NORFOLK, Va. (AP) - A federal judge in Virginia has ruled that a school board's transgender bathroom ban discriminated against former student Gavin Grimm.
Friday's ruling by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen in Norfolk is among several across the nation favoring transgender students who faced similar policies.
The Gloucester County School Board's policy required Grimm to use girls' restrooms or private bathrooms. The judge says Grimm's rights were violated under the U.S. Constitution and a federal policy that protects against gender-based discrimination.
The issue remains far from settled. A patchwork of differing policies governs the nation's schools.
But Allen's ruling will likely strengthen similar claims made by students in eastern Virginia. It could have a greater impact if the case goes to an appeals court that oversees Maryland, West Virginia and the Carolinas.
