Today, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) sent a letter to Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) on behalf of Colorado parents, urging the district to address the unconstitutionality of its policies. ADF attorneys are representing Joe and Serena Wailes and their 11-year-old daughter after she was unknowingly assigned to share a room, including a bed, with a male student on an overnight school trip.
JCPS’s policy dictates that students identifying as the opposite gender should be “assigned to share overnight accommodations with other students that share the student’s gender identity consistently asserted at school.” However, ADF attorneys argue that the policy unfairly applies to some students, like the Waileses’ daughter, violating their religious beliefs, parental rights, and privacy.
ADF Senior Counsel Kate Anderson, director of the ADF Center for Parental Rights, emphasized, “Parents, not the government, have the right to direct the upbringing and education of their children, and that includes making informed decisions to protect their child’s privacy. Schools should never hide information from parents, yet that’s exactly what JCPS officials did here.”
In the summer of 2023, during a cross-country overnight trip, JCPS assigned the Waileses’ daughter to share a room with a fifth-grade male student who identifies as a girl without notifying the Waileses or obtaining their consent. The uncomfortable situation came to light when the male student informed her on the first night. The subsequent attempt to address the issue resulted in further discomfort for the Waileses’ daughter, who was coerced into misleading her roommates about the room change.
The Waileses, parents to two fourth-grade twins registered for the same overnight school trip next year, are calling on JCPS to clarify its room assignment policy. They request the district to inform all parents in advance about the gender identity-based rooming policy, allowing them to make informed decisions for their children and opt out if desired.
Danielle Dolin is a prolific writer and serves as the Managing Editor at the Christian News Journal. A dedicated mother of four daughters, she calls Southern Arizona home. Danielle’s passion for journalism extends beyond her professional role; she imparts her knowledge to homeschool students as a dedicated teacher. In her cherished moments of respite, you can find her engrossed in the pages of books or engaged in the world of video games. Her multifaceted life is a testament to her commitment to family, education, and her unwavering love for storytelling.