McQueen v. Shelby County Board of Education

On February 10, 2025, a group of parents filed a federal lawsuit against the Shelby County Board of Education in Tennessee, challenging a district policy that allows school counselors to support students regarding gender identity without parental notification. The plaintiffs alleged the policy violated their fundamental parental rights under the Fourteenth Amendment and their free exercise of religion by undermining their ability to guide their children's moral and psychological development. The school district defended the policy as necessary to protect student privacy and safety, citing instances where disclosure could lead to abuse or rejection. The case drew immediate national attention as part of a broader debate over parental involvement in schools and LGBTQ+ student protections.

In a preliminary ruling issued in April 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee denied the plaintiffs' motion for a temporary restraining order, holding that the parents were unlikely to succeed on the merits because the policy was rationally related to the legitimate governmental interest in protecting student welfare. A full trial on the merits is pending.

Whether a public school policy permitting staff to withhold information about a student's gender identity from parents violates the parents' constitutional rights to direct the upbringing of their children and freely exercise their religion.

The case intensified the nationwide conflict between parental rights advocates and LGBTQ+ student support policies. School boards across multiple states paused similar policy revisions pending the outcome, while advocacy groups on both sides launched public campaigns. The litigation is widely viewed as a bellwether that may influence future federal guidance on student privacy and parental notification requirements.