Providence, RI – Last evening, the Law Centre at the RI Center for Freedom & Prosperity filed a complaint in Rhode Island Superior Court against Angelica Infante-Green in her capacity as Commissioner of the Rhode Island Department of Education, seeking to strike down the Commissioner’s 2018 Regulation 200-RICR-30-10-1, dealing with gender identity.
The complaint also includes a motion for a preliminary injunction, petitioning the Court to immediately “bar enforcement” of the regulation.
On February 13, the Law Centre filed a legal letter requesting RIDE to repeal the regulation, claiming it “has no basis in state law and is contrary to federal law.” A subsequent letter from RIDE denied the request. Yesterday’s Superior Court filing is the prescribed next step in the appeals process.
The complaint lists “Jane Doe” as plaintiff, whose tragic story can only be attributed to the misguided policies and egregious actions of her daughter’s public school district, which were based on the RIDE regulation in question as well as RIDE’s guidance on trans-gender issues.
According to the complaint, “Unknown to Plaintiff, her daughter (as an 8th-grader) began to socially transition to a boy at school, with the help of school personnel.”
Because of RIDE’s guidance and polices, the complaint further states that “school personnel felt emboldened and compelled to encourage the daughter’s social transition, and to hide this fact from Plaintiff.”
Two years later, in the spring of 2024, as a 10th grader, the daughter attempted to commit suicide. Only then did the mother, Jane Doe, learn of her child’s multi-year transition.
“It can no longer be denied that these non-science based transgender policies have caused actual harm to actual people,” commented Mike Stenhouse, CEO for the Center. “Our attorneys have blown away the argument that aiding in a minor’s transition is somehow beneficial to students and their families.”
The school district continues to keep secrets from Plaintiff, as it has subsequently refused to turn over the medical records of the daughter, a minor, despite an official release signed by her mother and legal guardian. A separate complaint was filed this past Friday with RIDE seeking the records that the daughter’s mother is legally entitled to.
According to the Superior Court complaint, “Plaintiff has suffered and continues to suffer harm,” as a direct result of the Commissioner of Education’s interpretation and enactment of RIDE’s regulations and guidance.
Further details of Plaintiff’s story are expected to be publicized in the coming days, including how she lost her school district job as a result of her daughter’s secret transition.
There are two primary legal arguments detailed in the Superior Court complaint. First, that RIDE purposefully miscited state law to justify its 2018 regulation, therefore “there is no (state) statutory basis” for it. Second, that current RIDE and school district policies regarding trans-gender students is a violation of current federal law and Title IX regulations.
The complaint was filed by attorney Gregory Piccirilli, who is a member of the Law Centre sub-committee of the Board of Directors for the RI Center for Freedom of Prosperity. He, along with sub-committee chair, Giovanni Cicione, and fellow member, attorney Susan McGee Cienki, are available for media interviews, upon request.
