withhold information or records from parents; and
WHEREAS, parents have the right to direct the moral and religious upbringing of their children, free from government interference or indoctrination; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Supreme Court in Pierce v. Society of Sisters (1925) established parents’ fundamental right to direct the upbringing and education of their children, reinforced by Mahmoud v. Taylor (2025), which upheld parental opt-out rights from curricula conflicting with religious beliefs, and supported by Kennedy v. Bremerton (2022), affirming religious expression in schools; and
WHEREAS, secret policies, such as undisclosed gender identity changes, undermine parental authority, as evidenced in T.F. and B.F. v. Kettle Moraine School District (Wisconsin, 2023), Mead v. Rockford Public School District (Michigan, 2023), and Mirabelli v. Olson (California, 2025), where courts affirmed parents’ rights and struck down parental exclusion policies requiring schools to conceal students’ gender identities from parents; and
WHEREAS, California families deserve transparency and trust in schools, with no secret policies undermining parental authority; and
WHEREAS, empowering parents strengthens our diverse communities and aligns with California’s values of family and individual liberty;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the California Republican Party calls for a Parental Rights Amendment to the California Constitution, affirming that a parent has the responsibility to nurture and protect the parent’s child and the corresponding fundamental right to exercise care, custody, and control of the parent’s child, including the right to make decisions concerning the child’s upbringing, education, healthcare, and moral development, without undue government interference; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we support legislation requiring immediate parental notification and consent for any changes in a child’s health, identity, or education records, with penalties for non-compliance; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we advocate for full parental access to all records—official and unofficial—with mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability in schools; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution be distributed to all California Republican elected officials, candidates, and party leaders, urging support for a constitutional amendment and related legislation in the 2026 session to enshrine these protections, building stronger families across our state.
