How to interpret a Supreme Court ruling: The tribune
The Supreme Court has handed down a ruling on a controversial transgender bathroom policy, and a number of transgender rights advocates are now preparing for the next stage of the legal process.
The decision is a big win for a transgender rights group that sued to block the ordinance in October, arguing that it could put transgender students at risk of harassment and discrimination.
The court said in a unanimous decision Thursday that it would not interfere with the local school board’s decision to set up the restroom policy.
The case is still before the Supreme Court, which could take up the issue again in June.
A spokeswoman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine, which sued to stop the policy in October in support of the transgender students, said the Supreme Ct. ruling does not change the ruling the Maine Legislature made to implement the policy last year.
But the advocacy group said it was pleased with the decision, which will allow transgender students to use restrooms and locker rooms of their choice.
Maine Attorney General Janet Mills said she will file an appeal of the decision to the Supreme.
The Supreme Ct.’s ruling did not address whether the transgender student could use the bathroom that corresponds with the gender with which he identifies, she said.
Mills said she was “pleased” that the justices agreed that students have the right to use the restroom that corresponds to the gender they identify with.
The state already allows students to change the gender marker on their birth certificates, she added.
Malls said the decision does not mean that transgender students will be able to use any bathrooms that match their gender identity.
The issue is still being reviewed by the courts, she noted.
Mall, who is the Democratic nominee for governor, said in an email to The Associated Press that she had received more than 500 calls and emails from people who were “heartbroken” to hear that the court had ruled against the transgender school board.
She also said that the decision would make it easier for the legislature to make the ordinance permanent, which would make the issue moot.
The law allows transgender students who are enrolled at a school to use whichever bathroom is deemed appropriate by their school.
They could also choose to use a locker room or separate bathroom from other students.
A transgender student in a Portland public school locker room on Thursday.
The law allows students in public schools to use whatever bathroom they feel comfortable using.
The Supreme Ct’ ruling in the transgender bathroom case, however, did not specifically address the possibility of transgender students being bullied or harassed in a school locker or changing rooms.
That has raised concerns about whether the courts would strike down the law.
The court also said it would allow the state to enforce the law without having to use federal funds.
That means Maine would likely need to hire hundreds of new security guards and keep more than 1,200 of the state’s 1,600 public restrooms and changing rooms secure, Mills said.
The Maine Legislature enacted the law in response to a federal lawsuit filed by the Maine Civil Liberties Association.
It required schools to allow transgender people to use bathrooms that correspond with their gender identities.
The group said that led to the lawsuit, which was later dismissed by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Milling said the court’s ruling did “not change the decision the Maine Legislative Assembly made to enact the law last year.”
But she said the ruling could allow the transgender person to use bathroom facilities that correspond to his or her gender identity, and that would allow them to avoid harassment and bullying by others.
The judge said the state has a history of complying with federal orders to allow trans students to have access to facilities that match the gender on their identification cards.
Millard said the courts have not yet ruled on whether transgender students would be allowed to use those facilities, but that the state would not be required to use taxpayer funds to pay for that.
The ACLU said in its lawsuit that the transgender law would lead to increased sexual assault and harassment on transgender women and girls in Maine.
It said Maine has a record of discriminating against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, and would be in violation of the federal Safe Schools law.