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The Supreme Court declined to hear a case about whether a transgender student from Virginia could use the bathroom that aligned with his gender identity. The decision upholds a 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that found the school board discriminated against the student by forcing him to use a unisex bathroom instead of the men's room.
The case began in 2015 when Gavin Grimm filed a lawsuit claiming the school's decision violated Title IX, which prohibits discrimination based on sex. The Supreme Court agreed to take up the case in 2016 but kicked it back to the lower courts in 2017 because the Trump Administration rescinded a policy advising schools not to discriminate based on gender identity.
The case made its way through the courts again, with the lower courts ruling in favor of Grimm. The Gloucester County School Board asked the Supreme Court to examine the case in February after the Biden administration reinstated the policy that barred schools from discriminating against transgender students.
The High Court did not provide an explanation for their decision not to hear the case but did note that Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito wanted to hear it during their next term.
"I am glad that my years-long fight to have my school see me for who I am is over. Being forced to use the nurse's room, a private bathroom, and the girl's room was humiliating for me, and having to go to out-of-the-way bathrooms severely interfered with my education," Grimm said in a statement.