The Supreme Court on Wednesday said a Virginia school board may temporarily block a transgender student from using the boys’ restroom while the case proceeds on appeal.
The highest court voted 5-3 to stay the lower court’s order permitting a transgender student to use the facilities of the opposite sex. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan voted to deny the school board’s request for a stay.
The ruling comes after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit said the Gloucester County School Board violated federal law by barring Gavin Grimm, a 17-year-old transgender student, from the boys’ restroom.
It is the first time the growing legal fight over how the public should accommodate transgender people has reached the Supreme Court.
• Bradford Richardson can be reached at brichardson@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.