An effort to repeal California's
first-in-the-nation transgender student law has failed.
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 November.
The group needed at least 504,760
signatures to force a public vote on the law. According to the
secretary of state's website, opponents of the law submitted 487,484
valid signatures.
In an email to supporters, the group's
Karen England insisted “it's not over” and vowed to return to
court, if necessary.
“We are preparing for the next stage
of the battle,” England said. “After months of waiting, we now
get to see why so many signatures were thrown out. Certainly some
signers were not registered to vote or had moved without changing
their address. But it is also certain that many of those signatures
were rejected based on reasons that will not survive a legal
challenge.”
The San Francisco-based Transgender Law
Center described the law as necessary to ensure “that schools have
the guidance they need to make sure all students, including those who
are transgender, have the opportunity to do well in school and
graduate.”
“This law gives schools the
guidelines and flexibility to create an environment where all kids
have the opportunity to learn,” Transgender Law Center Executive
Director Masen Davis said in a statement. “We need to focus on
creating an environment where every student is able to do well and
graduate. This law is about doing what's best for all students –
that's why it's supported by school boards, teachers and the PTA.”