From Chief Judge Eric Melgren's opinion yesterday in Schmidt v. Huff (D. Kan.):
Gardner Edgerton High School is a part of USD 231 and is located in Johnson County, Kansas. USD 231's Superintendent is Defendant Brian Huff. Plaintiff Carrie Schmidt is the mother of two students, a sophomore and a senior, who attend Gardner Edgerton High School.
Plaintiff's son, a high school senior, is on the Gardner Edgerton wrestling team. Plaintiff volunteered to help make "snack bags" for the wrestlers on the days they have wrestling matches. With permission, Plaintiff uses the teacher's lounge on the first floor to put together the snack bags. Once the snack bags are made, they are placed in the wrestling team's coolers. Plaintiff often takes pictures of the completed snack bags and sends them to the coaches and Athletic Secretary, so they know where everything is located. This system was already in place before Plaintiff volunteered. Plaintiff has helped make snack bags for the wrestling team since at least 2023.
On May 4, 2023, Plaintiff became a member of the USD 231 Educational Services Advisory Committee. The Committee investigates and reviews USD 231 curriculum, instruction, and assessment topics as well as reviews the accreditation process, progress, curriculum standards, and Federal Programs. The Committee makes recommendations to the School Board and Superintendent Huff about these matters.
On January 29, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14190, entitled "Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling." Based on the advertisements, posters, and stickers placed on the walls and windows of USD 231, Plaintiff believed that the school was in violation of the President's Executive Order by endorsing and otherwise advocating for gender ideology and discriminatory equity ideology.
