(Tampa Free Press)—The Liberty Justice Center, a legal advocacy group, and Dr. Erica Anderson, a renowned clinical psychologist specializing in child and adolescent gender identity issues, have filed a brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review a case challenging the Wisconsin Eau Claire Area School District’s gender identity policy.
This controversial policy outlines a plan for school staff to facilitate the social transition of minors without informing their parents, claiming that parents must “earn” this information rather than being automatically entitled to it.
The lawsuit, initially filed by the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty and America First Legal on behalf of Parents Protecting Our Children, contends that the policy infringes on parental rights and religious freedom.
The case was previously dismissed by a lower court, which argued that the parents lacked standing since the policy hadn’t yet directly affected their children.
The amicus brief filed by the Liberty Justice Center and Dr. Anderson emphasizes the importance of upholding parental rights and allowing parents to be involved in decisions regarding their child’s gender identity, particularly when mental health support may be necessary.
The brief urges the Supreme Court to take up the case, arguing that denying parents access to such crucial information violates their constitutional rights and could have detrimental effects on children and families.
“School districts like Eau Claire are treating parents’ constitutional rights as negotiable rather than essential—that cannot stand,” said Emily Rae, Senior Counsel for the Liberty Justice Center. “We urge the Supreme Court to issue a ruling that safeguards parents’ rights to direct their children’s upbringing and puts an end to school administrators’ attempts to replace children’s guardians.”