NJ School Tells TG Teen She Isn't Welcome Dressed As a Girl

[Carolyn Marie]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/15/transgendered-teen-told-she-cant-come-to-school-as-girl/14151795/?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=usatoday-newstopstories

Sounds like the threat of legal action has the Superintendent doing a fast backtrack. Whatever works!

Carolyn Marie

[Guest sweetcharlene41]

This has to be what Albert Einstein meant by human stupidity, here's a scholar, and a principal tell a child she can't go to school because of her gender, no how stupid is that. Maybe he should be cleaning toilets at McDonald's instead of teaching, this is so incomprehensible, it's not worth discussing. Sweet Charlene

[Drea]

I wonder why there is even a question here. Cause with any medical documentation (easily obtained) this should be a non-issue. And name thing, even if school is gonna be stubborn can be corrected pretty quickly legally.

I suppose this doesn't involve transition at all though, maybe just an experiment or someone uncertain and wanting a trial similar to another case I saw recently. But if a trial, still why isn't there medical support?

Or is this a case of just wishing to be crossdressed and recognized as presented gender?

[Carolyn Marie]

Not enough info in the article to figure out the back story, if there is one. We can make assumptions, but that's usually a bad idea. Sounds like they're working it out, though, but not before it made the news. Maybe that was the whole point?

Carolyn Marie

[Charlize]

Hopefully the issue will resolve itself. The atmosphere in NJ is pretty good and Garden State Equality is a good organization that is stepping up more and more to support the trans* community.

If they do somehow get stuck on the birth certificate problem things are difficult however. Governor Christe has pocket vetoed a bill that would have allowed gender marker change without surgery. Interestingly most state agencies have much more liberal policies as does the federal government.

It is always hard enough to be a young person. She really needs more support than she is getting from the school system but at least her mom is behind her.

Hugs,

Charlize

[Guest LizMarie]

If the child is under medical supervision and the diagnosis is gender dysphoria, then the school will almost certainly lose in a lawsuit. This isn't even a bathroom issue. It's an outright refusal to allow her to present as herself. Proper medical documentation plus legal representation from the likes of the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund would almost certainly find the school guilty of discrimination. What boggles the mind is that knowing this, a school superintendent would choose to fight a case they are almost certain to lose, thus costing the school in court costs.

[Guest Mia J]

I find it interesting that they do not say the name of the so called "official" so that he/she can't be held accountable for their actions. I find it so sad that an adult would cause harm and grief to any child and it is much worse that this is someone in the education system where there should be more understanding.

[Guest Melissa~]

Back peddling is an interesting art-form. In my workplace there was an annoyance during transition. To fill one in on some background...the restrooms had been treated as unisex for years. When I announced my transition...there was a series of meetings among administrators and a rules were handed down. I would love to have seen the memos that went around with the dual ruling that I had to be post op to use the ladies room and all the restrooms were relabeled unisex anyhow.

[Guest LizMarie]

This has been resolved. Garden State Equality brought their legal guns to bear and the superintendent is now falling all over himself to welcome her back to school should she wish to return.

http://jerbearinsantafe.wordpress.com/2014/08/20/transgender-student-from-new-jersey-finally-gets-good-news/

[Carolyn Marie]

All's well that ends well. Presuming, of course, that the student considers it a good ending. We shall see.

Carolyn Marie