Dear Placer Hearld and associated papers,
I am writing to express concern regarding your publication’s coverage of the ongoing dispute between the Rocklin Unified School District (RUSD) Board and local teachers concerning the right for a parent to know about any communication between their child and school Staff.
Rocklin Teachers – led by Travis Mougette- continue to attack local parents, mislead students and create arguments to remove parental rights concerning the education oftheir child. Your paper has chosen to omit critical facts about Rocklin teacher actions, their union’s efforts, and applicable federal law. Also, your paper has chosen to not cover the clear 2024 election mandate the Rocklin community gave the School Board to protect parents’ rights.
Your coverage creates a false narrative, and this does not serve our community. Given the the magnitude of this issue, your paper must change.
1. Massive Teacher Union Spending on a Failed Campaign
Travis Mougette and the RUSD teachers’ union spent at least $60,000, and quite possibly up to $120,000, attacking the RUSD Board’s policy that requires staff to disclose to parents if a student is discussing gender issues with school staff. This level of effort is easily 4X the amount seen in prior ‘regular’ RUSD elections. Why does your paper not investigate the source of the resources? In addition to this issue, un biased journalists would investigate these issues:
- 150+ Teachers Walking Precincts: Over 150 Rocklin teachers took to the streets to influence voters in the 2024 election.
- This level of investment comes with strings: The teacher-backed campaign spent three to four times what the conservative candidates did – yet they still suffered a resounding defeat. (Jen Brookover and Price Johnson lost by more than 16% each) What do the teachers’ donors expect now that teachers spent $120,000 and spent thousands of hours but did not win seats on the Rocklin Unified School Board
FPPC forms for Canidate Price and Bookover attached.
2. Federal Law and the Real Threat of Funding Loss
Rocklin teachers continue to push the argument that it is “legal” for school staff to withhold important information from parents, particularly if a child expresses concerns or questions about gender identity.
However:
- Federal Law is Clear: Multiple court precedents and federal guidelines emphasize the fundamental right parents have to direct the upbringing of their children. (Escondido injunction, etc.)
- Trump Administration’s Stance: President Trump has made it a priority to withhold or revoke federal funding from schools that violate parental rights. He has targeted states such as California, New York, and Maine for similar practices—where teachers encourage withholding gender discussions from parents.
Should Rocklin teachers continue to fight for a policy that contradicts federal guidance, the district will lose critical federal dollars. If this happens, it’s only fair that any resulting deficit be reflected in teacher salaries, since the teachers orchestrated and championed the agenda that precipitated the shortfall. Parents are already discussing a proposal for a teacher pay reduction if federal funds are lost due to non-compliance with parental rights laws.
3. Widening Community Divisions
Your coverage depicts teachers who oppose parental notification as having broad community support. In reality, 2024’s election results prove a significant majority of voters and parents reject secrecy around student gender discussions. Even with massive teacher donations, hours of door-to-door campaigning, and saturation advertising, Price Johnson and Jen Brookover lost by margins never seen in Rocklin.
It’s also important to note:
- Public Frustration: Many parents feel outraged that teacher dues—meant to improve teachers pay and contracts—have been used to attack the community.
- Unprecedented Media Blitz: Never before has our community witnessed such a coordinated push by regional and local media. Your paper alone ran roughly 10 pro teacher articles in the last year while failing to cover any other angles of this issue.
4. Parents’ Rights Are at the Core
The crux of the debate is straightforward: Should teachers inform parents if a student is exploring or questioning gender identity at school? The Board,supported by a broad electorate, maintains the answer is “Yes.” Federal statutes and legal analyses strongly indicate that schools have no right to withhold information from
parents.
However, as of April 2025, Rocklin teachers are still pushing for secrecy which is:
- Illegal: Under federal precedent, blocking parents’ awareness is contrary to deeply rooted parental rights.
- Potentially Costly: The RUSD is not wealthy enough to gamble with federal subsidies. If official policy defies federal guidance, it jeopardizes essentialfunding.
- Deeply Divisive: By pursuing an agenda in direct conflict with the public’s resounding 16% margin vote, the teachers’ efforts sow discord.
5. Why Balanced Reporting Matters
Local newspapers have a duty to comprehensively share all sides of a story. The Placer Hearld’s coverage focuses on teacher grievances and generated narratives, implying that the community supports this effort and that the RUSD Board action is illegal. 2024 election results prove otherwise: a substantial majority stands behind the Board’s commitment to parental rights.
Here is what we request of your publication:
- Acknowledge the Election 2024 Outcome: Report the clear 16% margin that decided this issue, reflecting the broader community’s viewpoint.
- Investigate teacher Spending: Examine why upwards of $60,000–$120,000 was invested in a campaign that sought to undermine parental notification.
- Explore Federal Law Implications: Delve into how a secrecy policy could be challenged under federal rules—and the potential consequences for our district.
- Question Ongoing Efforts: Ask if local teachers truly want to risk losing federal funds—and potentially face cuts—by defying the Board and parents’ rights.
Final Thoughts
Despite unprecedented mobilization of funds and manpower, the community voted against the union’s candidates by a staggering 16% margin—the largest such margin in an RUSD Board race. This clearly indicates that the majority of voters support the Board’s position on parental notification.
Balanced journalism creates a healthy community. Rocklin deserves clear, factual coverage that addresses all positions on an issue. Your paper is not even making an effort to do this.
Tragically your coverage creates a narrative that the Rocklin Unified School Board’s efforts are illegal, mean spirited and do not align with voter sentiment. Worse, your paper has not even shared the federal legal framework that govern this issue.
Your effort allows teachers to hide amongst incomplete facts and you and they need to be held to account. Rather than taking the path of propaganda that creates division, your paper must cover both sides of this issue.
In 2023 Wake Up Placer asked:
When Travis Mougeottee, teachers, and their allies lose in the inevitable appeals to Federal Court, will we expect them to pay all the costs associated with their attack?
Why won’t your paper [Placer Hearld] cover this issue?
Sincerely,
Kevin Cooper
Rocklin Parent
