Father blasts Colorado school board for affirming child's chosen gender

A Lakewood, Colo. father gave an impassioned speech during the JeffCo Schools board meeting Thursday after he blamed the school district for losing his visiting rights to see his daughter.

Dustin Gonzalez told the board his daughter decided to change her gender identity without discussing it with her parents. He said a school-appointed therapist in the Denver suburb affirmed the daughter’s decision. He said his ex-wife then began proceedings to take visitation rights away from him.

“It started in your schools," Gonzalez told the board. "Your systems made it possible, and your silence made it personal. You never once thought ‘Shouldn’t the father be involved, too.’”

He said he wants to make sure “What happened to me and my family never happens to another parent in this district,” adding, “they didn’t even ask me, they replaced me.”

Dad loses some visitation rights

On a post on X, Gonzalez said he appeared before a judge Friday. “So, in Colorado, a restriction in parenting time is not quantitative reduction so doesn’t demand proof of actual harm,” he posted. “The judge then stated that my hostility and ‘inability’ to affirm my daughter’s gender change is enough for him to say I only get her every other weekend. I lost today. Lost time, lost influence…. This judge just proved that parents can manipulate their child into this ideology and steal them from the other parent.”

Gonzalez said his objections to his daughter’s decision “weren’t treated as concerns they were treated as opposition. My voice was dismissed as hateful.”

He said a court-appointed investigator never accused him of abuse or harm. “I said, ‘I’m not ready to affirm this yet, that’s it.” Of his ex, he told the school board, “You gave her reinforcements. You gave her a system that cut me out of the picture. You stole my seat at the table, and you made decisions about my daughter without me.”

Field trip mishap avoided

It’s not the first time Jefferson County School District has been accused of violating parents’ rights with transgender policies. In December 2023, Denver 7 reported the story of parents whose daughter almost had to share a bed with a biological boy who identifies as a girl on a school field trip.

“In Jeffco Public Schools, student safety is paramount and partnership with families is a priority,” the district said in a statement to Denver 7. “We take this situation seriously. Because the district was only recently informed, and the trip occurred outside of the school year and through a private travel organization, we are still determining facts. However, it appears that the student’s transgender status was not known when room assignments were made and our understanding is that as soon as their transgender identity was known, room assignments were adjusted.”

Angry dad will run for school board

Gonzalez said he will run for school board and encouraged people at the meeting to back him. He said he will not rest until the entire current school board is replaced.

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause at the end of his speech. He told parents in the audience to take their children out of JeffCo schools. He encouraged parents to “Take back what’s ours, the right to raise our kids.” Members of the school board did not offer a reply.

Aurora City Council member and firebrand Danielle Jurinsky reposted a video clip on X of Gonzalez’ speech. The post referenced Colorado House Bill 25-1312, which passed its third reading April 6. Section two of the bill, “Provides that, when making child custody decisions and determining the best interests of a child for purposes of parenting time, a court shall consider deadnaming, misgendering, or threatening to publish material related to an individual's gender-affirming health-care services as types of coercive control. A court shall consider reports of coercive control when determining the allocation of parental responsibilities in accordance with the best interests of the child.”

Advocates for transgender children say when parents don’t affirm their child’s choices, it can lead to mental problems for the youngster. Some parents, meanwhile, say they won’t support the delusions of minors.