Monday, January 02, 2023

We Won One! In a “Parents Rights” Case.

This time it is a court decision in Massachusetts federal court, where parents of students who are genderfluid were not informed.

This is a huge “parents rights” case which is making the conservatives hoping mad.

Federal judge rules in favor of Ludlow schools in lawsuit over treatment of transgender students
MassLive.Com
By Stephanie Barry
December 15, 2022


A judge dismissed a federal lawsuit filed by two parents against the Ludlow Public Schools over keeping their children’s gender identities quiet in 2021.

U.S. District Judge Mark G. Mastroianni on Wednesday ruled school officials did not violate the parents’ civil rights when they supported two former Paul L. Baird Middle School students who identified as genderfluid and sought to change their names and pronouns in their classrooms without informing their family.

Four parents last year filed the claim against the Ludlow School Committee, interim superintendent Lisa Nemeth, former superintendent Todd Gazda, Baird Middle School principal Stacy Monette, school counselor Marie-Claire Foley and former librarian Jordan Funke. Only two parents, Stephen Foote and Marissa Silvestri, remained as plaintiffs when the judge decided the case.

[…]

“Addressing a person using their preferred name and pronouns simply accords the person the basic level of respect expected in a civil society generally, and, more specifically, in Massachusetts public schools where discrimination on the basis of gender identity is not permitted,” it [The judges ruling] said.

If the parents were that upset no wonder why the students didn’t want their parents told.

Let’s take a look at the conservative take on the court’s ruling (Any guesses what it is?).

The Christian Post wrote,

As The Christian Post previously reported, Stephen Foote and Marissa Silvestri were joined by another set of parents on April 12 in filing a lawsuit in the Massachusetts federal district court. Foote and The parents cited their religious beliefs that “human beings are created male or female and that the natural created order regarding human sexuality cannot be changed regardless of individual feelings, beliefs or discomfort with one’s identity and biological reality.”

And of course Fox News had to point out that,

The parents cited their religious beliefs that “human beings are created male or female and that the natural created order regarding human sexuality cannot be changed regardless of individual feelings, beliefs or discomfort with one’s identity and biological reality.”

The Fox News article also pointed out that the parents have until mid-January to appeal the ruling and the National Catholic Register said that the teacher was fired for telling the parents,

You describe yourself as a Bible-believing Christian. Describe your faith and what influence it had, if any, on your work as a public-school teacher.

I was brought up in a Christian/Messianic home. I was taught to seek God’s face daily and develop my relationship with my Savior Jesus Christ through the Word of God. Teaching was a calling from a young age and gift that I took seriously, for I knew the value of education in a child’s life. The love, kindness and patience I have for my students comes from that love given to me through that relationship with Christ. The last 12 years of teaching were even more special because of personal trauma that I had to overcome. Through his grace I was able to continue to teach my students. I do what my Father in heaven requires of me. I maintained honesty, integrity and courage to speak the truth in the workplace, for the “truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). In the end, the conviction to do what is right comes from Psalms 118:8, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.”

So she felt it was her Christian duty to tell the parents and to violate the students trust!

But that is not all that the teacher did for her Christian duty…

You clashed with the school librarian in October 2019 over books about human sexuality that the librarian recommended to students. What are these books about, and how did they affect your students?

These books are centered on sex acts and exploring sexuality for optimal pleasure. I began noticing because of a designated time in the day where everyone was to be reading for a sustained period. During this reading period, called “D.I.R.T,” I was witnessing students’ faces and actions while reading. This required me to ask questions about the books. The students would disclose the content, whether it be masturbation or oral sex as topics. Some students were having a difficult time comprehending what was happening in the book and asking questions. One book was in graphic-novel form with a rape scene; this student was not understanding what was happening but knew it was “dark.” I had discussions with other teachers experiencing the same things with books being provided by the school. One teacher had a parent accuse her of distributing pornography to her daughter. Things were quickly getting uncomfortable in the fall of 2019.

Ah yes, lets impose your religious beliefs on others who do not share your beliefs.


And lost a biggie!

U.S. appeals court upholds Florida high school's transgender bathroom policy
Reuters
By Jonathan Stempel
December 30, 2022


A divided federal appeals court on Friday upheld a Florida high school's policy forbidding transgender students from using bathrooms that accord with their chosen identities.

In a 7-4 vote, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the St. Johns County school board did not violate the U.S. Constitution's Equal Protection Clause or federal civil rights law by requiring students to use bathrooms corresponding to their biological sex.

The policy had been challenged by Drew Adams, a transgender man who was not allowed to use the boys' bathroom when he attended the Allen D. Nease High School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

You you want to bet on who appointed the seven judges?

Yup, you guessed it… Trump!

"This is an aberrant ruling that contradicts the rulings of every other circuit to consider the question across the country," Tara Borelli, a lawyer with Lambda Legal representing Adams, said in a statement. "We will be reviewing and evaluating this dangerous decision over the weekend."

The Republican judges must believe that they don’t have to follow the Supreme Court precedent. Do you remember last year in June the Grimm v. Gloucester County School Board Supreme Court Case where the court refused to overturn the lower court ruling that that said that Grimm can use the boys room? Well it is evident that the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals didn’t.

Do you remember the Supreme Court case of R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Homes Inc. v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2020 where the court ruled that “sex” includes us? Well it is evident that the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals didn’t.



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