Connect with us

Maryland

Federal appeals court dismisses lawsuit against Montgomery County schools gender guidelines

Parents oppose efforts to support transgender, gender nonconforming students

Published

2 years ago

on

(Bigstock photo)

A federal appeals court dismissed a case Monday challenging guidelines in Montgomery County that allow schools to create plans to support transgender or gender nonconforming students without the knowledge or consent of the students’ parents.

The case was brought by three parents of students in the school district, none of whom have transgender or gender nonconforming children, according to the ruling.

Judge A. Marvin Quattlebaum, Jr., of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals wrote in the majority opinion that opposition to the guidelines should be settled with elected representatives, not in court.

“That does not mean their objections are invalid,” Quattlebaum wrote. “In fact, they may be quite persuasive. But, by failing to show any injury to themselves, the parents’ opposition … reflects a policy disagreement. And policy disagreements should be addressed to elected policymakers at the ballot box, not to unelected judges in the courthouse.”

The guidelines at the heart of the case allow school staff to create support plans for trans or gender nonconforming students that allow students to use their chosen names and pronouns, use bathrooms and locker rooms corresponding to their gender identity and play on team sports of their gender identity. The guidelines do not require parental or guardian consent for support plans to be approved.

Montgomery County Public Schools is Maryland’s largest school district with more than 160,000 students. At least 350 students in the district had gender support plans on file as of 2022.

Related Topics:
Advertisement
FUND LGBTQ JOURNALISM
SIGN UP FOR E-BLAST

Maryland

Layoffs and confusion at Pride Center of Maryland after federal grants cut, reinstated

Trump administration move panicked addiction and mental health programs

Published

2 days ago

on

January 16, 2026

By

Merrick Moses, a violence prevention coordinator, works at the Pride Center of Maryland in Baltimore. (Photo by Ulysses Muñoz for the Baltimore Banner)

By ALISSA ZHU | After learning it had abruptly lost $2 million in federal funding, the Pride Center of Maryland moved to lay off a dozen employees, or about a third of its workforce, the Baltimore nonprofit’s leader said Thursday.

The group is one of thousands nationwide that reportedly received letters late Tuesday from the Trump administration. Their mental health and addiction grants had been terminated, effective immediately, the letters said.

By Wednesday night, federal officials moved to reverse the funding cuts by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, estimated to total $2 billion, according to national media reports. But the Pride Center of Maryland’s CEO Cleo Manago said as of Thursday morning he had not heard anything from the federal government confirming those reports.

The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

Continue Reading

Maryland

Steny Hoyer, the longest-serving House Democrat, to retire from Congress

Md. congressman served for years in party leadership

Published

1 week ago

on

January 8, 2026

By

At 86, Steny Hoyer is the latest in a generation of senior-most leaders stepping aside, making way for a new era of lawmakers eager to take on governing. (Photo by KT Kanazawich for the Baltimore Banner)

By ASSOCIATED PRESS and LISA MASCARO | Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the longest-serving Democrat in Congress and once a rival to become House speaker, will announce Thursday he is set to retire at the end of his term.

Hoyer, who served for years in party leadership and helped steer Democrats through some of their most significant legislative victories, is set to deliver a House floor speech about his decision, according to a person familiar with the situation and granted anonymity to discuss it.

“Tune in,” Hoyer said on social media. He confirmed his retirement plans in an interview with the Washington Post.

The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

Continue Reading

Maryland

Joseline Peña-Melnyk elected Md. House speaker

Family immigrated to New York City from the Dominican Republic

Published

1 month ago

on

December 16, 2025

By

Maryland House speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk addresses the chamber after being sworn in. (Photo by Jerry Jackson for the Baltimore Banner)

By PAMELA WOOD | Moments after being elected speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates Tuesday, state Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk stood before the chamber and contemplated her unlikely journey to that moment.

Born in the Dominican Republic, the Peña family lived in a small wooden house with a leaky tin roof and no indoor plumbing. Some days, she said, there was no food to eat.

When she was 8 years old, the family immigrated to New York City, where Peña-Melnyk was dubbed “abogadito” or “little lawyer” for helping her mother and others by translating at social services offices.

The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

Continue Reading

Popular