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June 12, 2025 |  By: Gavin McGough

Transgender Students Take Stand: Cases on Discrimination Heads to Court

Transgender flag

Transgender Flag

In a five 5 to 2 decision, the Missouri State Supreme Court has ruled against a transgender student who claimed his school had disciminated against him. The student, identified in court documents under the initials RMA, claimed the Blue Springs School District in Kansas City was discriminatory when it barred him from using locker rooms and bathroom facilities aligned with his gender identity. The school required RMA, who is transgender, to use facilities aligned with his sex listed at birth.

The student's attorney Alexander Edelman claimed in court in February that it's "very clear that sex was the reason for this discrimination,”. Originally, a jury agreed, granting RMA 4 million dollars in damages. But a judge intervened to overrule the jury, claiming the evidence presented in the case was not sufficient. Now, the State's Supreme court has affirmed that lower judge's decision.

The court's ruling is narrow: it does not make a judgement on whether schools can prevent transgender students from using certain spaces. It only adresses this case specifically. Another case involving a trans student claiming discrimination at a school, this one in Platte County, is working its way through the courts now.