Community & Public Health

When both her children came out as queer, Janice Lee struggled initially to accept, but it didn’t take her long to come to terms with it. She read a lot and made the effort to learn about sexuality and gender identities. In many Asian households, changes are taking place, as parents challenge long-standing patterns of shame and silence around LGBTQ+ identity.

Although California has banned suspensions for “willful defiance” in grades K-12, both Elk Grove Unified and Sacramento City Unified school districts continued to suspend students for defiance during the 2023-24 school year, according to an OBSERVER analysis. The issue has gained new relevance as federal policies under the Trump administration threaten funding for schools that implement equity-based discipline practices.