Possible Hate Crime Committed Against LGBTQIA+ Student in Chino Valley Comes to Light as School Board Introduced Their Third Harmful Attempt at a Forced Outing Policy

CHINO, CA – In an appalling turn of events in the Chino Valley, Our Schools USA was made aware of a potential hate crime committed against an Ayala High School student on Friday, September 13, in Chino Hills, California. The victim, a senior who is a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, was representing the school’s Gay Straight Alliance club while tabling during the lunch period when the student was called a slur and assaulted by another student. The victim was taken to the hospital for treatment and evaluation. The incident has been reported by the student’s mother to local law enforcement. Today, Advocate.com published an article detailing the incident.                                                               

This brutal attack is perpetrated against a background of persistent harassment and discriminatory policies being propagated and enacted by the Chino Valley Unified School District school board.

Over the past year, the CVUSD school board majority, comprised of Sonja Shaw, Andrew Cruz, and James Na, have relentlessly targeted one of their most vulnerable populations, their LGBTQIA+ students, with “forced outing” policies and verbal attacks at school board meetings, where they have characterized the LGBTQIA+ community as “mentally ill” and a “death culture.” 

On Thursday, September 19, 2024, the Board introduced a third version of their failed forced outing policy, as well as cut off the microphone of an LGBTQIA+ student and a teacher.

As the Board pursues their agenda of marginalization against LGBTQIA+ children and their families, the environment in Chino Valley schools has become increasingly untenable for these students. Members of the Board have demanded teacher allies on school campuses remove “You’re safe with me” postcards and banners, denying students access to the very adults who can support them in the face of increasing hostility.   

The mother of the victim in Friday’s incident provided the following statement to Our Schools USA: 

“There has been a consistent pattern of harassment of LGBTQIA students in the district that comes from the very top. Despite my repeated reporting of incidents, my family was ignored. Horrifically, the environment they have created has now resulted in an assault on my own child.” 

Ayala High Teacher and Gay Straight Alliance club advisor Natalie Cooney stated:

“Even if the school board won’t let us display our pins, we want our students to know they’re safe with us. We have their backs. We need the rest of the world to know what’s happening in Chino so that they can too.”

The forced outing policy was first passed by CVUSD on July 20, 2023. The lawsuit, The People of the State of California, Ex Rel. et al -v- Chino Valley Unified School District (San Bernardino County Superior Court Case No. CIVSB2317301), was introduced by California Attorney General Rob Bonta on August 28 and was placed under a temporary restraining order on September 6. On September 10, 2024, Judge Michael Sachs issued a permanent injunction against the policy.

Kristi Hirst, a former teacher, parent, and co-founder of Our Schools USA, commented on the ruling:

It’s embarrassing that this school board chooses to ignore the harm they are causing in the Chino Valley and in communities throughout California in order to pursue a political crusade. 

Educating children works best with engaged parents and caring teachers working together to create a safe space for all children to learn – and that’s what school boards ought to be focused on.