The Alaska Family Council has joined a coalition of 50 amici urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take up Foote v. Ludlow School Committee, a case involving an 11-year-old girl in Massachusetts whose school allegedly facilitated her “social gender transition” against the explicit wishes of her parents.
According to filings, the child’s mother had instructed staff not to discuss gender identity issues with her daughter, yet school officials continued to affirm the transition. The school counselor reportedly sent text messages and online chats with the student about gender identity, without notifying or seeking consent from the parent.
Supporters of the petition argue that the case strikes at the heart of parental rights, which are principles rooted in Western legal tradition and recognized in America long before the Founding. “Parents should never have to worry that their child’s school will indoctrinate them while encouraging secrecy,” Alaska Family Council said in a statement.
The group pointed to last term’s US Supreme Court decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, which upheld the right of parents to shield their children from compelled participation in gender-related activities that violated their religious convictions. Advocates now say the Court must extend those protections universally, ensuring that all parents, regardless of religious adherence, can prevent schools from facilitating gender transitions in secrecy.
Despite efforts by state legislatures and federal actions to bolster parental rights, local school districts continue to push back. The Anchorage School District, for example, has adopted “Administrative Guidelines: Working with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students,” which advises staff that parental notification of a child’s transition is “unnecessary.” Critics say this encourages educators to deliberately conceal information from parents.
Alaska Family Council vowed to continue advocating on behalf of parents and to provide avenues for citizens to hold schools accountable.