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Missouri School District Sued Over Discrimination Against Transgender Girl

Missouri School District Sued Over Discrimination Against Transgender Girl

Platte County High School

The transgender student was suspended for refusing to use the boys’ bathroom and harassed by other students when she did.

Cwnewser

A lawsuit in Missouri claims that a transgender student was deprived of the right to use the girls’ restroom. She was verbally cautioned and subjected to out-of-school suspension for refusing to use the boys’ bathroom and verbally harassed by officials at Platte County High School, the lawsuit alleges.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri filed a case on Monday contesting Platte County School District’s actions and alleging discrimination based on a student’s transgender status, her sex assigned at birth, and her gender dysphoria diagnosis, Kansas City CBS affiliate KCTV reports.

“Forcing transgender students to use the bathroom or locker room that matches their sex designated at birth is not only discrimination but dangerous and causes serious harm to Missouri’s youth,” said ACLU of Missouri deputy director Gillian Wilcox.

“Both through the constitution and by statute the government, a school in this case, is prohibited from discriminating against the people it is supposed to protect on the basis of either their sex or disability,” Wilcox continued.

According to the lawsuit, the student, whose name is only known as R.F., began undergoing a gender transition in 2019.

R.F. alleges that she was prohibited from using the girls’ restroom at the high school and was told by the assistant principal to use the boys’ or a gender-neutral bathroom.

After refusing to use the boy’s restroom, the district responded “through escalating punishments ranging from verbal warnings to out-of-school suspension,” according to the lawsuit.

After she returned from suspension, the student used the boys’ restroom, where a male classmate allegedly harassed her and threatened to rape her, the lawsuit states.

In the lawsuit, the student claimed she suffered from anxiety and depression and virtually completed the last several months of her first high school year.

In a Platte County School District statement, the district said it ”was just made aware of a lawsuit filed yesterday afternoon by the ACLU. The district is in the early stages of evaluating the legal claims. The district’s focus is, and has always been, providing a safe and caring environment for all students.”

On November 3 at 9 a.m., the first hearing is scheduled to be held.

Cwnewser
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Christopher Wiggins

Christopher Wiggins is a senior national reporter for The Advocate. He has a rich career in storytelling and highlighting underrepresented voices. Growing up in a bilingual household in Germany, his German mother and U.S. Army father exposed him to diverse cultures early on, influencing his appreciation for varied perspectives and communication. His work in Washington, D.C., primarily covers the nexus of public policy, politics, law, and LGBTQ+ issues. Wiggins' reporting focuses on revealing lesser-known stories within the LGBTQ+ community. Key moments in his career include traveling with Vice President Kamala Harris and interviewing her in the West Wing about LGBTQ+ support. In addition to his national and political reporting, Wiggins represents The Advocate in the White House Press Pool and is a member of several professional journalistic organizations, including the White House Correspondents’ Association, Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists, and Society of Professional Journalists. His involvement in these groups highlights his commitment to ethical journalism and excellence in the field. Follow him on X/Twitter @CWNewser (https://twitter.com/CWNewser) and Threads @CWNewserDC (https://www.threads.net/@cwnewserdc).
Christopher Wiggins is a senior national reporter for The Advocate. He has a rich career in storytelling and highlighting underrepresented voices. Growing up in a bilingual household in Germany, his German mother and U.S. Army father exposed him to diverse cultures early on, influencing his appreciation for varied perspectives and communication. His work in Washington, D.C., primarily covers the nexus of public policy, politics, law, and LGBTQ+ issues. Wiggins' reporting focuses on revealing lesser-known stories within the LGBTQ+ community. Key moments in his career include traveling with Vice President Kamala Harris and interviewing her in the West Wing about LGBTQ+ support. In addition to his national and political reporting, Wiggins represents The Advocate in the White House Press Pool and is a member of several professional journalistic organizations, including the White House Correspondents’ Association, Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists, and Society of Professional Journalists. His involvement in these groups highlights his commitment to ethical journalism and excellence in the field. Follow him on X/Twitter @CWNewser (https://twitter.com/CWNewser) and Threads @CWNewserDC (https://www.threads.net/@cwnewserdc).