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Underscoring their support for privacy and safety for all students in California's public schools, the initiatives committee of the California Republican Party today endorsed a referendum effort to overturn AB 1266, the co-ed bathroom law.
The action in support of the referendum was taken on Saturday morning as part of the semi-annual convention of the California Republican Party, meeting this weekend in Anaheim.
AB 1266 was signed into law by California's Governor in August. The law permits K-12 students in California schools to choose the bathroom and locker room that aligns with their own assessment of sexual identity, even if this is inconsistent with their biological gender. Proponents of the law argued that this open policy for formerly sexually separated facilities would decrease bullying, while opponents have called it an assault on privacy and safety of vulnerable children.
"Clearly the California Republican Party understands that AB 1266 is a threat to the privacy and safety of public school students throughout California" said Gina Gleason, proponent of the referendum. "Forcing boys and girls to share bathrooms, showers and locker rooms will not decrease bullying. It is bullying."
Privacy For All Students, the coalition of citizens and organizations opposed to the co-ed bathroom law, has 90 days from the day the law was signed to collect almost 505,000 valid California voter signatures to qualify the referendum. Thereafter the law would be suspended from taking effect in January and voters would be allowed to vote on the measure on the November 2014 ballot.
Paid signature gatherers began collecting signatures recently for the effort. These signatures will be added to the petitions that have been circulated for weeks by volunteers and those that are being downloaded from the coalition's web site at www.privacyforallstudents.com.
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