Parents Sue School District Over Transgender Student Rooming Policy Controversy
Several Colorado parents are taking legal action against their local school district after allegations that an 11-year-old girl was placed in a hotel room with a biologically male transgender student during an overnight school trip. The lawsuit, filed by the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a conservative legal organization, is part of a broader case titled Wales v. Jefferson County Public Schools and is currently in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit.
The complaint alleges that the school district’s policy allows students to be assigned overnight accommodations based solely on gender identity, without notifying parents or seeking their consent. The lawsuit claims that this approach violates the fundamental rights of parents to make decisions about their children’s upbringing and education, while also placing students in potentially uncomfortable or unsafe situations.
The case centers on the experience of Joe and Serena Wailes, whose daughter was reportedly assigned to a two-bed hotel room on a school trip to Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. According to the lawsuit, the daughter was placed with three other students, including a biologically male transgender student, and reportedly learned about the roommate’s identity after being assigned to the room. The Wailes family says they were informed only after the assignment was made, and that the district’s policy contradicted its own assurances that boys and girls would be placed on separate hotel floors.
Jefferson County Public Schools’ policy reportedly allows students to be placed in shared accommodations based on gender identity, without allowing families to opt out or request same-sex-only rooming. ADF has filed additional cases where similar issues arise, including the suspension of boys in Virginia after questioning the transgender locker room policy, and a situation where a counselor was assigned to supervise male students despite being a biologically female adult identifying as non-binary.
ADF Senior Counsel Kate Anderson stated that the right of parents to direct their children’s upbringing is especially critical for those who wish to raise their children according to their religious values and protect their children’s bodily privacy. The lawsuit argues that the school district’s policy of placing students in shared accommodations based on gender identity without parental consent is a violation of these rights.
Jefferson County Public Schools has not yet responded to requests for comment. The case highlights the ongoing debate over transgender student accommodations in public schools and the challenges faced by parents and educators in navigating these complex issues. It also underscores the broader legal and policy tensions around gender identity in educational settings.