A California school board meeting was unexpectedly disrupted when Beth Bourne, the Moms for Liberty chair for Yolo County, staged a provocative protest against the district's policy permitting trans-identifying students to use girls’ locker rooms. On September 18, during the Davis Joint Unified School Board meeting, Bourne removed her shirt to reveal a bikini top, symbolizing the vulnerability she believes students could feel under the current guidelines.
Bourne utilized her speaking time to demonstrate the act of changing in a communal locker room, intending to highlight the discomfort that might arise from the district's rules that allow students to select locker rooms corresponding to their gender identity. The situation escalated when she began to remove her pants, but was quickly halted by a board trustee. Despite being told she could not proceed, Bourne argued her actions fell under First Amendment protection, asserting she was merely clad in a bathing suit.
The meeting's presiding officer, board vice president Hiram Jackson, intervened to pause the proceedings and restore order. Bourne’s continued protest led to a 30-minute recess and eventually, police intervention, resulting in her escort from the meeting. She was later charged with "disturbing the peace," a charge that falls under California Penal Code 403 for willfully disrupting a lawful public gathering.
The board chair reminded attendees that meetings must adhere to established protocols, including the ability to suspend or end the meeting if necessary. Trustee Cecilia Escamilla-Greenwald expressed that the board is seeking legal advice on how to proceed, emphasizing that such behavior is inappropriate at public meetings.
Bourne, who had been attending the monthly board meetings for three years, expressed to CBS News her frustration with the lack of significant change. Her protest aimed to evoke the discomfort young students might experience in similar situations, urging adults to consider the feelings of girls sharing locker rooms with their peers of a different gender.
Founded in 2021, Moms for Liberty advocates for parental involvement in schools, endorsing curriculum transparency, student safety, and control over educational programs. While the group insists on defending parental rights, it has encountered opposition from liberal constituents for its stance against LGBT-inclusive policies, with some critics going as far as labeling the organization a "hate group."
Bourne's demonstration is in line with Moms for Liberty's mission to influence local education policy and protect student privacy. She hopes her actions will prompt public debate on contentious issues, believing open discussion fosters a safer environment for all. This event highlights the ongoing debate over gender, privacy, and student rights within the realm of school policy.
