In light of the recently established parental notification policy for transgender students by the Chino Valley Unified School District Board of Education, community members have purportedly issued grave threats against the board’s president, Sonja Shaw. The contentious policy, enacted with a 4-1 majority, mandates school personnel to notify parents within 72 hours if a student asserts a gender identity differing from their biological sex or opts for alternative pronouns or facilities.
The policy has spurred a cascade of threats against Shaw, who was elected to the board in 2022 and is a parent of two district students. Allegations suggest a barrage of death threats and violent messages, both via an anonymous phone call that explicitly threatened her life and specifically threatened “dismemberment,” as well as a stream of sinister emails targeting her children and pets.
Amid the escalating tensions, ANTIFA members are said to have “declared war” on her, amplifying the crisis. This development transpired in the aftermath of Shaw’s dismissal of California State Superintendent Tony Thurmond from a board meeting when he expressed his disapproval of the policy over concerns for student safety and privacy.
The enacted policy, intended by Shaw to safeguard children and eschew the previously secretive approach, has attracted significant controversy. Most notably, California Governor Gavin Newsom has publicly criticized the district’s decision and accused the board members of violating the law.
