Minnesota Transgender Court Ruling Called ‘Landmark Decision’

St Paul, MN (KROC AM News) - The Minnesota Court of Appeals Monday issued a ruling in a transgender case involving the state’s largest school district.

The Minnesota Department of Human Rights is calling the ruling “a landmark decision. “

The department says the court’s ruling means “Minnesota schools must allow students to use locker rooms that align with their gender identity under the state’s civil rights law.” The department joined a lawsuit that was filed against the Anoka-Hennepin School District and its School Board that centered on a transgender student identified as “N.H.”

The Human Rights Dept says “N.H. used the boys’ locker room without issue after he joined the boys’ swim team at Coon Rapids High School during the 2015-16 school year. The following year, the district required him to use an entirely separate and segregated locker room and threatened to discipline N.H. if he did not use the separate room. That led to the lawsuit that accused the school district of violating the state’s Human Rights Act, which prohibits gender identity discrimination in schools " 

The department released the following statement:
“This decision means that schools are now safer and more welcoming for transgender and gender nonconforming students across Minnesota,” said Minnesota Department of Human Rights Deputy Commissioner Irina Vaynerman. “Our state was the first in the nation to prohibit gender identity discrimination. Today’s decision honors that legacy and continues to build a more equitable and inclusive Minnesota.”

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