Christians should be the first to proclaim that kids do not belong to the state. Like all human beings, children belong first to God, and He has entrusted them to mothers and fathers. Only in loco parentis do secondary authorities like relatives, neighbors, and teachers step in. To reverse this order has more in common with the worst totalitarian regimes of history than with nature, tradition, and God’s word. 

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed a bill that will ban school districts from notifying parents about student gender identity changes. This move is in response to initiatives by several parents’ rights groups in California and a growing list of conservative states to ensure that moms and dads are kept in the loop if their child asks to identify as a gender different from what’s on their school record. Teachers and administrators will now be free to “keep the secret,” if the child so wishes.

In response, Elon Musk announced he would move the multibillion-dollar SpaceX corporation from California to Texas. While his stand is encouraging, the fact that he would even have to make a decision like this is disheartening to say the least. 

The new California law assumes that children belong to the state, and that the state is a better guardian for children than parents. However, according to a recent report published by The Federalist, one in 10 public school kids have experienced some kind of sexual abuse from a school employee, a shocking number that is far higher than the well-publicized scandal within the Roman Catholic Church. According to The Federalist:  

For a variety of reasons, ranging from embarrassment to eagerness to avoid liability, elected or appointed officials, along with unions or lobbying groups representing school employees, have fought to keep the truth hidden from the public. 

And yet, in various ways, cultural and political leaders continue to act as if children belong to them and even need them to be safe.

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