Colorado parents have filed a lawsuit against their local school district after an 11-year-old girl was allegedly placed in a hotel room with a biologically male transgender student during an overnight school trip, without parental consent. The case centers on the district’s policy allowing students to room based on gender identity rather than biological sex, which the parents argue violates their rights to make educational decisions for their children.
The legal action, led by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), was filed as “Wailes v. Jefferson County Public Schools” in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit. ADF, a conservative legal organization advocating for religious liberty, claims that the district’s policy of assigning accommodations based on gender identity without notifying parents or allowing opt-outs infringes upon fundamental parental rights. The lawsuit asserts that the school system’s approach has placed students in potentially unsafe or uncomfortable situations, with one instance involving an 11-year-old girl discovering her assigned bedmate was biologically male and identifying as a transgender female.
According to the complaint, the school district’s policy allows for overnight accommodations to be assigned based on gender identity rather than biological sex. However, the lawsuit argues that the lack of parental oversight or opt-out options has led to situations where children are paired with individuals who do not align with their biological sex. Other examples cited include the case of an 11-year-old boy who was assigned a counselor who was biologically female but identified as non-binary, despite the family’s concerns.
ADF Senior Counsel Kate Anderson emphasized that parents, not government bureaucrats, have the right and responsibility to direct the upbringing and education of their children. She warned that the school district’s actions could undermine the ability of families, particularly those with religious values, to protect their children’s bodily privacy and uphold their beliefs in educational settings. The lawsuit also highlights the district’s claim to