Portland Public Schools Agrees to Rescind Its Campus Ban on a Mother Who Questioned Gender Lessons, and to Exempt Her Children From Some Curriculum

A federal lawsuit by an Oregon mother has forced a retreat by her school district before a scheduled hearing, according to Fox News.

The background. Allison Roberts questioned Meriwether Lewis Elementary School's decision to repaint its rainbow flag as an "Intersex-Inclusive Progress" flag. She also objected to an "identity flower" assignment that asked her 11-year-old to discuss gender identity with classmates and teachers. After an unsatisfactory response, she wrote an open letter and handed it out on a public sidewalk outside the school.

The ban. The district accused her of "harassment, intimidation and threatening behavior" and issued a one-year trespass order that barred her from school events, including her child's graduation. She sued in August with the Liberty Justice Center.

The deal. Before a hearing on her motion for a preliminary injunction, the district agreed to rescind the ban, exempt her children from some LGBTQ-related curriculum requirements and review its nondiscrimination and anti-harassment policy. A district statement to Fox says it "agreed to rescind the trespass notice in mid-November" and "will continue to comply with all laws that serve and protect children."

Her lawyers. Timothy Snowball of the Liberty Justice Center called it a victory and said the district changed course after a federal judge explained why its conduct was unconstitutional. "The fight is not over," he added.

What is next. A second hearing is set for Dec. 1 on district policies that Snowball says let teachers withhold information from parents in some circumstances.

Note for readers: the account of the judge's remarks comes from Roberts's lawyer. We have not seen the settlement terms or heard the district's side beyond its short statement.