Adams v. School Board of St. Johns County, Florida
Case Summary
Drew Adams, a high school student, and his mother sued the St. Johns County School Board for discriminating against Drew because he is transgender. The School Board maintains a policy prohibiting Drew from using the boys’ restroom at school, in violation of Title IX and the Equal Protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. The League of Women Voters joined an amicus brief in support of Drew.
Drew Adams, a high school student, and his mother are suing the St. Johns County School Board for discriminating against Drew because he is transgender. The School Board maintains a policy prohibiting transgender boys from using the boys’ restroom at school, in violation of Title IX and the Equal Protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. At first, Drew used the boys’ restroom at his school without incident. After an anonymous report, and the school has since instructed Drew to use only gender neutral facilities at the school. Drew is therefore treated differently on the basis of sex, in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment to the US Constitution and Title IX.
The Supreme Court held in Bostock v. Clayton County that discrimination against transgender people violates Title VII because it amounts to discrimination on the basis of sex. Whereas Title VII prohibits workplace discrimination, Title IX prohibits discrimination in schools. This lawsuit, therefore, seeks a court ruling that the protection recognized in Bostock also exists in the Title IX context.
Drew and his mother are represented by Lambda Legal. The League of Women Voters joined an amicus brief, along with the National Women’s Law Center and 50 other organizations, in support of Drew’s equal rights. The brief argues that the school board’s policy violates the Fourteenth Amendment and Title IX because it treats Drew differently on the basis of his sex.
LWV Timeline
Plaintiffs file a challenge to St. John’s County School Board
Drew Adams and his mother file suit, challenging the St. John’s County School Board for its policy of discriminating against transgender students.
LWV and coalition partners file amicus brief
The League of Women Voters, together with the National Women’s Law Center and 50 other partner organizations, files an amicus brief in support of plaintiffs.
Eleventh Circuit upholds school bathroom policy
In a 7-4 vote, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals upholds the school's bathroom policy, ruling it did not violate the Equal Protection Clause or Title IX of the Civil Rights Act. The opinion also states that Bostock v. Clayton did not apply in the context of bathrooms, and declines to include gender identity in the definition of 'sex' under Title IX.