US Dept. of Justice joins in federal case on behalf of gender-variant teen |
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The U.S. Department of Justice has joined a landmark federal lawsuit on behalf of a gender non-conforming middle school student who faced a two-year ordeal of harassment and abuse because of his gender expression. NCTE notes:
In 2007 through 2009, Jacob L. of Mohawk, NY, endured an escalating pattern of verbal and physical abuse and threats throughout his seventh and eighth grade years. By the end of this time, Jacob was so fearful of his abusers that he stopped attending school. Shockingly, school officials had long been aware of the abuse but failed to intervene, not even following their own internal policies. Jacob was essentially denied an education by the school’s continual disregard for his safety, and ultimately transferred to another district. With the help of the New York Civil Liberties Union, Jacob filed suit last summer, alleging that the District violated his rights under the Constitution and the federal Title IX statute, which prohibits gender discrimination in education.
On January 14, the Justice Department filed suit against the District on the behalf of the United States, seeking an injunction to force the district to take concrete and ongoing steps to prevent any other student from experiencing an ordeal like Jacob’s. The government’s suit recognizes and advances the nation’s strong interest in prevention discrimination based on gender stereotyping. According to recent surveys by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), nearly 90% of transgender middle and high school students have expressed have experienced harassment because of their gender expression, and two-thirds reported that they felt unsafe at school. These and numerous other surveys have shown that this victimization has harmful impacts on educational outcomes.
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