Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Parental Rights

Sey: Our daughters are counting on us to stand up for Title IX
Outkick, Approved, National

Sey: Our daughters are counting on us to stand up for Title IX

By Jennifer Sey | Commentary, Outkick Not one currently competing female star has spoken up to defend the very category that made their success possible. This is the moment we get real about standing up for women and girls. Even though Governor Gavin Newsom acknowledged in April that it was "deeply unfair" for boys to compete in girls’ sports, the California Department of Education (CDE) and California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) have continued to allow males to compete — and win — in women’s sports.  At the California CIF Championships in June, a male athlete swept gold in the high jump and triple jump and took silver in the long jump, displacing female athletes. Lelani Laruelle should have won gold, with Jillene Wetteland and Julia Teven placing second and thir...
Schwarz: Clarence Thomas just reminded the experts who governs this country
The Western Journal, Approved, National

Schwarz: Clarence Thomas just reminded the experts who governs this country

By Michael Schwarz | Commentary, Western Journal Conservatives have learned the hard way that the phrase “experts agree” really means “shut up and obey your liberal overlords.” On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Tennessee law, Senate Bill 1, banning transgender procedures for minors. And if that ruling did not prove satisfying enough, Justice Clarence Thomas, part of the 6-3 SCOTUS majority, wrote a concurring opinion in which he blasted the idea that voters and courts should defer to “so-called experts” and their alleged medical “consensus.” Plaintiffs had based their argument against SB1 partly on the opinion of “so-called experts.” “The Court rightly rejects efforts by the United States and the private plaintiffs to accord outsized credit to...
Enos: CHEC’s 2025 Homeschool Freedom Report exposes the good, the bad—and the ugly
Christian Home Educators of Colorado, Approved, Commentary, State

Enos: CHEC’s 2025 Homeschool Freedom Report exposes the good, the bad—and the ugly

By Colleen Enos | Commentary, Christian Home Educators of Colorado The CHEC 2025 Homeschool Freedom End-of-Session Report is now published and linked in this blog post. It is a sampling of twenty-eight bills from the legislative session — a total of 657 bills were introduced in the Colorado House of Representatives and the Colorado Senate, with an additional 75 House and Senate Resolutions. This was a large volume of legislation for the 120-day annual session. The report is divided into six sections: Home Education, Education, Parental Rights, Life, Families/Healthcare, and Religious Liberty. Several bills could appear under more than one section, but they were placed under the most pertinent category. Also included is a Legislative Voting Grid for twenty-four of the bills,...
SCOTUS backs states protecting minors from transgender treatment—Colorado lawmakers say HB25-1312 defies it
Rocky Mountain Voice, Approved, State, Top Stories

SCOTUS backs states protecting minors from transgender treatment—Colorado lawmakers say HB25-1312 defies it

 By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice A landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding Tennessee’s restrictions on gender-related medical interventions for minors has reignited scrutiny over Colorado’s HB25-1312, with several Republican lawmakers calling the ruling a clear rebuke to the law’s premise—and a warning to parents. “I was so happy with the Supreme Court’s ruling. I hope it leads to the State of Colorado being sued for the passing and the Governor’s signing of HB25-1312,” said Sen. Janice Rich (Mesa County). That ruling, issued June 18 in U.S. v. Skrmetti, affirmed that Tennessee’s restrictions on puberty blockers and hormone treatments for youth were constitutionally sound because the state had a legitimate interest in protecting minors from harm.  The ma...
6–3 SCOTUS ruling affirms states’ right to ban transgender care for minors
The Epoch Times, National

6–3 SCOTUS ruling affirms states’ right to ban transgender care for minors

By Sam Dorman, Matthew Vadum | Epoch Times The court’s 6–3 ruling means other states that have passed or considered laws similar to Tennessee’s will likely survive legal challenges. The Supreme Court has issued a major decision upholding Tennessee’s ban on so-called gender-affirming care, such as puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, for minors. Its decision on June 18 will likely influence how states craft legislation and how other gender-related cases unfold in the legal system. In the case United States v. Skrmetti, a majority of the justices disagreed with the Biden administration’s argument that Tennessee’s law should undergo more rigorous scrutiny in the courts. Instead, Chief Justice John Roberts said in his majority opinion that courts should apply a less rigorous stand...
D-11 school board votes to adopt policy requiring sports participation based on biological sex
Approved, denvergazette.com, Local

D-11 school board votes to adopt policy requiring sports participation based on biological sex

By Grace Brajkovich | Denver Gazette During a special meeting on Wednesday, Colorado Springs' District 11 became the second El Paso County school district to approve a new policy requiring students to participate in school sports based on their biological sex. The D-11 Board of Education voted 6-1 to approve policy JBA-Preserving Fairness and Safety in Sports, which will classify sports teams as either “male, men or boys,” “female, women or girls” or “coed, mixed or open.” This will ensure that students aren’t allowed to participate in sports, be present in locker rooms, or lodge in hotels with the opposite biological sex.    Board Director Julie Ott cast the only dissenting vote.  "This policy is illegal. It goes against Colorado law. This poli...
Jacques: Colorado’s speech police aren’t protecting rights—they’re punishing dissent
Approved, Commentary, State, USA Today

Jacques: Colorado’s speech police aren’t protecting rights—they’re punishing dissent

By Ingrid Jacques | Commentary, USA Today Colorado has threatened to sic the thought police on anyone who doesn't comply by using state-approved language about transgender people. You’d think that after two significant losses at the U.S. Supreme Court, Colorado would tread more carefully with its anti-discrimination laws.  No such luck. A new law, signed by Democratic Gov. Jared Polis in May, expands the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act to make deadnaming and misgendering transgender individuals a punishable offense. California, not surprisingly, has tried something similar but on a more limited basis. The updated Colorado provisions have already attracted lawsuits on the grounds that the law violates the U.S. Constitution, includ...
False claims, real consequences: Judge rejects activist’s First Amendment defense
Approved, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

False claims, real consequences: Judge rejects activist’s First Amendment defense

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice El Paso County judge rejects motion to dismiss defamation suit against Bernadette Guthrie, ruling that calling a school board member a “child predator” is not protected by the First Amendment. For more than a year, Derrick Wilburn – father, community leader and now an elected school board member – was publicly branded a “child predator” by a vocal district parent. The accusations, repeated at school board meetings, online and even in state legislative testimony, painted him as a man who preyed on children.  Wilburn filed a defamation lawsuit in December 2024, seeking accountability. And on April 29, a Colorado judge drew a legal line.  El Paso County District Court Judge Gregory Werner denied defendant Bernadette Guthrie’s motion...
Boll: Colorado calls it protection. Parents call it betrayal.
Approved, Commentary, State, Substack, Top Stories

Boll: Colorado calls it protection. Parents call it betrayal.

By Laureen Boll | Commentary, Genspect Colorado is increasingly unhinged when it comes to gender Imagine the nightmare: You learn that your 17-year-old daughter, with whom you’ve always shared a deep, loving bond, has embarked upon an intimate relationship with her female teacher—a deeply inappropriate situation under any circumstances. But instead of acting to safeguard your child, school officials secretly label her “homeless” to allow her to move in with the teacher, withholding the truth from you. Unfortunately, this is the harsh reality for one Jefferson County, Colorado, family. When the parent uncovered the deception and confronted the high school principal, they were met with a shocking defense: the teacher was simply “helping kids explore their sexual identity.” Some ...
“Not one mention of sexual abuse”: Parents slam Jeffco union as Title IX storm builds
Approved, Local, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

“Not one mention of sexual abuse”: Parents slam Jeffco union as Title IX storm builds

By Heidi Ganahl, Rocky Mountain Voice Jeffco Public Schools is at the center of a storm as teachers and parents clash with Superintendent Tracy Dorland over leadership, transparency, and the district’s handling of cultural and safety concerns.  Tensions hit a breaking point on May 29, when the Jefferson County Education Association (JCEA)—representing roughly a quarter of Jeffco’s 5,000 teachers—declared a vote of no confidence in Superintendent Tracy Dorland. The move came just days before news broke of a federal Title IX investigation into the district. Union leaders accused her of top-down leadership, fostering instability, and eroding trust. They highlighted high turnover in central office staff, the rejection of a board-approved policy on ICE protocols, and the rollback ...