Three-fourths of parents oppose trans ideology in schools, poll suggests
A strong majority of parents in the United States oppose the promotion and embrace of trans ideology in public schools, a new survey suggests as more states take action to protect parental rights and secure fairness in sports for female athletes.
The poll, sponsored by the parental rights advocacy group Parents Defending Education and conducted by CRC Research, is based on responses collected from 1,000 American parents of children 18 years old or younger from Dec. 12-18, 2024.
The survey, published last Monday, asked parents their opinions on various topics.
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When asked if they thought “schools should help a child change their gender identity," which could include changes to their name, identifying as the opposite sex and using the wrong pronouns, dressing as the opposite sex or wearing breast binders without notifying their parents, only 19% of respondents agreed that schools should work to socially transition children without parental consent.
By contrast, 80% of parents said they disagreed with schools taking such an approach, with 62% strongly disagreeing.
The results also suggest an overwhelming opposition to “teachers, counselors, school nurses, classroom aides, coaches or administration withholding information about a child’s gender identity from parents.”
An overwhelming majority (75%) disagreed that schools should keep their student's gender identity from parents, with 59% expressing strong opposition to such a move. Only 24% supported withholding information about trans-identified students’ gender identities from parents.
Seventy-seven percent of parents surveyed agreed that “schools should require teachers or staff to inform parents if their child wants to use a different name or pronoun at school,” with 57% strongly agreeing. Only 22% opposed a requirement that schools keep parents informed about their child’s desire to use a name that aligns with their stated gender identity.
Erika Sanzi, director of outreach at Parents Defending Education, cheered the “overwhelming opposition to school personnel withholding information from parents about their child’s gender identity at school.”
"The policies propagated by activist groups, the National School Boards Association and teachers’ unions all allow for — and often require — the deliberate deception of parents by school staff if that is what the minor child wants,” Sanzi said in a statement provided to The Christian Post. “It’s refreshing to see even more confirmation that people think this ubiquitous trend of facilitating gender transitions behind the backs of parents is complete madness and needs to stop.”
Millions of children attend public schools across the United States that maintain official policies that assist students with socially "transitioning" to identify as the opposite sex. The survey informed respondents that such actions include "using a different name and pronoun chosen by the child and allowing him or her to use locker rooms and bathrooms that correspond to this new identity.”
Adding that school districts might recommend that trans-identified students “visit a local clinic, where they can receive prescriptions for puberty blockers or hormone injections,” the survey noted that school districts maintain that parents might not be “supportive” of their children seeking to change their sex.
The survey also said one training presentation for teachers in Wisconsin insisted that “parents are not entitled to know their kids’ identities” and that “that knowledge must be earned.”
Just 25% of respondents agreed with that statement, while 74% indicated that they disagreed, including 61% who strongly disagreed. When asked to elaborate on their opinion, 19% contended that “because some parents are not supportive of children changing their gender identity, schools should affirm student gender transitions and help keep them hidden from parents who disapprove.”
Conversely, 79% of parents surveyed sympathized with the opinion, declaring that because “a child changing his or her gender identity has major long-term medical and psychological ramifications,” parents should “be kept informed if their child requests to be referred to by a different gender while in school.”
Although only half the sample was asked for their views on the matter, most parents (75%) supported “legislation requiring schools to tell parents if their child wants to change their gender identity at school.”
The other half of the sample was asked if they would support or oppose “legislation requiring schools to get parental consent before helping a student change their gender identity at school.” Seventy-nine percent of this group of parents told pollsters they favored passing such legislation, with 61% strongly supporting it.
Additional findings from the survey include 74% opposition to “teachers providing instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in elementary school” and 72% of parents opposed to “students and staff rooming with others according to gender identity rather than biological sex on field trips.”
One-half of the sample was asked how they felt about “biological males, who identify as females, being allowed to participate on girls’ sports teams,” and 78% of this group of parents opposed allowing athletes to play on sports teams designated for the opposite sex.
The other half of the sample responded to a question about whether males who identify as females should be able to use women’s bathrooms and locker rooms. Seventy-seven percent opposed the idea and 60% strongly opposed it.
The survey comes at a time when some states have passed laws banning school officials from discussing sexual orientation and gender identity with young students. Some school districts have also faced lawsuits accusing them of keeping secret children’s gender transitions from parents and allowing trans-identified male students to share beds with female students on school field trips. Several states have passed laws requiring athletes to compete on sports teams that correspond with their sex rather than their self-declared gender identity.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
