Parent Sues District 300 Over Student Gender Transition Policies

ALGONQUIN, IL — A parent has filed a federal lawsuit against Algonquin-based Community Unit School District 300, alleging the district violated her constitutional rights by supporting her child’s gender transition at school without her knowledge or involvement.

The lawsuit, which was filed this past week, claims district staff used a different name and pronouns for the student and excluded the mother from discussions and decisions related to a gender support plan between 2022 and 2025, the Daily Herald is reporting.

“This case challenges a public school district’s policies,practices and customs of subjecting minor students to psychological and identity-based interventions, while deliberately excluding their parents from participation, consent and even knowledge,” according to the lawsuit, which was filed by Naperville attorney Ajay Gupta.

The new lawsuit comes just weeks after the U.S. Department of Justice launched investigations into 36 Illinois public school districts to determine whether they are teaching lessons related to sexual orientation and gender identity in pre-K through 12th grade classrooms, the agency announced on April 30.

The probes, led by the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, will examine whether schools included such material in coursework and how it was implemented, according to a news release from the DOJ. Federal officials are also reviewing whether districts followed policies related to parental notification and student rights tied to the instruction.

“This Department of Justice is determined to put an end to local school authorities keeping parents in the dark about how sexuality and gender ideology are being pushed in classrooms,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Supreme Court precedent leaves no doubt: parents have the fundamental right and primary authority to direct the care, upbringing, and education of their children. This includes exempting their children from ideological instruction that contradicts their values or decisions about their children’s health and best interests.”

Among the suburban school districts named in the Department of Justice probe are Community High School District 155, North Chicago Community Unit School District 187, Country Club Hills School District 160, Lyons School District 103, Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123, North Palos School District 117, Crete-Monee School District 201-U and Will County School District 92.

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