who we are
We Are California Parents Who
Refused to Stay Quiet.
Informed Parents – California is a grassroots 501(c)(3) non-profit founded by parents, grandparents, community leaders, and church leaders who believe one thing above all:
the education of a child is ultimately the responsibility of the parent — not the school district.
We exist to give every California family the tools, knowledge, and community to act on that belief.
OUR STORY
California Schools Changed.
We Organized.
Over the past decades, public schools have moved in directions many families never voted for and were never told about. Curriculum shifted. Library books changed. Survey questions got personal. Test scores fell while spending climbed.
Parents started asking questions — and often found the doors closed.
Informed Parents – California was built to open those doors. We research the laws, prepare the legal documents, train the volunteers, and build the local organizations so that no California parent has to fight this alone.
We are non partisan. We are not affiliated with any school or school district. We are parents — organized, informed, and ready to help you.
WHAT WE DO
Three Ways We Fight for Your Family
The most direct tool we offer
OPT-OUT Notice Delivery
California law gives parents the right to opt their children out of school instruction, programs, and activities that conflict with their religious beliefs and family values. Following the landmark Mahmoud v. Taylor U.S. Supreme Court decision in June 2025, those rights have never been stronger or more clearly defined.
Our OPT-OUT Notice — developed by a California public interest law firm — is delivered directly and formally to your child’s school and district. It is legally grounded, clearly written, and free to use.
What you can opt your child out of:
- Gender identity and LGBTQ+ normative instruction
- Critical Race Theory and DEI programming
- Comprehensive sexual health education
- Psychological surveys and personal belief questionnaires
- Anonymous health screenings without parental notification
Legal authority: Mahmoud v. Taylor (2025) · CA Ed. Code 51240, 51938, 51513
Building parent power, county by county
The Informed Parents Ambassador Corps
California has 58 counties and hundreds of school districts. Change at that scale requires organized people on the ground — not just a website.
Our Ambassador Corps is composed of passionate, committed volunteers who serve as the local face of Informed Parents within each county. Ambassadors recruit and organize School District Parents Organizations, connect families who share common concerns, and ensure that parents in every corner of California have access to resources, support, and community.
What ambassadors do:
- Recruit and organize local parent groups within their county
- Connect families facing similar challenges in their school district
- Represent Informed Parents at local school board meetings
- Distribute information about Informed Parents – California to families
If you're ready to lead in your county, we want to hear from you.
The long game — organized parents change school boards
School District Parents Organizations (SDPOs)
Individual opt-out rights protect your child today. School District Parents Organizations change what gets taught tomorrow.
SDPOs are grassroots groups of parents and community leaders organized at the school district level. They attend board meetings, review curriculum proposals, monitor district budgets, and — critically — support the election of school board trustees who actually represent families.
What SDPOs do:
- Monitor school board agendas and attend public meetings
- Review new curriculum before it reaches classrooms
- Audit library acquisitions for age-appropriate content
- Mobilize parent voters during school board elections
- Create community for parents who share a commitment to
transparency and academic excellence
Across California, organized parents are winning. School board seats have flipped. Transparency policies have passed. Curriculum has been reviewed. It starts with parents who show up.
SUPPORT THE WORK
Your Donation Keeps This Free For
Every California Family
Every OPT-OUT Notice, every ambassador training, every legal resource we provide is free to California families because donors make it possible. Informed Parents – California is 100% funded by individuals who believe parents — not bureaucracies — should shape the next generation.
Your tax-deductible gift directly funds:
- OPT-OUT Notices for California families who want them
- Legal help line support for parents facing school pushback
- Ambassador organizing across all 58 California counties
- School board accountability campaigns statewide
- New curriculum monitoring and parent education resources
Your Legal Rights Under California Law
California law provides multiple legal pathways for parents to protect their children from instruction that conflicts with their beliefs:
Mahmoud v. Taylor Supreme Court Decision (June 2025)
The U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor (No. 23-1633) affirms that parents can opt their children out of instruction that conflicts with their deeply held religious beliefs, including gender identity curriculum, LGBTQ+ “normative” instruction, Critical Race Theory, DEI programming, and “inclusive” books that conflict with parental beliefs.
California Education Code 51240: Religious Exemptions
“If any part of a school’s instruction conflicts with the religious training and beliefs of a parent or guardian of a pupil, the pupil, on written request of the parent or guardian, shall be excused from the part of the instruction that conflicts with the parent’s religious training or beliefs.”
California Education Code 51938: Sexual Health Education
Parents have the absolute right to opt their child out of comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education by submitting written notification to the school district.
California Education Code 51513: Survey Protections
Protects student privacy by requiring parental consent before students participate in surveys containing questions about personal beliefs regarding sex, family life, morality, or religion.
Your Child’s Exemptions
The OPT-OUT Notice delivery system allows you to send a fully completed and signed OPT-OUT Notice directly to your child’s school and district. By utilizing this system, you ensure that your preferences regarding your child’s education are formally communicated and respected.
This notice clearly states that your child will be exempt from the following school instruction, programs, and activities for the current school year.
Landmark Case:
Mahmoud v. Taylor
Gender Identity & LGBTQ+ Curriculum
The landmark Mahmoud v. Taylor Supreme Court decision allows parents to opt their children out of instruction that is against their deeply held religious beliefs which may include:
- Gender identity and gender studies curriculum
- Instruction that LGBTQ+ is “normative” behavior
- “Inclusive” books and curricula when content conflicts with a parent’s deeply held beliefs
- Pride Month activities with instructional content
Legal Authority: Mahmoud v. Taylor (2025), California Education Code 51240
California Education
Code 51240
Critical Race Theory & DEI Programming
Parents can opt their children out of instruction and programming related to Critical Race Theory frameworks and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives when these conflict with their religious beliefs or family values.
- Critical Race Theory (CRT) frameworks and concepts
- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) training programs and activities
- Curriculum emphasizing systemic racism as core to American identity
- Activities requiring students to acknowledge personal privilege based on race
- Instruction presenting America as fundamentally or irredeemably racist
Legal Authority: Mahmoud v. Taylor (2025), California Education Code 51240
California Education
Code 51513
Assessments & Testing
Parents can opt their children out of psychological assessments without explicit parental consent, student “climate” surveys that probe political or social beliefs, and evaluations of family attitudes.
If you have questions about the OPT-OUT Notice or face resistance from your child’s school, contact the OPT-OUT Hotline at (669) 307-1953 for assistance. Our team is here to help you understand your rights and ensure your preferences are acknowledged.
Staying informed and advocating for your family’s values is essential in shaping a supportive learning environment.
Legal Authority: Mahmoud v. Taylor (2025), California Education Code 51513
California Education
Code 51513
Anonymous Surveys & Health Questionnaires
Participating in anonymous, voluntary, and confidential surveys related to pupil health behaviors is crucial for understanding student’s well-being.
However, as a parent in California, you can OPT-OUT of these surveys and questionnaires to protect your child from exposure to sensitive topics that may not align with your family values. This includes mental health screenings without parental notification and questionnaires about family relationships or home life.
Your choices are important in shaping a supportive learning environment for your child!
Legal Authority: Mahmoud v. Taylor (2025), California Education Code 51513
California Education
Code 51513
Personal Belief Questionnaires
The administration of any survey, questionnaire, examination, or evaluation containing any questions relative to your child, or your personal beliefs regarding practices in sex, family life, morality, or religion.
Click here to see an example of a Survey administered to 3rd grade students as part of a health and wellness program.
Legal Authority: Mahmoud v. Taylor (2025), California Education Code 51513
California Education
Code 51938
Comprehensive Sexual Health Education
Attending or participating in any class, instruction or activity related to comprehensive sexual education and HIV / AIDS prevention with the exception of state-mandated Comprehensive Sexuality Education in fifth grade, seventh grade and one semester in high school. Comprehensive Sexuality Education curricula is not required in any other grade and a student may be opted-out.
Parents retain OPT-OUT rights even for mandated instruction if the content conflicts with religious beliefs following the Mahmoud v. Taylor decision.
Click here to see an excerpt from Comprehensive Sexuality Education.
Legal Authority: Mahmoud v. Taylor (2025), California Education Code 51938
Frequently Asked Questions
California requires students to receive certain core instruction. However, even within mandated subjects like Comprehensive Sexuality Education in 7th grade and high school, parents can request alternative materials or accommodations if the standard curriculum conflicts with religious beliefs following the Mahmoud v. Taylor decision.
Additional Support & Resources
OPT-OUT California Help Line – 669-307-1953
Our dedicated support team is available to help California parents:
- Become familiar with their legal rights under California Education Code
- Navigate resistance from school administrators
- Clarify OPT-OUT procedures and requirements
- Address concerns about school retaliation
- Provide guidance on specific curriculum questions
Don’t hesitate to reach out if you face any challenges exercising your parental rights.
Stay Informed – Receive Our Newsletter
California’s educational landscape continues to evolve. Get the latest updates delivered to your inbox:
- Adversarial interactions between parents and school boards
- News about legislative changes affecting parental rights
- Updates on court decisions impacting OPT-OUT rights
- Information about new curriculum being introduced in California schools
- Tips for effective parent advocacy
- Success stories from parents across California
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Informed Parents, Informed Parents California, and OPT-OUT CA are dba’s of Informed Parents Silicon Valley, Inc., a Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization, EIN 87-2694564. Contributions are tax-deductible for income, gift, and estate taxes. Our IRS determination letter can be requested by emailing us at donations@ip-sv.org. Copyright 2026. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
