The justices rejected an appeal from Massachusetts parents who argued that their child’s middle school secretly facilitated a social gender transition without their consent. This decision leaves in place lower court rulings that sided with the school district. The case centers on a 2021 incident at Baird Middle School in Ludlow, where a student, identified in court filings as B.F., told school staff they identified as genderqueer and requested a new name and pronouns.
According to court records, the student asked staff to continue using their legal name and assigned pronouns when communicating with their parents, as they had not yet shared the information at home. A school counselor instructed staff to follow the student’s wishes. However, the parents sued, claiming the school violated their rights under the Constitution’s due process clause, which courts have interpreted to include parental authority over a child’s upbringing.
A federal judge dismissed the case, and the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that decision, ruling the school’s actions did not infringe on parental rights. The appeals court said public schools are not required to tailor educational environments to parental preferences and that the school’s approach fell within its discretion.
