Parents complain after teacher changes sex

VACAVILLE, Calif., Oct. 16 (UPI) -- Some parents of children at a Vacaville, Calif., elementary school have complained that they were not notified before a teacher's gender reassignment surgery.

The parents told the Travis Unified School District that they believe they had a right to know before the school year began that a Foxboro Elementary School music teacher, whose name was not released, underwent gender reassignment surgery during the summer break and now uses the honorific "Mister," KCRA-TV, Sacramento, Calif., reported Thursday.

"All the information came straight from our kids and didn't come from the school board or the teachers ... this has all been second-hand information," parent Melissa Oiland said.

The school board said such disclosure would violate privacy rules under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

"I understand what parents are saying, but we have a right as an employer, we have a legal obligation as an employer to protect our employees," District Superintendent Kate Wren Gavlak said.

Twenty-three students from 15 different families have been transferred out of the music class since the beginning of the school year.