Mother Accusing School of Hiding Teen's Gender Transition Faces Major Legal Loss

A Mother’s Legal Battle Over Her Child’s Gender Transition

A mother from Maine faced a significant legal setback after her lawsuit against a school was dismissed by the First Circuit Court of Appeals. The case centered on claims that the school had concealed information about her child's gender transition without informing the family.

Amber Lavigne, who resides in Wiscasset, discovered a chest binder in her 13-year-old child's room during a school dance in December 2022. This discovery led to a series of events that culminated in a lawsuit she filed against the school in 2023. However, her appeal was ultimately denied by the court, which ruled that her allegations did not sufficiently demonstrate a policy or custom of withholding information.

Lavigne's child claimed that the binder was obtained from a social worker named Sam Roy at Great Salt Bay School in Damariscotta. In her appeal, Lavigne argued that the school district had violated her constitutional rights by not involving her in the decision-making process regarding her daughter's healthcare and education.

The court found that Lavigne did not provide enough evidence to support her claim of a policy or custom for withholding information. It emphasized that her allegations lacked factual support, and therefore, her argument about an unwritten "blanket policy" of intentional withholding was based solely on her "information and belief."

Lavigne and her legal team demanded a full investigation into Roy's actions, arguing that the school's decisions violated the Fourteenth Amendment by infringing on her right to direct her child's education, upbringing, and healthcare. They contended that while students have access to mental healthcare through the school, social transitioning is not protected by statutory confidentiality.

The law firm representing Lavigne asserted that the school's actions were a violation of her constitutional rights. They stated that even if secrecy were required by Maine law, such secrecy would still breach Lavigne's fundamental rights as a parent.

Following the incident, Lavigne removed her child from the school, allowing her daughter to cut her hair short but still using feminine pronouns. The mother expressed her belief that her daughter is still her daughter at heart, and that she acts femininely when not thinking about it.

Lavigne clarified that she is not opposed to her daughter's eventual transition, stating that if her daughter decides to take testosterone at 18 and undergo body modifications, she will express her concerns but will never abandon her child. She emphasized that her relationship with her daughter is more important than being right.

In her statement, Lavigne noted that her role as a parent is to safeguard her child from irreversible decisions at a young age. She believes that her daughter's future choices should be made as an adult, and that at 13, it is her responsibility to protect her child from actions that could not be undone.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Great Bay School for further comments on the matter.