Transgender students in Wisconsin, Maryland file lawsuits against schools

by Grace Babb

Journalism Intern

A transgender student in Maryland recently opened a lawsuit against his school, claiming the school was discriminating by making him use unisex bathrooms and locker rooms.

The school administration decided to give their transgender students the option of either using a girls’ bathroom, or a unisex bathroom. The students affected were left feeling humiliated and stigmatized.

The student wanted to join his school’s soccer team, but said the locker room he was told to use is far from his classes and prevents him from bonding with the other team members.

Another transgender student in Wisconsin has filed a lawsuit against his school as well, after facing similar treatment. Kenosha Unified School District instructed guidance counselors to have Ash Whitaker, a 16-year old transgender boy, wear a bright green wristband so that the school could monitor his restroom usage.

Whitaker made headlines earlier in the year when he was denied the ability to run as prom king, but was finally able to after media scrutiny.

The most appalling aspect of the suit was the claim that a surveillance program was created to monitor Whitaker’s bathroom use. According to The Beast, school administrators sent an email to security guards in April 2016 “instructing them to notify administrators if they spotted any students who appear to be going into the ‘wrong’ restroom.”

The Obama administration released a directive in May that reiterated the fact that transgender students have the legal right to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity.

The restrictions forced upon Whitaker clearly violate Title IX’s ban on sex discrimination, according to the Department of Education and the Fourth Circuit.

According to The Daily Beast, the Whitakers claim that Ash raised the issue of his Title IX protections during a conversation with a school district official, who then denied that the law protected him.

When Ash requested that the official explain her reasoning, she allegedly refused.

Copyright 2016 The Gayly – 7/22/16 @ 12:00 p.m. CDT