Moms for Liberty wins as Chathams ends parent-secrecy policy

A New Jersey school district has dropped a policy that let staff keep a child's gender transition secret from the child's own parents¹. Moms for Liberty reports that the School District of the Chathams board voted 7-0 to give up that policy permanently. The group says it and the Thomas More Society secured "a major parental rights victory²."

“No school has the authority to transition a child behind his or her parents' backs”

Under Policy 5145.7, school counselors decided whether parents would be told when a student asked to be recognized by a gender identity different from the student's biological sex¹. A school that hides a child's transition from the parents raising that child commits a parental-rights violation. At a June 15, 2026, board meeting, Board President Ann Ciccarelli said the Supreme Court's Mirabelli decision "is not binding on public school districts in New Jersey³."

Ciccarelli's stand set up the lawsuit. In August, the Thomas More Society sued in federal court on behalf of Moms for Liberty and two district parents, who said they were threatened after they opposed the policy⁴. The Thomas More Society said the district began moving to rescind the policy after a demand letter, but did not commit to abandoning it for good until after the suit was filed⁵. On Oct. 12, the board approved a settlement that bars the district from reinstating the policy or adopting a substantially similar replacement. "No school has the authority to transition a child behind his or her parents' backs," said Christopher Ferrara, senior counsel for the Thomas More Society¹.

The agreement was filed in U.S. District Court on Oct. 15. Under its terms, Moms for Liberty dismisses its suit with prejudice, so it cannot bring the same claims again¹.

The settlement requires every current and future district employee to receive a copy. Any future policy must comply with state and federal law and with Supreme Court precedent¹. The Thomas More Society said it will keep pushing to enforce the Mirabelli ruling in New Jersey and other states⁵.

Sources

1. Chathams school board settles lawsuit over transgender student notification policy - New Jersey Globe
2. @Moms4Liberty on X, 2026-10-20: 📣WE WON in New Jersey. Moms for Liberty and the @ThomasMoreSoc just secured a major parental rights victory. The School District of the Chathams voted 7-0 to permanently abandon its policy that let school staff hide a child’s “gender transition” from parent, 2026-10-20
3. Thomas More Society Sues New Jersey School District for Defying U.S. Supreme Court, Violating Parental Rights
4. Chatham gender policy revoked after settlement with Moms for Liberty
5. Parents Win N.J. School Gender Transition Fight