The family of a 14-year-old transgender child has filed a lawsuit against several local school districts in Michigan (Wyandotte Public Schools, Summit Academy North, Dearborn Heights District 7, and Van Buren Public Schools), alleging that the the trans boy was bullied for being transgender and harassed and verbally abused by teachers and administrators.
The lawsuit claims that the districts refused to acknowledge the child's gender change and, in fact, made things more difficult than was necessary.
We take these matters very seriously as the safety of our students is our first priority. We are working with our legal counsel to review the complaint and develop a response. Although the student is no longer registered in Wyandotte, we wish him success.
--Superintendent Catherine Cost, Wyandotte Public Schools
The trans boy is apparently named Seth.
The student, whose identity is not being released to prevent further harassment, attended Wyandotte Schools from December 2012 through September. 2013, when he left for another district. He attended Wilson Middle School during his time in Wyandotte schools.
We are in receipt of the lawsuit and have forwarded it to the district's attorneys. Our attorneys have filed a response on behalf of Summit Academy North
--Leann Hedke of Summit Academy North
District 7 takes these matters seriously as the safety and education of students is our number one priority. We are working with our legal counsel and will respond to the claims. In respect for the privacy of the student, we have no further comment.
--Supt. Carole Beverwyk, Dearborn Heights District 7
The student's mother spoke with the press.
She always wanted to play Spider-Man, every Halloween. It was always a boy figure. She was always ‘boyish.'
--Seth's mother
As her child grew up, she began to live as a boy and changed her name and pronouns (although sometimes there is apparently some backsliding).
His parents weren’t surprised that students took umbrage with the change, but they were surprised that teachers and administrators apparently did the same.
The suit claims the child was made anxious for his choices, and scolded for entering the boys restroom at at least one school, and that adults wouldn’t use his name to identify him by.
Also in the suit is a claim that he was chastised for being late to gym class when it took him extra time to change. The suit says he changed in a stall in the girls locker room, but other students would stand outside the stall, so he started changing in a hallway bathroom.
On another occasion, after being denied use of the boys restroom the student came home having urinated himself.
James Rasor of the Rasor Law Firm of Royal Oak is representing the family.
We were outraged by the amount of harassment, not only by the students but by the administrators. To me it indicated a complete failure of these systems to protect children.
--Rasor
Beverwyk says the bathroom incident couldn't have happened in her district.
We respect all of our students and wouldn’t allow that to happen. We prohibit bullying and harassment … take behavior one student at a time and are sensitive to all of their needs.
--Beverwyk
It may not be surprising that other kids had issues with Olivia's transition. Some teasing, unfortunately, likely was inevitable. But what surprised [Seth's] family were the teachers and administrators who seemed unpleased [sic] with the change and unwilling to work through the transition.
Seth has now moved on to a different school.