On the 9th of October, Jessica Norton, a school employee in Florida and mother of a transgender student athlete, has filed a lawsuit against the Broward County School Board and the Florida Department of Education. The lawsuit challenges an investigation launched after her daughter, a transgender girl, was found playing on a girls’ volleyball team at Monarch High School in Coconut Creek.
The investigation stems from Florida’s 2021 “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act,” which prohibits transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports. Norton argues that the investigation and her subsequent suspension were acts of retaliation against her for previously challenging the sports ban in court.
Jessica Norton, a Florida school employee and mother of a transgender athlete, has filed a lawsuit against the Broward County School Board and the Florida Department of Education. The legal action follows a months-long investigation into her daughter’s participation in girls’ volleyball, which violated Florida’s “Fairness in Women’s Sports Act.”
The law, signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in 2021, prohibits transgender girls from competing on girls’ sports teams in schools and universities. Proponents argue the law ensures fairness, while critics say it discriminates against transgender students. Norton’s daughter, who began hormone blockers at age 11 and later transitioned to estrogen therapy, was playing volleyball at Monarch High School despite the ban.
In November 2023, an anonymous tip led to an investigation, resulting in a $16,500 fine for the school. Norton, a school employee, was suspended for 10 days, with some calling for her dismissal.
Norton claims the investigation and suspension were retaliation for a prior lawsuit she filed challenging the ban. Her lawsuit alleges violations of Title IX, which prohibits sex-based discrimination, and the First Amendment, claiming her advocacy for her daughter’s rights constitutes protected political speech.
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The lawsuit also details emotional harm, with Norton accusing investigators of misgendering her daughter and subjecting her to degrading treatment. The case is part of a broader national debate, as 22 states have enacted similar transgender sports bans. Medical organizations and advocacy groups argue these laws harm transgender youth, while legal battles continue to challenge their constitutionality.
Neither the school board nor the Florida Department of Education has commented on the case. The lawsuit could influence future challenges to Florida’s transgender sports ban and similar laws across the country.
References:
- https://abcnews.go.com/US/trans-student-athletes-place-girls-team-center-lawsuit/story?id=114637472
- https://apnews.com/article/transgender-girl-sports-florida-be36fe49a6a4457630107aa56c34dc1e
