Federal Judge grants intervention motion in case regarding transgender students

Earlier today, U.S. District Court Judge Jorge Alonso granted a motion filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois on behalf of Student A and two other transgender students, as well as the Illinois Safe School Alliance, to intervene in the case brought against the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education as well as suburban school District 211. The lawsuit seeks to reverse an agreement reached between District 211 and the Department of Education after a complaint filed by Student A, a female student in the District, resulted in her being permitted to use a locker room consistent with her gender identity.

The following can be attributed to John A. Knight of the ACLU of Illinois:

We are gratified that Judge Alonso granted our motion to intervene in this matter. We believe that it is critical to include the voices and interests of students who are transgender in this lawsuit. It is these students’ lives that will be adversely impacted if the anti-LGBT rights groups directing this lawsuit are successful in overturning not only the ability of one student to use the locker room consistent with her gender identity, but also the ability of all transgender students to use school facilities on an equal basis as their peers. Excluding transgender students from facilities used by other boys and girls would have a detrimental impact on the lives of these students and the entire educational community in District 211.

We look forward to working closely with the federal government and the school district to defeat this lawsuit at the earliest possible date – to make clear to each and every student in District 211 that they are welcome and will be treated humanely.