Tag: parental consent

Lawsuit: D300 secretly gender transitioned student; Seeks to nix IL gender ‘guidance,’ too

A mother from Chicago’s far northwest suburbs has lodged a lawsuit against her child’s public school district, accusing Community Unit School District 300 of allegedly attempting to secretly transition her child’s gender and of blocking the parent’s attempt to learn more about what was happening and be involved, even when the student struggled with suicidal thoughts and required hospitalization for mental health purposes.

However, the class action lawsuit also seeks to more broadly overturn policies at the district and potentially throughout Illinois, which the mother and her lawyer claim trample parents’ constitutional rights.

On May 10, attorney Ajay Gupta, of Naperville, filed suit in Chicago federal court against District 300.

Based in the village of Algonquin, District 300 ranks as the sixth largest public school district in Illinois, has a student population of more than 20,000 students from communities within a 118 square mile radius in Chicago’s northwest suburbs mostly in Kane County, near the McHenry County line.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a named plaintiff, identified in the complaint only as S.K. According to the complaint, she is the mother of a student at one of the district’s three high schools. District 300 high schools include Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville, Harry D. Jacobs High School in Algonquin, and Hampshire High School in Hampshire.

The complaint does not identify which high school the student attended.

According to the complaint, staff at the student’s school allegedly began in 2022 using “alternate name and pronouns” for S.K.’s child, identified in the complaint only as T.K.

The complaint asserts the student at that time “experienced declining mental health and difficulty completing schoolwork.”

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PARENTAL RIGHTS OUTRAGE! Illinois Mother Sues School District, Alleges Officials SECRETLY Socially Transitioned Child After Mental Health Crisis

An Illinois mother has filed a federal lawsuit accusing Community Unit School District 300 of secretly socially transitioning her child at school, withholding key information from her, and cutting her out of a “gender support” plan even after the student had been hospitalized for suicidal ideation.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, names Community Unit School District 300 and Superintendent Dr. Martina Smith as defendants. 

The mother, identified in the complaint only as S.K., alleges that the Algonquin-based district violated her constitutional rights by allowing school officials to make major identity and mental-health-related decisions involving her minor child without parental consent.

“This case challenges a public school district’s policies, practices, and customs of subjecting minor students to psychological and identity-based interventions, while deliberately excluding their parents from participation, consent, and even knowledge,” the complaint states.

The complaint alleges that District 300 officials “socially transitioned minor students at school,” developed “gender support” plans, coordinated with mental-health providers, and withheld material information from parents. 

The lawsuit argues that these actions were “not routine educational judgments,” but rather “state-directed psychological intervention into a minor’s identity, mental health, and familial relationships.”

According to the lawsuit, school personnel began using an alternate name and pronouns for S.K.’s child, T.K., in certain classes in 2022 without informing the mother. 

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Mother Speaks Out About Daughter’s Targeting by School’s Secret LGBTQ Club

In 2023, Colorado parents sued Poudre School District after discovering sixth-graders were being recruited to a secret after-school “art” club that turned out to be a gender and sexuality awareness club.

In Lee v. Poudre School District R-1, two families, Jonathan and Erin Lee, and Nicolas and Linnaea Jurich, sued the district, alleging it groomed their daughters into the LGBTQ cult through secretive Gender and Sexualities Alliance (GSA) meetings.

The lawsuit was dismissed, and on April 22, 2025, the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that dismissal.

When the lawsuit was initially filed, Lee told Fox News’ Harris Faulkner,”The art teacher had invited in an outside presenter into the classroom that day, and this woman did absolutely unthinkable things with the kids.”

The presenter also told students they could describe themselves as “queer” if they had not yet figured out their sexuality.

“She talked to them about polyamory. She told them that these new labels that they had just adopted made them more likely to commit suicide and talked to them extensively about suicide,” she continued.

The presenter also allegedly discussed puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, warning those in attendance that their parents may not be “safe” people to turn to as they struggle with certain identities.

“She [the speaker] runs an organization called ‘Skittles’ for kids five to eleven to discuss gender and sexuality,” Lee said, noting that her daughter’s art teacher pulled her aside and told her “you don’t have to tell your parents.”

Lee joined Grant Stinchfield on Real America’s Voice to share her family’s journey.

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Families Receive $1.5 Million After Supreme Court Victory Over LGBT Storytelling

A Maryland school district that lost a recent U.S. Supreme Court case will pay $1.5 million to parents who weren’t allowed to opt their children out of LGBT story time, the families’ attorneys said.

The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which represented the plaintiffs in the landmark Mahmoud v. Taylor case, announced the settlement on Feb. 20. The defendant, the Montgomery County Board of Education—which oversees Montgomery County Public Schools, the largest school district in the state—was also ordered to comply with court orders mandating advance notice and opt-out provisions.

“Public schools nationwide are on notice: running roughshod over parents’ rights and religious freedom isn’t just illegal—it’s costly,” Eric Baxter, Becket senior counsel and the lead attorney in the case, said in a Feb. 20 statement.

“This settlement enforces the Supreme Court’s ruling and ensures parents, not government bureaucrats, have the final say in how their children are raised.”

The Feb. 19 order from Judge Deborah Boardman of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland did not specify the settlement amount but did say the plaintiffs are “entitled to reasonable attorney fees and costs” outlined in a separate agreement. Three families and “Kids First,” an unincorporated association of parents and teachers, are listed as the awardees.

The Supreme Court announced its 6–3 ruling on June 27, 2025, and directed the litigation of remaining issues, including any settlement, to continue in lower courts.

The case dates back to 2022, after a group of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish parents told the board of education that, for religious reasons, they wanted to remove their elementary school children from book readings about same-sex romances between young children, gender transitions, and pride parades. The parents were denied permission to do so, even though the district and the state have policies and laws allowing opt-outs and requiring advance notice of such materials.

The Supreme Court’s majority opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, stated that the government cannot condition the benefit of free public education on parents’ acceptance of instruction that threatens the religious beliefs and practices that parents choose to instill in their children.

Baxter said the court had ongoing jurisdiction over the district to ensure compliance.

“It took tremendous courage for these parents to stand up to the school board and take their case all the way to the Supreme Court,” Baxter said in a statement.

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Health Department Investigating School That Vaccinated Child Without Parental Consent

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said on Dec. 3 that it has launched an investigation into a school that officials said illegally vaccinated a child without parental consent.

HHS did not name the school. The department said it is in the Midwest and acted illegally in part because it ignored a religious exemption for the vaccination that had been filed pursuant to state law.

The HHS Office for Civil Rights will be looking into the matter to ascertain whether the school failed to comply with a requirement under the federal Vaccines for Children Program. The program, which provides vaccines to various institutions, mandates that immunization providers comply with state law surrounding exemptions from mandated vaccines.

“To protect the integrity of the investigation, HHS cannot share additional details at this time,” an HHS spokesperson told The Epoch Times in an email.

Officials also released a letter on Dec. 3 to doctors and others, informing them that they must generally provide parents access to the medical records of children, with limited exceptions. The letter warned that HHS was making access to minor records a priority and that the agency will use tools it has at its disposal, including fines, to ensure compliance.

“Today, we are putting pediatric medical professionals on notice: you cannot sideline parents,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement. “When providers ignore parental consent, violate exemptions to vaccine mandates, or keep parents in the dark about their children’s care, we will act decisively. We will use every tool at our disposal to protect families and restore accountability.”

Jim O’Neill, deputy HHS secretary and acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the Vaccines for Children Program “should never circumvent parents’ rights.”

The program, which began operations in 1994, sends vaccines to providers to administer to children at no cost. The program “reduces disparities in child vaccination rates, ensuring that any child can access recommended vaccines regardless of income or geography,” the CDC states on its website.

Schools across the country mandate multiple vaccines for school attendance, based on the CDC’s immunization schedule.

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Former Archdiocese of Detroit Superintendent of Schools Blasts MI Department of Education for Its Latest Ploy to Force Young Children to Learn Sick Sex Agenda Without Parental Consent

Last week, several groups focused on the well-being of Michigan’s youth sent an SOS to parents and grandparents of children attending public schools in the state about a radical proposed change in sex education for young students in the Great Lakes state.

Citizens for Traditional Values warned: Currently Michigan public schools’ health standards for Sex-Ed curriculum INCLUDES a provision to allow parents the right to make the decision whether their child takes the class or not.

Public schools require all students to take a health class for graduation. This is separate from Sex-Ed curriculum. The health class curriculum covers things such as healthy eating habits, sleeping habits, the benefits of physical activity, mental and emotional health, healthy relationships, time management, etc.

Regarding Sex-Ed, Michigan legislators passed a law in 2004 to protect parents’ rights and specifically made it elective and not a requirement for graduation. The law protects parents’ rights to opt-out their children from the class, if desired.

In addition, they provided a safeguard that IF a school was to teach Sex-Ed, it would require an advisory board that included local clergy, parents and members of the community on it.

The Michigan State Board of Education (SBOE) is in current negotiations to change this:
They want Sex-Ed curriculum to become a required part of health education in Michigan public schools. This not only violates the current law that keeps Sex-Ed classes separate, but it also eliminates a parent right to opt-out their child. Why? Because Health Class – would then include Sex-Ed – is required for graduation.

Kevin Kijewski, a Republican candidate for Michigan Attorney General and former superintendent of the Archdiocese of Detroit, blasted the proposed change, calling it unlawful and “reckless.”

Kijewski will testify in front of the Michigan Department of Education today, where he plans to stand up for parents whose voices are being ignored.

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Education Department takes action on report Virginia high school worker helped student get abortion

he Education Department says it is taking “enforcement action” in response to reports a Virginia high school social work helped a student get an abortion without informing her parents.

The incident allegedly occurred at Centreville High School during the 2021-22 school year, according to a release Monday by the department.

In addition to allegedly scheduling the appointment for the 17-year-old student, the social worker also allegedly paid the clinic fees and “swore the girl to secrecy without informing the student’s parents,” the release also states.

Also, the social worker allegedly pressured another student to get an abortion, telling her she “had no other choice” and directing her to the same clinic for an abortion, which the student ultimately did not do.

The department started the enforcement action under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, which gives parents of students the right to be notified and say no to any non-emergency, invasive physical examination or screening that is required by a school district.

“It shocks the conscience to learn that school personnel in Fairfax have allegedly exploited their positions of trust to push abortion services on students without parental knowledge or consent,” said Candice Jackson, the department’s acting general counsel.

The department requested Fairfax County Public Schools to provide information by Oct. 17 on its policies and whether federal funds were used for “sensitive medical services, including abortion-related referrals or procedures.”

The allegations regarding the social worker were first detailed in August in a Substack post, according to The Washington Post. 

The school district launched an investigation into the allegations that month and said Tuesday that it “welcomes the opportunity to answer the DOE’s questions, based on our ongoing review of these 2021 allegations.”

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Slovakia Passes Constitutional Amendment Recognizing Only 2 Genders

Slovakia passed an amendment to its constitution that recognizes only two genders, along with other measures, through its parliament on Friday.

The amendment, drafted by Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government, required a three-fifths majority to pass, and moved through the National Council with 90 of the 150 members backing it.

It states that Slovakia only recognizes two genders, male and female, and that Bratislava retains its sovereignty in matters of “national identity,” especially in “fundamental cultural-ethical questions.”

It also bans surrogacy and places tighter restrictions on who is eligible to adopt a child, heavily favoring married couples.

Slovakia’s constitution already defined marriage as “a unique union between a man and a woman.”

Parental consent will also now be needed before children can be taught sexual education, and it enshrines equal pay for men and women in the constitution.

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Massachusetts School District Under Investigation for Forcing Kids to Take Graphic Sex and Gender Surveys, Ignoring Opt-Out Requests in Violation of Parental Rights

The Department of Education has launched a formal investigation into Burlington Public Schools in Massachusetts, following parents’ accusations that the district ignored their opt-out requests and forced students to participate in the 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS).

The probe, initiated by the Department’s Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO), is investigating potential violations of the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA). This federal law guarantees parents the right to exempt their children from surveys that ask for sensitive, private information.

The YRBS, administered to students at Marshall Simonds Middle School and Burlington High School in March, included explicit questions on topics like drug and alcohol use, mental health, sexual encounters, sexual orientation, and “gender identity.”

Parents were notified in advance about their opt-out rights, and several submitted written requests to exclude their children from the survey. Despite this, the district allegedly required the opted-out students to take it anyway, with at least one teacher reportedly forcing a student to participate over clear objections.

Screenshots of the survey questions, provided in a complaint filed by the Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI) and parents, reveal the invasive nature of the content.

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U.S. SCHOOLS use ILLEGAL SURVEILLANCE TOOLS to monitor students’ digital behavior without consent or knowledge

A newly published peer-reviewed study reveals that a growing number of U.S. schools are using government-funded online surveillance tools to monitor students’ digital behavior—often without their knowledge or consent—and warns that such practices may have serious consequences for children’s development and well-being.

  • 24/7 Student Surveillance Raises Privacy and Health Concerns: A peer-reviewed study found that 12 out of 14 school surveillance companies monitored students’ social media, emails, and online activity around the clock, often without clear consent from parents or students, potentially harming children’s learning, mental health, and social development.
  • Heavy Reliance on AI and Lack of Human Oversight: Most companies used AI to flag student behavior, but fewer than half had human reviewers. Researchers warned this could lead to false positives and discriminatory outcomes, particularly for marginalized students, due to algorithmic bias and lack of transparency.
  • Federal Funds Fuel Poorly Regulated Surveillance Tools: Many schools use federal education grants to fund these surveillance tools, despite limited evidence that they improve student safety. Researchers called for better oversight and questioned whether this is an appropriate use of government resources.
  • Parents Left in the Dark and Policymakers Urged to Act: The study highlighted that parents often don’t know their children are being monitored and may not have opt-out options. Authors recommended federal legislation to improve transparency, address AI bias, and require parental consent for off-campus monitoring.

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