Portland Public Schools has rescinded its trespass order against Allison Roberts, an Oregon mother who sued the district after voicing concerns about its gender curriculum and speech policies. The legal group representing Roberts, the Liberty Justice Center, announced the development, noting the district agreed to several concessions.
Roberts filed a lawsuit against Portland Public Schools after she expressed objections last year to Meriwether Lewis Elementary School’s decision to alter its traditional rainbow pride flag to an “Intersex-Inclusive Progress” variant, intended to include support for racial inclusion and transgender rights. She also discovered an “identity flower” assignment that asked her 11-year-old child to identify and discuss their gender identity with classmates and teachers.
Following an unsatisfactory response from the school, Roberts distributed an open letter on a public sidewalk outside school property, criticizing the district’s policies. Portland Public Schools then accused Roberts of “harassment, intimidation and threatening behavior” and issued her a one-year trespass order, barring her from school events, including her child's graduation.
According to the Liberty Justice Center, the district agreed to rescind the ban and exempt Roberts’ children from certain LGBTQ2SIA+-related curriculum requirements prior to a scheduled hearing on Roberts’ motion for a preliminary injunction. The district also agreed to review its nondiscrimination and anti-harassment policy.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, Portland Public Schools confirmed the trespass notice would be rescinded in mid-November, stating, “PPS has and will continue to comply with all laws that serve and protect children.”
Timothy Snowball, lead attorney for the Liberty Justice Center’s PARENTS Initiative, characterized the concessions as a victory, suggesting the school district recognized the unconstitutional nature of its actions. "Just goes to show that the students aren’t the only ones in Portland who need an education on basic civics,” Snowball said.
Another hearing is scheduled for December 1, focusing on district policies that Snowball claims permit teachers to withhold information from parents. "But the fight is not over. The district continues to defend policies that allow school officials, under certain circumstances, to withhold important information from parents about their own children," he stated.
Roberts previously expressed that she had received significant support for her legal actions, stating, “It has been heartening to see the outpouring of support from my local Portland community and from parents and grandparents across the country.” She added, “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.”