A Newcastle mother is petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to take up her case about a school district’s handling of her child’s gender transition.
Amber Lavigne claims a school counselor at Great Salt Bay Community School in Damariscotta secretly encouraged her 13-year-old daughter to wear a chest binder and use a different name and pronouns. Lavigne sued the school two years ago, alleging that school officials violated her right to “control and direct” the upbringing of her child.
A federal judge sided with the district, and Lavigne appealed. But the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston dismissed the appeal.
Now, Lavigne’s attorneys argue the Supreme Court should hear the case. They point to other cases in Massachusetts and Florida that raise similar questions about parental rights.
This story appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.