Ed. Note: The press release below describes an effort by the New Jersey Family Policy Center, with a mission to create schools where “God is honored, religious freedom flourishes, families thrive and life is cherished,” has filed a motion to intervene in the State Attorney General’s civil rights complaint against Hanover, Marlboro, Middletown, and Manalapan school districts. AG Platkin’s complaint says these school districts are discriminating against LGBTQ students by approving policies that require parent notification if a student expresses concerns about their sexual orientation or gender identity.. Hanover changed its policy to not single out LGBTQ students but some regard that as a distinction without a difference.

The Pacific Justice Institute, a legal non-profit that defends – without charge – the religious freedoms, parental rights, and other civil liberties of individuals, has filed a motion to intervene in the Attorney General’s complaint filed in the Division of Civil Rights (“DCR”) against the Hanover Board of Education. Shawn Hyland, Director of Advocacy for New Jersey Family Policy Center– a pro-family organization that protects the freedom of parents to speak and act according to their faith, is listed as the intervener.  

On May 17, 2023, Attorney General Matt Platkin filed the DCR complaint and concurrently filed for injunctive relief in Superior Court. Judge Minkowitz issued a temporary injunction and instructed both sides to negotiate. On June 6, 2023, Hanover School Board voted to repeal their original policy but immediately replaced it with a new policy (also #8463) which removed the specific references to gender identity characteristics but continued the intent to notify parents of issues of concern involving their children. On June 12, 2023, the NJ Attorney General again challenged the Board’s revised policy, seeking to continue to restrain the replacement policy’s implementation and assert that the parental rights policy violates the Law Against Discrimination.

Since then, AG Matt Platkin has filed civil rights violations against three more school districts, Marlboro, Middletown, and Manalapan, for their parental notification policies regarding a student’s mental health and social and emotional well-being regarding the student’s asserted gender identity. On June 26^th, AG Platkin and Commissioner of Education Dr. Angelica Allen-McMillan issued a statement targeting school boards to stop passing parental notification policies. On June 27^th, the Colts Neck Board of Education tabled the second reading and final vote on their policy as they await the outcome of the Attorney General’s cases against the other Monmouth County school districts. 

The New Jersey Family Policy Center (NJFPC) meets all the criteria for being granted an intervenor status in the Hanover Board of Education case. The organization is strongly interested in the outcome of any action related to the AG’s allegation of a civil rights violation against school boards. Hanover BOE does not adequately represent the interest of parents statewide whose rights and children are directly impacted by any action. To deny the NJFPC would impede the ability of parents of public school students to protect their fundamental rights. The motion to intervene is timely and relevant to the process. 

“The Attorney General’s attempt to force school districts to keep a secret shadow medical file on children inaccessible to their parents is a serious violation of parental rights. Parents must be included in all matters involving their children’s mental health and social and emotional well-being. That is the only way to keep them safe. We urge him to honor the roles and responsibilities of parents in raising their children.”