Early results from a random sample of
signatures indicates that an effort to repeal California's
first-in-the-nation transgender student law is “unlikely” to
qualify.
The law, known as the School Success &
Opportunity Act, requires public schools to allow transgender
students access to the restroom and locker room of their choice.
Those students can also decide what sports they want to play.
Supporters said the law will help
reduce discrimination faced by transgender students.
A coalition of conservatives formed the
Privacy for all Students campaign to put the measure up for
referendum in 2014.
Opponents submitted 613,120 signatures
last week, 108,360 more than required by law.
As of Friday, a random sample conducted
by the Secretary of State found lower than average valid signatures.
John O'Connor, executive director of
Equality California, told the Washington
Blade that the probability of qualifying the measure for next
year's ballot is “unlikely, [but] it's not impossible.”
“They're going to need an 81.41
percent validity rate to quality for the ballot,” O'Connor said.
The current sample is averaging just 75
percent authenticity.
“You can see that they're well below
it currently. That 81.41 percent would be well above the average for
any signature gathering activity. So, I mean there's very real
reason to hope that they're not going to, but nothing's conclusive
itself until the process ends, and, sadly, we just have to give it
its time to work.”
“This is an attack on perhaps the
most vulnerable population in our community,” O'Connor said.
“They've solidly lost on marriage, and so now they're going to try
to go after transgender kids. It's just despicable.”
Frank Schubert, who helped organize the
signature gathering effort, is also the political director of the
National Organization for Marriage (NOM), which endorsed the repeal
effort last month.
Referring to the measure as the
“bathroom law,” NOM President Brian Brown said that it is “a
horrible attempt by activists to strip society of all gender and uses
children as a weapon in their culture war.”
“The National Organization for
Marriage fully supports the efforts of the Privacy For All Students
coalition to repeal this dangerous law. Opening our most vulnerable
areas at school including showers, bathrooms, and changing rooms to
members of the opposite sex is politically-correct madness that risks
the privacy and security of our children and grandchildren,” Brown
added.