The largest school district in Minnesota must pay $300,000 to a transgender student who was not allowed to use the boys’ locker room.
Nick Himley, a high school swimmer of Coon Rapids High School, was a 16-year-old freshman when he transitioned to male during the 2015 to 2016 school year.
During the first half of the school year, he was allowed to use the boys’ locker room. However, the school board eventually barred him from using it.
Himley was told that he would be disciplined if he used the boys’ locker room and he was forced to use a segregated area that no other students used, his attorney argued.
The Anoka-Hennepin School District will pay compensation to Himley and make several policy changes, including a rule that lets every student use school facilities consistent with their gender identity.
In a press release shared by Gender Justice, Himley said: “I wanted the school district and the school board to understand that how they allowed me to be treated was wrong, and to hopefully make things better for the next generation of students – not just at Anoka-Hennepin, but across Minnesota.”
In Himley’s lawsuit, he was represented by nonprofit Gender Justice, the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, and Stinson LLP.
Court documents show that Himley was admitted to the hospital on February 5, 2016, after he ‘experienced emotional trauma.’
He also experienced bullying and received threats because of the incident.
“I’ll be honest, this was a hard experience,” he said in a press conference.
“Sometimes I had to spend a lot of time reliving some pretty painful and embarrassing moments. I really put myself out there… but I know that just by standing here and being here, I can make a difference.”
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Replaced!