CLARK – A lawsuit brought on behalf of a New Jersey father alleges that Delaware Valley High School was socially transitioning his daughter, purportedly to a male, without informing him. The father, named “John Doe” in the lawsuit, is now seeking justice for his daughter as first reported by Central Jersey Newswire.

John Doe (said name being fictitious) v. Delaware Valley Regional High School  Board of Education, et als, filed in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey alleges that the Board of Education, the Superintendent of Schools, and school counselor Ashley Miranda, together with New Jersey Attorney  General Matthew J. Platkin and New Jersey Acting Commissioner of Education Angelica Allen McMillan, violated the father of the minor child’s fundamental constitutional rights to the custody, care,  and nurture of his minor child, and to teach, engage, and instruct his child.

The lawsuit also alleges  violations of federal statute 20 U.S.C. §3401(3), which provides that “parents have the primary  responsibility for the education of their children, and States, localities, and private institutions have the  primary responsibility for supporting that parental role.” 

 

The child, referred to in the lawsuit as “Jane Doe,” who had experienced childhood trauma and suffered  with emotional disabilities, was undergoing private professional therapy when she joined a school club for intersectional students. The school district employee who supervised the club, Ashley Miranda,  immediately “affirmed” the child’s desire to socially transition by notifying all staff, other than two  teachers who knew Jane Doe’s family, that Jane Doe had to be referred to as her chosen male name. The  school never sought to learn about Jane Doe’s background and was ignorant of her being under active care  of therapists and of her childhood trauma. Meanwhile, the school actively sought to hide the social  transition from Jane Doe’s father, who ultimately learned of the social transition from another parent only months after the school began socially transitioning Jane Doe.

When the father demanded that the school district cease and desist from its conduct, which he asserts to be in violation of his fundamental constitutional parenting rights, he was told that the school was required by law and public policy to honor  Jane Doe’s preference.

 

The complaint (available below) notes that:

“as a freshman at DVRHS, Jane Doe participated in an extracurricular club known as Students Advocating for Equality (“SAFE”), which purportedly exists or claims to exist to “promote open discussion and awareness about modern cultures and topics surrounding intersectionality while aiming to make positive contributions to our community and school.”

It was in this club where Ashley Miranda, the club staff advisor, asked Jane if she would like to change her name and pronouns and be known only as a male at school. Miranda then sent a communication to the entire staff of DVRHS other than two teachers, informing them of Jane’s name change and advised that all such staff were required thereafter to use the alternate male name by which Jane desired to be called. Staff were also informed by Miranda that Mr. Doe was not to be informed of Jane’s social transition

The lawsuit seeks an injunction against the Attorney General, the Acting Commissioner of Education, and  the Delaware Valley Regional High School Board of Education, from enforcing laws and policies which  interfere with the fundamental constitutional rights of parents. Among the policies which the plaintiff  seeks to have enjoined are the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination, to the extent that it may require  schools to socially transition minor students without full parental knowledge and consent, and Board of Education Policy 5756, both of which are the subject of several pending litigations in New Jersey State  courts.

The lawsuit also seeks damages against the Delaware Valley Regional High School Board of  Education, Superintendent Scott McKinney, and school counsellor Ashley Miranda for violating the  father’s fundamental constitutional rights under the United States Constitution and laws, and the New  Jersey Constitution. 

John Doe is represented by Ronald A. Berutti, Esq. of Murray-Nolan Berutti LLC.