A Maine mother is suing her daughter's school for allowing her to begin transitioning genders, including providing a "chest binder," without her knowledge.
Amber Lavigne and her attorney Adam Shelton joined "Jesse Watters Primetime" Thursday to discuss the lawsuit and her outrage with the school.
"Unfortunately, this has become a political issue. It's a parental rights issue. And whether you're a Democrat or a Republican, I firmly believe that you should want your rights as a parent to be protected," said Lavigne, a Democrat.
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According to The New York Post, Lavigne filed a federal lawsuit against her daughter’s public school, alleging that Great Salt Bay Community School Board violated her constitutional rights to decide the upbringing of her child.
In December, the Newcastle resident discovered her 13-year-old had been wearing so-called "chest-binders" used by females transitioning to males to hide their breasts. She later found out that a social worker at the school provided the undergarment and that her daughter was going by a different name at school without her knowledge.
Lavigne confronted school board members, calling the social worker's behavior "the definition of child predatory sexual grooming."
"I spoke at a legislative hearing on Thursday against a bill here in the state of Maine, L.D. 394, that would allow social workers to behave like this. And so I encourage you, if you live in the great state of Maine, to reach out to your representatives and encourage them to not allow this bill to pass," she said.
Lavigne said the social worker filed a child abuse complaint against her with CPS, though she told The Post that the case was dismissed after a visit to her home.
Shelton said they are "well positioned" to win in court.
"The Supreme Court has long held that parents have a fundamental right to control and direct the education, upbringing and health care systems of their children," said Shelton.
"That right was clearly violated here by the Great South Bay Community School Board and some school officials because parents cannot meaningfully exercise this right if schools are empowered to keep information from parents."
Lavigne said if the school took action against the social worker, she may not have proceeded with a lawsuit.
"He should have been taken out of the schools while they investigated what happened. They did none of that. I don’t believe I would have pushed forward with the lawsuit if something would have occurred that made me feel like the school took this seriously."
The school district did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment, but in a previously released statement, the principal told parents that schools are required to follow state and federal civil rights laws about discrimination and privacy — which include privileged communication between social workers and minor clients.
Lavigne pulled her daughter out of the school and said she has been homeschooled and doing "great academically." She said her daughter has suffered worsening anxiety and depression.
She told the Post she now feels ostracized from the Democratic Party because she does not agree with their stance on this issue.
"They tell me, ‘You don’t belong here anymore.'"
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The New York Post contributed to this report.
