Maine Mother Sues School Board for Providing Daughter with Chest Binder Without Her Knowledge

A Maine mother has filed a federal lawsuit against the Great Salt Bay Community School Board, alleging that her 13-year-old daughter was secretly given a "chest binder," a gender-transitioning device, and referred to as a boy without her knowledge. Amber Lavigne claims that the school board violated her constitutional rights by providing gender transition counseling to her daughter without her consent.

According to the lawsuit, the school's transgender guidelines "are unconstitutional insofar as they provide for the concealment of, or do not mandate informing parents of, a decision to provide 'gender-affirming' care to a student." Lavigne, a New Castle resident, filed the lawsuit in US District Court with the assistance of lawyers from the conservative Goldwater Institute.

Lavigne alleges that a school social worker gave her daughter the chest-flattening garment and encouraged her to keep it a secret from her parents. She says she contacted Superintendent Lynsey Johnston and Principal Kim Shaff about the matter, but they appeared to support the social worker, Samuel Roy. Lavigne claims that school officials refused to release records, citing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

The lawsuit asserts that school officials "intentionally concealed" the gender counseling from Lavigne. In a statement released by the Arizona-based Goldwater Institute, Lavigne said, "I deserve to know what's happening to my child - the secrecy needs to stop."

Lead attorney Adam Shelton emphasized that parents have a fundamental right to control and direct their children's education, upbringing, and healthcare decisions. "But parents cannot meaningfully exercise this right if public schools hide vital information about their children from them - which is exactly what the Great Salt Bay Community School did to Ms. Lavigne," he added.

The lawsuit names Johnston, Schaff, Roy, social worker Jessica Berk, and the entire school board. Great Salt Bay Community School has not responded to requests for comment, and Johnston did not respond to inquiries from the National Review.

In a letter to parents, Principal Schaff defended the school staff, stating they are required to follow state and federal civil rights laws regarding discrimination and privacy. Lavigne, a Democrat who operates a mental health business, has argued that she never gave school officials any reason to believe she would react negatively to her daughter's counseling.