11/16/2015

ObamaBacksTransgenderTeenInSchoolRestroomDispute

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ObamaBacksTransgenderTeenIn
SchoolRestroomDispute
ByLISALEFF
Posted:10/29/201507:48PMEDT

Schoolscan'tpreventtransgenderstudentsfromusingtherestroomsthatcorrespondwith
theirgenderidentitieswithoutviolatingfederallaw,theObamaadministrationsays.
TheU.S.DepartmentofEducationandtheDepartmentofJusticemadethatargumentina

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friendofthecourtbriefsubmittedlateWednesdayinsupportofaVirginiateenagerwhois
suingforaccesstotheboys'restroomsathishighschool.
Thegovernment'sfilingsaysaGloucesterCountySchoolBoardpolicythatrequires16yearold
juniorGavinGrimmtouseeitherthegirls'restroomsoraunisexbathroomconstitutes
unlawfulbiasunderTitleIX,the1972lawthatprohibitssexdiscriminationineducation.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gavingrimmtransgenderteenrestroomdispute_5632aee5e4b0c66bae5be47b

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11/16/2015

ObamaBacksTransgenderTeenInSchoolRestroomDispute

ThepolicydeniesGrimm"abenefitthateveryotherstudentatthisschoolenjoys:accessto

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restroomsthatareconsistentwithhisorhergenderidentity,"lawyersforthetwodepartments
wrote."Treatingastudentdifferentlyfromotherstudentsbecausehisbirthassignedsex

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divergesfromhisgenderidentityconstitutesdifferentialtreatmentonthebasisofsexunder
TitleIX."

Gettopstoriesandblogpostsemailedtomeeachday.
Newslettersmayofferpersonalizedcontentor
advertisements.Learnmore.

Theadministration'spositioninGrimm'scaserepresentsitscleareststatementtodateona

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moderncivilrightsissuethathasroiledsomecommunitiesasmorechildrenidentifyas

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transgenderatyoungerages.

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ThisTuesdayAug.25,2015photoshowsGavinGrimmposesonhisfrontporchduringaninterviewathishomein
Gloucester,Va.Grimmisatransgenderstudentwhosedemandtousetheboys'restroomshasdividedthe
communityandpromptedalawsuit.(APPhoto/SteveHelber)

Whilenotlegallybinding,itsignalstoschooldistrictsthatmaybewrestlingwithhowto
accommodatetransgenderstudentswhileaddressingprivacyconcernsraisedbyclassmates
andparentswhichsideofthedebatetheyshouldtakeiftheywanttoavoidafederal
investigation.

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Thebrief"sendsacrucialmessagetoschoolsacrossthecountrytransgenderyouthare
valuablemembersofourcommunitywhoareentitledtofullprotectionofthelaw,"Human
RightsCampaignPresidentChadGriffinsaid."Nooneshouldbehumiliatedormarginalized
bytheadultsresponsibleforhelpingthemtoachieve."
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11/16/2015

ObamaBacksTransgenderTeenInSchoolRestroomDispute

GloucesterCountyAttorneyTedWilmotwasnotavailableforcommentonThursday,hisoffice
said.AftertheJusticeDepartmentindicatedinJulythatitwantedtoweighinonGrimm's
lawsuit,WilmottoldtheDailyPressnewspaperinNewportNews,Virginiathatexistingcourt
precedentsdonotsupporttheideathattheschoolboard'srestroomrulesviolateTitleIX.
TheDepartmentofEducation'sOfficeforCivilRightsalreadyhasreachedagreementswith
twosouthernCaliforniaschooldistricts,onein2013andonelastyear,tosettlecomplaintsof

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harassmentandunequaltreatmentbroughtbytransgenderstudents.
Inapairofmemosissuedlastyear,oneontheresponsibilityofschoolstorespondtoreportsof
sexualviolenceandtheotheronaccesstosinglesexclasses,theofficealsoarticulateditsview
thatTitleIXentitlestransgenderstudentstobetreatedinaccordancewiththeirexpressed
gender.
Grimm,whowasbornfemalebutidentifiesasmale,toldhisparentshewastransgenderin
April2014andwasallowedtousetheboys'restroomsatGloucesterHighSchoolduringthe
lastschoolyear.Aftersomeotherfamiliescomplained,theschoolboardvoted61torestrict

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studentswith"transgenderissues"tosinglestallunisexfacilitiesorthosecorrespondingto
theirbiologicalsex.
TheAmericanCivilLibertiesUnionsuedtooverturnthepolicyonhisbehalfinJune.Afederal
judgesidedwiththeschoolboardlastmonth,dismissingthesexdiscriminationclaimthe
ACLUhadadvancedandthattheObamaadministrationhadembraced.
Thecaseisnowpendingbeforethe4thU.S.CircuitCourtofAppeals.

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