WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday rejected an appeal from Wisconsin parents who sought to challenge a school district’s guidelines for supporting transgender students.
The judges, appearing in an Eau Claire case, upheld an appeal ruling dismissing the parents’ lawsuit.
Three judges, Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh And Clarence Thomaswould have heard the case. That is one short of what is needed for a full review by the Supreme Court.
Parents with children in Eau Claire public schools argued in a lawsuit that the school district’s policy violates constitutional protections of parental rights and religious freedom.
Sixteen Republican-led states had urged the court to hear the parents’ case.
Lower courts had found that the parents did not have the legal right or standing. Among other reasons, the courts said no parent provided evidence that the policy affected them or their children.
A unanimous three-judge panel of the 7th US Circuit Court of Appeals included two Republican judges Donald Trump appointed during his first term.
But Alito described the case as “a question of great and growing national importance,” whether public school districts violate parents’ rights when they encourage students to transfer or assist in the process without parental consent or knowledge.
“Administrative Guidelines for Gender Identity Support” encourages transgender students to contact staff members who have concerns, and instructs employees to be careful who they talk to about a student’s gender identity, as not all students are “outspoken” about their families.