The Clay County School Board is being sued by parents that allege school officials hid their 12-year-old daughter’s mental health and gender identity issues for months – only informing them after the child attempted suicide in the school bathroom on two separate occasions. Clay County is located just southwest of Jacksonville.
The father said he was alerted on January 5 that his daughter attempted to commit suicide on campus.
Per reports, the complaint states that when the child’s parents had arrived at the school, the child was being placed into the back of a police car to be transported to a hospital for involuntary examination under Florida’s “Baker Act” law. The Baker Act allows law enforcement and certain health officials to initiate a mental health examination in the event a person is an imminent risk to herself or others based on apparent mental illness.
School officials allegedly defended their actions by invoking “confidentiality rules” to justify not including the parents in the counseling sessions.
However, the lawsuit notes that the Clay County Public Schools written guidance expressly contradicts the use of “confidentiality rules.” An exhibit attached to the lawsuit notes that children do not have a confidentiality right and that school officials must obtain parental consent before guaranteeing confidentiality to a child.
The Child and Parental Rights Campaign filed the suit on behalf of the parents in federal court. Child and Parental Rights Campaign, Inc. (CPR-C) is a non-partisan, non-profit public interest law firm whose mission is to defend parental rights and protect children’s well-being against the impacts of gender identity ideology.
The group recently filed a lawsuit against Leon County school officials related to allegations that a middle school student was put through a gender transition plan without parental notification. In that case, there was school guidance that indicated minor students did have a right to privacy. Leon County Schools Superintendent Rocky Hanna has since changed the guidance.
The Clay County lawsuit names Clay County Schools superintendent and three Paterson Elementary officials and alleges that the school counselor engaged in secret therapy sessions with the elementary student over the course of several months in 2021. The student was distressed over being bullied and her confusion about her gender.
The suit claims that the school officials breached the child’s privacy by purporting to tell other teachers and students about the child’s new “male” name and gender identity without the child’s knowledge or approval and without informing her parents.
“It is a serious mental health decision that school personnel are not qualified, not competent, and not authorized to make,” Vernadette Broyles, CPR-C’s president, said. “Parents must be involved in these important decisions.”
In a statement, Clay County Schools said, “We performed an investigation into these allegations and believe the statements made by this out-of-state organization invalid.”
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Steve Stewart is a senior contributor at The Florida Capital Star. Email tips to sstewart@floridacapitalstar.com.
Republished with permission from The Florida Capital Star
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The state requires teachers and staff to go through a social emotional online class that covers this topic. Most districts have a policy that we can not discriminate against anyone over these topics. We are faced daily with kids who are making these decisions to be open at school and maybe not at home. We are not teaching about it but we are teaching acceptance. It’s hard for us, no matter what side you fall on personally we see students struggling with this because of who they are and what they are exposed to on social media, TV, news, etc…. Then we are to blame for supporting their social emotional well being per the states required professional development and our school districts policies. Stop blaming schools. Take a look at what kids are exposed to at home either by parental involvement or lack of it. This generation is completely open about who they are away from home. We don’t want to teach it or hide it from anyone. We just want our students emotionally secure and ready to learn the actual curriculum we are there to teach.
Where were these Teachers and Staff 5 Years ago? Were they ALWAYS wanting to Teach Children about Sex and being a Transgender? Were they away wanting to teach Children that being White is Evil? Being Straight id BAD? This has to STOP or something is going to happen that they will not like.
Her parents should sue the Clay County Fool Board out of existence. It is they and their depraved and warped ideology that likely pushed this girl into a desperate act.
DEFUND THE PUBLIC INDOCTRINATION SYSTEM
School boards are taking immoral behavior and changing it to acceptable behavior with the help of the media. It is a disgrace.
Mid Terms & 2024 are on the horizon and the sun will come up and the light will cast out the darkness…
This is like taking legal action against the devil. It won’t stop them. They are going to keep coming after our children again and again.
Why is society in the position where parents are forced to have to initiate legal action time and time again against the schools for molesting our children anyway? You all need to do better on who you vote into elected office.
This issue needs to be dealt with in this legislative session. I keep expecting the Leon County case to be picked up by national media (Fox) and now with the Clay County case I really want this to happen. Add these to Louden Lowden? County VA and this should be a national issue for 2022 elections. Enough is enough, this needs to be nipped in the bud.
So, as a result of the elementary school personnel protecting and promoting their pagan religion and culture, this child attempted to commit suicide twice.