The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has affirmed a lower court ruling that required a suburban Jacksonville, Florida school district to treat transgender student Drew Adams equally by allowing equal access to the restroom that matches his gender. Drew Adams’ case was the country’s first trial involving a transgender student’s equal access to restrooms. Tara Borelli, Counsel at Lambda Legal stated, “Today, the court sent a clear message that schools must treat transgender students with the same dignity & respect as any other student. The trial court was correct when it ruled that the law requires that Drew Adams be treated like every other boy & be allowed to use the boys’ restroom. We are glad the court saw the school board’s policy as unjust & discriminatory, & affirmed the inherent dignity of transgender students.” Drew Adams, 19, a former student at Allen D. Nease High School in Ponte Vedra, Florida added, “I am very happy to see justice prevail, after spending almost my entire high school career fighting for equal treatment. High school is hard enough without having your school separate you from your peers & mark you as inferior. I hope this decision helps save other transgender students from having to go through that painful & humiliating experience.” The 11th Circuit Judges ruled, “A public school may not punish its students for gender nonconformity. Neither may a public school harm transgender students by establishing arbitrary, separate rules for their restroom use. The evidence at trial confirms that Mr. Adams suffered both these indignities. The record developed in the District Court shows that the School Board failed to honor Mr. Adams’s rights under the Fourteenth Amendment & Title IX.”
For More Info: lambdalegal.org
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