Trans teen’s family reaches settlement in bathroom, sports lawsuit against Illinois school district
The family of a transgender teen who sued an Illinois school district over bathroom access and a ban on sports reached an undisclosed settlement, according to local reports.
The agreement, which came together Tuesday during a hearing at the Stephenson County Court, will remain confidential to protect all parties, news station WIFR-TV reported.
“I’m glad both sides were able to come to an agreement,” Sheryl Ring Weikal, the attorney representing the student, told the TV outlet. “There will not be a trial.”
The 14-year-old girl and her family sued the Dakota School District in September. They argued district leaders were enforcing a discriminatory and unconstitutional policy by barring her from using the girls’ bathroom and locker room facilities and from joining the girls’ track team, according to WIFR-TV.
The case first made headlines in April when the school board reversed a policy that allowed students equal opportunities based on gender identity. The reversal came after some parents and students spoke out against the district’s policy of inclusion during a school board meeting.
A copy of the lawsuit obtained by local media claimed the district initially barred the teen from joining the girls’ sports team, then from using the girls’ bathrooms.
Illinois law allows people to use the bathroom of their choice, according to the legal nonprofit Illinois Legal Aid.
The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity in education, employment, access to financial credit, public accommodations and real estate transactions.
