Meriwether Lewis Elementary School in Portland, Oregon, was embroiled in a legal dispute between a local mother and the school district. Portland Public Schools rescinded a trespass order against Allison Roberts, who opposed the district’s gender curriculum.
In August, Roberts sued the district following concerns about repainting a rainbow pride flag into an ‘Intersex-Inclusive Progress’ variant to promote racial inclusion and transgender rights. She also objected to an ‘identity flower’ assignment that asked students to discuss their gender identity with peers and teachers.
Feeling her concerns were not addressed, Roberts wrote an open letter criticizing the school’s policies, which she distributed publicly. As a result, she faced accusations from the school of ‘harassment, intimidation, and threatening behavior,’ leading to a one-year trespass order barring her from attending school events.
Portland Public Schools agreed to rescind the trespass notice. They made several concessions including exempting Roberts’ children from certain LGBTQ2SIA+ curriculum requirements and reviewing their nondiscrimination and anti-harassment policy.
Timothy Snowball, attorney for the Liberty Justice Center’s PARENTS Initiative, stated this was a ‘victory’ and indicated the school’s actions were unconstitutional. He noted the timing of the settlement coincided with a federal judge’s involvement, pushing the district to change its plans.
A hearing focused on the district’s policies, including those allowing teachers to withhold information from parents, is scheduled for Dec. 1. Snowball emphasized that parents have the right to direct their children’s education and vowed to continue the fight for these rights.
Roberts received considerable support from her local and national community. She expressed her resolve to fight for her family and many others nationwide, believing her actions to be necessary and justified.