Federal Court Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging Jefferson County Public Schools’ Transgender Policy

Olson Grimsley secures victory for district affirming overnight accommodations policy  

 DENVER – A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against Jefferson County Public Schools seeking to revoke the district’s policy on overnight travel accommodations for transgender students.  

 The lawsuit brought by four families sought to force Jeffco to change its long-standing policy for all 72,000 students. Jeffco assigns all students, including transgender students, to share rooms on overnight trips with those who consistently assert the same gender identity at school.

 Olson Grimsley team members Isabel Broer, Beth Costner, Bianca Miyata, and Eric Olson represented the district and successfully argued that the district’s policies follow federal and state law. The court dismissed the case and denied plaintiffs’ renewed motion for a preliminary injunction.  

 In her August 8 ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Regina M. Rodriguez stated, “While parents may have the right to instill moral and religious values in their children on topics like a child’s gender identity, sexual modesty, and interactions with the opposite sex at home, they have no right to dictate Jeffco’s curriculum around these issues and its efforts to ensure that transgender students are part of an educational environment where all students feel safe and ready to learn.”    

 “Jeffco works very hard to provide a world class education to all of its students," said Ms. Broer. “We are extremely pleased that Judge Rodriguez recognized that Jeffco’s approach follows the law.” 

 The case is Wailes, et al. v. Jefferson County Public Schools and Jefferson County Public Schools’ Board of Education, Case No. 1:24-cv-02439-RMR-NRN in the United States District Court of Colorado.