>> FROM THE LOCAL STATION NEWSFOURJAX. ♪
NEWSFOURJAX. ♪ >> AND CLAY COUNTY ELEMENTARY
STUDENTS SAY THEY’RE SUING THE
DISTRICT. THEY SAY A SCHOOL
COUNSEL, A COUNSELOR, VIOLATED
THE PARENTAL RIGHTS BY MEETING
WITH THE CHILD TO DISCUSS
GENDER IDENTITY. THE LAWSUIT
SAYS THE PARENTS WERE ONLY
MADE AWARE THE COUNSELING
MEETINGS.
>> AFTER THE STUDENT MADE 2
SUICIDE ATTEMPTS, NEWS 4 JAX
REPORTER JOE MCLEAN SPOKE THE
PARENTS WHO ARE BRINGING THIS
LAWSUIT AND JOINS US LIVE FROM
CLAY COUNTY WITH WHAT THE
DISTRICT IS SAYING ABOUT THIS.
JOE.
>> THE DISTRICT SAYS ALL OF
THE CLAIMS IN THIS LAWSUIT ARE
COMPLETELY FALSE. THEY SAY IT
WAS LIKELY FILED JUST TO STIR
UP CONTENTION AND CONTROVERSY
HERE. BUT THE PARENTS SAY THIS
IS AN ARGUMENT. THEY’RE
BRINGING THIS FIGHT TO THE
DISTRICT OVER PARENTAL RIGHTS,
WHICH THEY SAY WERE VIOLATED
HERE.
>> ON JANUARY 5TH, THESE CLAY
COUNTY PARENTS GOT A CALL TO
RUSH TO THEIR CHILD’S SCHOOL.
THEY SAY THE 12 YEAR-OLD HAD
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE FOR THE
SECOND TIME IN 2 DAYS. THIS
SCHOOL CASLER THAT IT WAS
BECAUSE
>> GENDER IDENTITY. E SHOULD
AND THAT WE AS PARENTS WOULD
NOT BE IN AGREEMENT BECAUSE OF
OUR PRIEST AND BELIEFS. MY
DAUGHTER NEVER EXCEEDED ANY
SIGNS. ALSO, GENDER CONFUSION
OR QUESTIONING HER BIOLOGICAL.
THE PARENTS SAY THEY WERE
APPALLED TO LEARN THAT THEIR
CHILD HAD BEEN MEETING WITH A
SCHOOL COUNSELOR WHO WAS
MENTORING THE PRETEEN THROUGH
A GENDER IDENTITY TRANSITION.
>> SOMETHING THAT’S
INCONSISTENT WITH THE FAMILY’S
RELIGION. THE PARENTS ARGUED
THIS IS WHERE THE SCHOOL
OVERSTEPPED ITS AUTHORITY. AND
YOU DON’T EVEN HAVE TO SHARE
OUR FACE.
>> THEIR HAIR IS THAT PRIMACY.
THE LAWSUIT WAS FILED ON THE
PARENTS BEHALF BY AN ANTI
LGBTQ ADVOCACY LAW FIRM CALLED
THE CHILD AND PARENTS RIGHTS
CAMPAIGN. BUT THE GROUP’S
PRESIDENT SAYS THE CHILD
DOESN’T HAVE ANY RIGHTS IN
THIS CASE AND NEITHER DOES THE
SCHOOL. THERE IS NO PRIVACY,
RIGHT OR RIGHT OF CONFIDENCE
IS KEEP SECRETS AS AGAINST A
CHILD’S PARENTS, PARTICULARLY
WHEN IT COMES TO MENTAL HEALTH
ISSUES AND TREATMENT ISSUES,
REFERRING TO ONE’S QUESTIONING
OF THEIR GENDER IDENTITY AS A
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE. THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT SAYS IN PART
THE ALLEGATIONS MADE BY THIS
OUT OF STATE ORGANIZATION ARE
COMPLETELY FALSE, FABRICATED
AND APPEAR TO BE INTENDED
SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF
INCITING THE PUBLIC.
>> ALL EMPLOYEES OF THE
DISTRICT CONSISTENTLY WORKED
TO ENSURE THAT THE BEST
INTERESTS OF ALL STUDENTS ARE
SERVED. ANGEL RUSSELL WORKS
WITH THE LGBTQ ADVOCACY
ORGANIZATION, PARENTS,
FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF
LESBIANS AND GAYS. THEY SAY
THE ATTEMPT TO PARENT AWAY
SOMEONE’S IDENTITY CAN LEAD TO
MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS. THERE
IS SOMETHING ABOUT THE FEAR OF
REJECTION FROM YOUR FAMILY.
THAT IS.
>> CRIPPLING FOR PEOPLE. AND I
THINK EVERYBODY CAN RELATE TO
THAT. ANGEL SAYS SCHOOL
COUNSELORS ARE THERE FOR THAT
EXACT REASON TO BE A NEUTRAL
PERSON THAT A STUDENT CAN FEEL
SAFE APPROACHING WITH
SENSITIVE SUBJECTS. THIS COULD
STILL HAS AGENCY AS A HUMAN
INDIVIDUAL PERSON LIVING THEIR
LIFE, EVEN CHILDREN DESERVE
AUTONOMY AND CIVIL RIGHTS. I
ASKED THE PARENTS HOW THEIR
CHILD WAS DOING NOW.
>> AND THEIR LAWYER RESPONDED.
SHE’S NOT A PERSON. SHE’S A
AND WE ASKED PEOPLE TO JUST
RECOGNIZE THAT THAT REALITY
SHE’S WITH THEIR PARENTS. AND
AS A RESULT, SHE’S DOING WELL.
SHE’S DOING WELL WITH THEM. SO
MUCH MORE BACK TO HER NORMAL
SOUTH.
>> NOW, THERE IS A LOT THAT
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT CAN NOT
SAY BY LAW. THEY CAN’T GO INTO
SPECIFICS IN CASES LIKE THIS.
BUT I DID ASKED IF THE
DISTRICT HAD YET BEEN SERVED
WITH THIS LAWSUIT ARE
OFFICIALLY NOTIFIED THAT IT IS
THEN FILED IN COURT. THEY SAID
AS OF THE END OF BUSINESS
TODAY, THEY HAVE STILL NOT
GOTTEN THAT SERVICE NOTICE
REPORTING LIVE. I’M CHANNEL 4.
THE LOCAL STATION.
>> SO JOE, THIS COMES AS THE
FLORIDA LEGISLATURE IS
ADVANCING THE PARENTAL RIGHTS
TO AN EDUCATION BILL.
>> RIGHT. AND YOU MAY HAVE
HEARD IT REFERRED TO AS THE
DON’T SAY BILL. THAT’S WHAT
CRITICS ARE CALLING IT.
BASICALLY ADVANCED TEACHERS
AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEES IN THE
STATE OF FLORIDA FROM TALKING
ABOUT LGBTQ ISSUES ARE
DISCUSSING THAT ALL THE
STUDENTS. IT ALSO ALLOWS
PARENTS SAID AUTHORITY OF WHAT
OF BOOKS AND TEACHING
MATERIALS ARE USED IN
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. WELL, AS
THE BBQ RIGHTS ADVOCATES SAY A
MEASURE LIKE THIS WITH LIKELY
INCREASE THE TROUBLING RATE OF
SUICIDE AMONG LGBTQ USE.