COLUMBUS, Ohio — Lisa Chaffee, the director of Parents' Rights in Education for Ohio and mother of a Hilliard district student, said after trying to work with the district with no resolution, Tuesday’s lawsuit against Hilliard City Schools is a necessity.
A group of eight parents filed the lawsuit against the school district, claiming "activist teachers" are having "intimate conversations" with students about sexual behaviors or attitudes. Chaffee is one of eight plaintiffs on the lawsuit.
“If a parent is denied the knowledge that their child is having mental health issues no matter what the reason, they are robbing that parent the opportunity to shower their child with unconditional love and support that the majority of parents do and that all children need,” Chaffee said.
She said a handful of teachers and administrators at Hilliard City Schools are using recommended changes to Title IX dealing with extra protection for LGBTQ students as a platform to not share critical information with parents.
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“They are using those proposed changes to write policy to say it’s because of Title IX that we can’t tell parents when their kids are having gender dysphoria or if they happen to be a member of the LGBTQ community and having mental distress they’re afraid to tell the parents,” she said.
The district responded to the lawsuit in an emailed statement on Wednesday. Superintendent David Stewart says the district is “committed to a transparent and vigorous defense against this lawsuit, which is notably filled with misstatements of fact and mischaracterizations.”
“There are gonna be some though, Lisa, who say the reason we are seeing this lawsuit, the reason we are hearing about these issues is because this group of now eight plaintiffs is right wing,” 10TV’s Bryant Somerville told Chaffee. “What do you say to that?”
“First of all, as I’ve always said, I’m not anti-anybody,” Chaffee said. “I love all kids.”
Stewart said, “making broad-brush accusations such as those in this lawsuit detract from the district’s mission and the educational efforts of our dedicated staff and teachers.”
Chafee believes she, her group and the majority of Hilliard educators want the same thing: for students to feel valued and safe.
She said the lawsuit is not for any kind of monetary figure, but would like the court to declare their rights and clarify the rights of teachers, eliminating the badges and inappropriate conversations that are being kept from parents.
She also says the plaintiffs are open to meeting with the district to reach a compromise and to keep the matter out of the court system.