Attorney General Speaks Out On Parental Rights And Schools

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - Attorney General Austin Knudsen started the Monday Talk Back show with details of how Montana is joining other states to protect parental rights regarding the issue of gender transition.

AG Austin Knudsen Joins 22 Other States Fighting Gender Transition

“One thing I want to talk about is a 22-state brief that we filed in the First Circuit Court,” began Knudsen. “Now this one is a little bit strange, because the First Circuit Court of Appeals is way over in the Northeast. We actually filed this as an appeal out of a Massachusetts school district. And you might ask, ‘Why does Montana care about what's going on in Massachusetts?’ Well, this was a case in which a school district basically decided that it had the authority to override a parent's wishes on how to handle their children. This was a case where a school district was helping a minor child transition genders.”

Knudsen said he was shocked that any court would side against the parental rights of school children.

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Knudsen Claimed that the Court is Removing Parental Rights

“That case went all the way up through the federal courts and to the First Circuit Court of Appeals,” he said. “Amazingly, the First Circuit Court of Appeals decided that parents’ rights go away when they decide to put their kids in public schools. Just percolate on that one for a minute. It’s absolutely staggering, but that actually is what this Court ruled. They ruled that the concern over gender transitioning was minimal, because there are not actually any real health concerns, and they even went so far as ruling that the school districts can actually lie to parents when they're doing these transitioning plans.”

Knudsen said he and other attorneys general joined forces to protect parental rights.

Knudsen said he is Alarmed by the Court's Actions

“Generally, I don't care what's going on on the East Coast, but I have to tell you, as one federal circuit goes, we have to be concerned about how the other federal circuits around the country will be following suit. Of course, we're in the Ninth Circuit, and they're not exactly a bastion of family values over here in the West, (either).”

Knudsen said he and many other state attorneys general are urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the issue.

Knudsen Urges the U.S. Supreme Court to Address the Issue

“So, that's why we got involved in this case,” he said. “My office led that coalition of 22 states, but this is one I'm passionate about, and you can probably tell the tone of my voice, this is just absolutely bonkers,” he said. “We're trying to get the U.S. Supreme Court to take this case up, and I think they will. They've upheld parents’ rights, parents’ sacrosanct God given rights to raise their children, and that the state doesn't get involved, and that's the trend trying to happen in Massachusetts.”