The Supreme Court has decided not to hear an appeal from a group of parents in Wisconsin who claim that their school district is concealing transgender support plans involving their children. The case was declined by the Supreme Court on Monday.
Three conservative justices, Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito, and Clarence Thomas, indicated that they would have been willing to hear the case. However, the Supreme Court did not provide a reason for declining to hear it. A lower court had previously ruled against the parents, stating that they lacked standing to sue as they did not demonstrate that the policy directly impacted their children.
The group known as Parents Protecting Our Children had sought to continue their lawsuit against the Eau Claire Area School District. They argue that the school's policy enables gender identity transitions at school without parental consent.
In response, school officials have stated that gender support plans are documented in a student's record and are accessible to parents. The policy is intended to offer support to students who express concerns about their gender identity.
Similar cases have arisen in the past, with the Supreme Court previously denying an appeal from parents in a suburban Washington case. The challenge for these parent groups lies in proving that they have been specifically harmed by the policy.
The federal district court and the 7th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago both sided with the school district in the Wisconsin case. US Circuit Judge Michael Scudder, a nominee of former President Donald Trump, emphasized the complexity of the issues surrounding gender identity and the need for time to determine the best approach through the experiences of schools, students, and families.
