Westerly Public Schools faces complaint over transgender student policy

America First Legal (AFL) has filed a formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Education against Westerly Public Schools in Rhode Island. The conservative legal group alleges that a transgender student policy adopted by the district in 2017 violates federal civil rights laws by allowing school officials to facilitate gender transitions without parental notification or consent.

The complaint claims the policy enables students to change names, pronouns, and school records behind their parents' backs. Additionally, AFL alleges the policy permits students to use bathrooms, locker rooms, and participate in sports based on gender identity rather than biological sex, while requiring students who object to those arrangements to seek separate accommodations.