According to the Washington Examiner, a transgender student won $300,000 from the Anoka-Hennepin School District after they tried to bar her from using the boys' locker room at Coon Rapids High School in Minnesota.
The student (who goes by the name “Nick”) is a biological woman who identifies as a transgender man. She was permitted to join the school’s male swim team, but was banned by the school board from using the boys’ locker room and given separate quarters to use. She said she and her family were bullied and harassed as a result.
The court ruled in Nick’s favor, and the school district later stated that "all legal issues have been resolved."
"I never want any student to experience the discrimination and cruelty I experienced from the adults at my school," Nick stated. "It means a lot to see the courts protect transgender students like me. Today’s settlement agreement makes it very clear that segregating transgender students doesn’t just dehumanize us, it violates our legal rights."
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The American Civil Liberties Union reported on their website that the school district also consented to implement the following changes in their schools in an effort to make them more inclusive places:
- Reaffirming its commitment to comply with the Minnesota Human Rights Act and not discriminate against or segregate transgender students.
- Developing a policy to allow every student to use all facilities consistent with their gender identity that includes a complaint procedure and a prohibition on reprisals.
- Training all school board members, staff and students on these policies.
- Affirming that students of all gender identities are valued and welcome.