Parents In Southern California  Demand School Board Declare District a Sanctuary Community For Parental Rights

“If there is risk to vaccines, then there must a choice.”

Hundreds of residents in a Southern California community swarmed a school board meeting Thursday night to speak out about the loss of parental rights in schools. Anxious parents, many with children in tow, students, pastors and doctors demanded the Murrieta Unified School District become the first sanctuary city for parental rights in California.

For two hours people waited to speak out on the action item titled, “To consider Proposal by Community Member to Become a Sanctuary School District.” Those in favor of the sanctuary status understood the trustees could not change the laws set by the state. However, their argument is, if  illegal immigration can be protected by a sanctuary status then so can parental rights.

Megan and Patrick Hill who live in Murrieta and have a two year old daughter are leaving California in January. They are angry their child‘s full medical exemption for vaccinations was reversed when SB 276 by Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento) was signed into law this year. 

“The governor has taken away my incredible healthy, beautiful daughter‘s right to attend school when he signed that bill,” said Megan Hill. “The FDA, the CDC, they all state there is risk to vaccines. If there is risk there must a choice.”

“We are listing our house and escaping California. We are refugees of California we are being kicked out of our home state, away from our family and friends,” said Megan Hill.

Christian Edwards, a parent who lives in Murrieta said, “I came out to support parents who don’t want to be forced to vaccinate their children and to fight back against the schools allowing minors to leave campus to have abortions or hormone therapy.”

“So many rights are being violated,” said Patrick Hill. Vaccines are just one, but there is also the issue of children being allowed to leave the campus as minors to have abortions but they can’t go the school nurse and get an aspirin. There is something backwards about this,” added Hill, who is already job searching in states other than California.

Inside the lobby and in the board meeting room, people who showed up to support the sanctuary status for parental rights held signs that read, “Don’t confuse our kids,” “We know what‘s best,” “Families first, agendas out.”

Dr.  Todd Donohoe, who has been actively fighting against forced vaccinations since 2015 when SB 277 was passed, spoke to the trustees. Donohoe also helped organize a recall effort against then State Senator Stone who was a co-author to SB 277. The bill removed religious exemptions for vaccines.

“Children today are getting sometimes more than 51 injections and as many as nine in one day. That is deemed safe and it is not,” said Donohoe. The crowd chanted, “If there is risk there must be choice.”

Another parent spoke to the board members and said, “It is appalling that the gender transition process can begin while kids are in school without parental consent. The normal therapy affects the brain development in children. Happiness is not achieved with sex change and the trans youth have a higher suicide rate. I am angry that the schools can remain silent if kids leave school to have sex procedures instead of letting the  parents walk with their children through these major, life changing decisions.”

Parents asked the trustees if they believed parental rights are inalienable.

Pastor Tim Thompson from 412 Church in Murrieta, asked if  school board would stand up for parental rights and declare Murrieta as a sanctuary school district.

Hunter Erickson, an 18-year old who attends school in Murrieta said he wanted to denounce the education the tax payers are being forced to pay, “California residents are being forced to pay for a product they believe is evil, being forced to pay for an education they are not receiving. How does this episode of history end,” said Erickson. “The introduction to sexualization in sex education has stripped children of their value and innocence and parents of their rights. We aren’t not supporting the product you want us to pay for.”

A teacher in a neighboring school district, Stephanie Holloway, was the only person who spoke up against the idea of Murrieta becoming a Sanctuary City for parental rights.

“As a teacher and parent, it is important for me to learn about others. Students have the right to learn too, and there are many different perspectives and students have a right to learn in an inclusive environment,” said Holloway. “LGBTQ Students have a right to be safe in their class rooms. I do hope you will see the views here do not represent the entire community.“

“What we are asking is for you to make Murrieta the first sanctuary city in California for parental rights,” said Thompson. “We also want students to be inclusive – we want the same thing. We know the boards hands are tied with the law but let’s untie your hands by declaring Murrieta a sanctuary city to protect our teachers, students and parents.“

“There is no diversity of thought and teaching the gender spectrum violates teachers and students and parents religious rights. This is cultural Marxism,” said Thompson.

Legal counsel for MVUSD told the board that the Sanctuary City Status has no legal authority.

The Education Code states, “the governing board of any school district may initiate and carry on any program, activity or may otherwise act in any manner which is not in conflict with or inconsistent with or preempted by any law and which is not in conflict with the purposes for which school districts are established.”

“The board has to follow existing law which is an important understanding. The state constitution says the board members will have allegiance to the state constitution and the federal constitution,” said the district legal counsel.

The trustees ended the hearing on the action item by denying the district to become a sanctuary city without speaking on the matter. The crowd was angry and started to chant, “See you on the campaign trail,” and “Start looking for new jobs.”