Allison Roberts, a Portland, Oregon, mother, filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Portland Public Schools and Meriwether Lewis Elementary School, alleging officials retaliated against her after she objected to the school’s gender-related curriculum and policies.
The Liberty Justice Center, which is representing Roberts, said her concerns began last year when the elementary school replaced its traditional rainbow pride flag with an “Intersex-Inclusive Progress” version, a design the group said was intended to signal support for racial and transgender ideology.
Roberts, who said she supported “being immersed” in Portland’s gay community, nevertheless viewed the updated flag as “an overtly political symbol” that advanced values she believes conflict with her Christian faith, particularly because of its message on transgender issues.
Before taking further action, Roberts said she learned that her 11-year-old child had received an “identity flower” classroom assignment asking students to identify and discuss their gender identity with classmates and teachers.
Roberts alleged she was not notified in advance about the assignment and sought a meeting with the school principal. After what she considered an inadequate response from the school, she drafted an open letter criticizing the policies and handed it out on a public sidewalk outside school grounds.
The lawsuit says Roberts was later given a one-year trespass order following a heated interaction with another parent, preventing her from attending school events, including her child’s graduation ceremony. When she asked for an explanation, Roberts was reportedly told the order stemmed from “harassment, intimidation, and threatening behavior” and was part of a pattern of “animus and harassment targeting vulnerable members of [the] community.”
The Liberty Justice Center contends that school officials violated Roberts’ First and Fourteenth Amendment rights by suppressing and retaliating against her criticism of school policies. The group is asking a federal court to declare the school’s actions unconstitutional and to block enforcement of the policies directed at Roberts.
Portland Public Schools declined to comment to Fox News Digital, citing the pending litigation.
Timothy R. Snowball, senior counsel at Liberty Justice Center, told Fox News Digital that the organization also aims to have an injunction issued against the school’s current harassment policy to prevent other situations like Roberts’ in the future.
“Our next step in the case will be filing a motion for a preliminary injunction to put a stop to these unconstitutional policies while the case moves forward. This motion will help protect not only Allison’s rights, but all affected families in Portland,” Snowball said.
Roberts also told Fox News Digital that she has received widespread support for her efforts.
“It has been heartening to see the outpouring of support from my local Portland community, and from parents and grandparents across the country,” she said. “I never wanted things to get to this point. But knowing that I’m fighting this battle not just for my family, but for millions of American families, reassures me that bringing this suit is the right thing to do.”
