Supreme Court turned down an appeal this week involving a challenge to a school's plan for transgender students.Parents of students in public schools in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, filed a lawsuit claiming the district's policy related to transgender students infringes on constitutional rights, including parental authority and religious freedom.
Sixteen Republican-led states had called on the Supreme Court to take up the parents' case.The "Administrative Guidance for Gender Identity Support" policy advises transgender students to seek support from staff members and directs school employees to handle discussions about a student's gender identity carefully, as some students may not have disclosed their identity to their families.On Monday, the Supreme Court allowed an appellate court's decision to stand, effectively dismissing a lawsuit from parents.
Justices Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas signaled they were in favor of hearing the case—one vote shy of the four required for the Supreme Court to grant a full review.Lower courts ruled that the parents lacked legal standing, noting that no evidence had been presented to show the policy directly impacted them or their children.The unanimous three-judge panel of the 7th U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals included two judges appointed by President-elect Donald Trump during his first term.Justice Samuel Alito called the case "a question of great and growing national importance," raising concerns over whether public school districts infringe on parental rights by encouraging or assisting students in gender transitions without parental knowledge or consent.Recent Transgender News in SchoolsLast month, parents in New Hampshire sought to challenge a ban on "XX" wristbands, representing female chromosomes, amid an ongoing row involving transgender individuals in sports.Two fathers in New Hampshire testified in federal court to defend their decision to wear the pink wristbands at a school district event.