ACLU sues Missouri school district over bathroom policy for transgender students
The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri is suing the Platte County R-3 School District over a bathroom policy the organization says is discriminatory toward transgender students.
The Kansas City Star reports that the suit has been brought on behalf of a 16-year-old former student at Platte County High School in Platte City, Missouri.
The lawsuit contends that the teenager was punished by the school with detention and out-of-school suspension for using the girls’ bathroom. The reprimands came during the 2021-22 school year after a series of warnings from school staff, including one who said the student had to use a gender-neutral or boys’ room as a matter of law, according to the lawsuit.
At one point, after being suspended for two days in January 2022, the student began using the boys’ room to avoid further discipline.
Also at issue are the school's locker rooms. The setup at Platte County High led to the teenager putting off her physical education classes, according to the lawsuit.
At the time of the alleged discrimination, the lawsuit says the student had socially transitioned to female and was taking prescription hormone blockers.
Platte County R-3 Superintendent Jay Harris said the district was “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,” Harris said. “We plan to provide additional information soon.”
