School Districts Say, 'Thousands of Students' in Virginia Are Transgender and Should Choose Which Restroom to Use

Four school systems in northern Virginia have filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the state, saying that “thousands of students” in Virginia’s public school system identify as transgender and should be allowed to use whichever bathroom they choose.

According to CBN News and The Washington Post, the school boards of Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church and Fairfax County filed the court brief on behalf of student Gavin Grimm. Grimm, born a girl, but identifying as a boy, sued her school in Gloucester County, Virginia in 2015 after administration would not allow her to use the men’s restroom.

“It’s a perfect opportunity for us to show support for Grimm,” said Ilryong Moon, a Fairfax School Board member, adding that Fairfax schools want to “support all students of different backgrounds.”

Grimm argued in her suit that the county violated Title IX and the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution. Title IX prohibits discrimination based on sex. The Supreme Court did not rule on Grimm’s case because President Donald Trump reversed an Obama-era policy on transgender students. The case is now scheduled for trial in July at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.

In their brief supporting Grimm, the schools said that transgender students have suffered “stigma and trauma” because of the bathroom policy.

"Male students, teachers, and parents have not used the policy as a ruse to improperly access female restrooms. Sex offenders have not exploited the policy to prey on children," the school boards said.

The four school systems currently have approved rules in their schools that prohibit discrimination based on gender identity. The policies don’t expressly guarantee student access to their choice of restroom, but the schools try to meet those requests, according to The Washington Post.

Photo courtesy: Mercedes Mehling/Unsplash