Charlie Kirk confronted California Gov. Gavin Newsom over a law that stops schools from being required to tell parents about changes in their child’s gender identity.
Newsom signed the “SAFETY Act” in July 2024. It lets school staff keep a child’s gender identity or sexual orientation secret from their parents. Kirk challenged him on the law, but Newsom pushed back. He claimed it only protects teachers from being fired for withholding such information.
“You signed a law where school districts can’t even tell parents if their kids are trans,” Kirk said. Newsom shot back, calling it “factually untrue.”
“They can, they just can’t get fired for not doing that,” Newsom explained. “The law was explicit … you can’t be fired for not snitching on a kid, not just for being trans, for being gay.” He insisted teachers are still allowed to tell parents, but the law shields them if they choose not to.
Kirk strongly disagreed. “A teacher should of course be fired if you don’t notify a parent of what’s happening to their kid,” he said. “Whose kid is it?”
Newsom defended the policy. “I want these teachers to teach,” he said. “If [they’re concerned about] the health or safety of their kid, they have a responsibility to communicate. They still can.” He claimed the law prevents teachers from losing their jobs over minor observations.
Kirk pushed harder. He said the law removes accountability for teachers who secretly affirm a child’s gender transition. “What you’re saying is there’s no way to hold [teachers] accountable,” he argued. He pointed out cases where teachers affirmed a child’s transition without telling parents.
Parental rights advocates are furious over the law. Chino Valley Unified School District Board President Sonja Shaw testified that it “makes lying legal and a requirement” in schools. In 2023, her district passed a rule forcing schools to inform parents about gender identity changes. California’s Attorney General later challenged it in court.