In October of last year, a school in Randolph, Vermont, became the center of controversy when some female athletes objected to sharing their locker room with a biological male.
The female students were banned from their own locker room, and the father of one of the students was suspended from his coaching job at the middle school for defending his daughter.
The school has now been forced to settle with the Allen family.
The Daily Signal reports:
Vermont Agrees to Pay $125K to Father, Daughter Punished for Speaking Out Against Trans StudentA Vermont school district punished a father and his daughter for speaking out against a biological male in the girls’ locker room. Now, The Daily Signal has learned, the district has settled with the Allen family in what its legal team is hailing as a “resounding victory.”That settlement requires that the Vermont School Boards Insurance Trust pay $125,000 in damages and attorneys’ fees and costs to Travis Allen and Jessica Allen, on behalf of their daughter, Blake Allen, and their attorneys with the Alliance Defending Freedom.Under the settlement, the district will reinstate Travis Allen, the father, as middle school soccer coach, and will scrub any records of discipline against Travis Allen and daughter Blake from school records.Further, the settlement requires the Orange Southwest School District Board and school officials named in the Allens’ lawsuit to remove any content posted online by the school related to the locker room business as well as from the bulletin board or boards at Randolph Union Middle/High School displaying “love and support” messages to the trans-identifying student.
Alliance Defending Freedom, who defended the Allens, is thrilled with the outcome.
The White River Valley Herald reports:
Phil Sechler, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, however, called it a “resounding victory for freedom of speech.”“We are grateful that the school recognized it was wrong to suspend Blake from school and Travis from his coaching position simply for exercising their freedom of speech. No one should lose their job or get suspended from school for voicing their opinion or calling a male a male and we are glad to see this case resolved favorably, not only for Blake and Travis, but for all students and coaches to be able to speak freely and without fear of retaliation.”Travis Allen, in written comments submitted to the Herald, said he is satisfied with the outcome. “This settlement was a huge victory for freedom of speech, not just for Blake and me, but for anyone who wants to voice their opinion on important topics,” Allen said. “Certainly, the victory for everyone to speak freely is the most important achievement with this lawsuit. It was worth it. This has taken a toll on our family, both close and distant. It showed us who will and won’t support us even if they do not agree with our values. Blake’s punishment would not have been reversed had we not filed the lawsuit and I wouldn’t be able to coach in the fall if we had not reached the settlement. I wouldn’t change anything. We currently live in a time where you have to defend your values from some pretty radical ideologies.”
Megyn Kelly once said that the best way to fight this issue is in the legal system.
So far, it looks like she was right.
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