States support parents in legal case over school’s secret gender transition of child
Nearly two dozen states have come together to defend the constitutional rights of a Florida family whose 13-year-old daughter was allegedly socially transitioned without their consent by her public middle school. The states filed an amicus brief on April 30 in support of January and Jeffrey Littlejohn, the parents in Leon County, Florida, who claim school officials met privately with their child about using a new name and pronouns without involving them.
According to the Littlejohns, school staff asked their daughter which bathroom and locker rooms she wanted to use, which gender she wanted to room with on overnight trips, and if she wanted her parents to be notified. The parents were not informed about these discussions, leading them to file a lawsuit against the school district.
A three-judge panel from the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta ruled 2-1 in favor of the school district on March 12, stating that the officials did not act with the intent to harm the child or force her to attend a student support plan meeting. This decision sparked outrage among parents and advocates for parental rights, who believe that the school’s actions violated the family’s rights and undermined parental authority.
The Liberty Justice Center, along with the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty and Dr. Erica Anderson, Ph.D., filed a brief in support of the Littlejohns, arguing that parents have the right to be informed and involved in decisions regarding their child’s gender identity. They emphasized that school officials are not experts in this field and should not be facilitating a child’s social transition without parental consent.
The states’ attorneys general, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, West Virginia, and Arizona, condemned the court’s ruling as disastrous for parents everywhere. They stressed the importance of upholding parental rights and ensuring that families are not excluded from important decisions about their children’s well-being.
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr stated, “Parents – not the government – know what’s best for their children. We will always stand for parental rights and Georgia families.” The brief filed by the states’ attorneys general argued that withholding critical information about a child’s supposed medical treatment from parents is not only a violation of their rights but also a disturbing and constitutionally intolerable act.
The Littlejohns’ case has sparked a national conversation about parental rights and the role of schools in children’s gender identity development. While the school district and Georgia Attorney General Carr have not yet responded to requests for comment, advocates continue to push for greater transparency and respect for parents’ authority in matters concerning their children.
Ultimately, the Littlejohns hope that their case will set a precedent for protecting parental rights and ensuring that families are not sidelined in decisions that could have a significant impact on their children’s lives. The fight for parental rights continues, as more states and advocates join forces to defend the fundamental rights of families across the country.
