A troubling story out of Colorado reminds us just how far some school districts have strayed from their duty to protect children and respect parents. Four families are now suing Jefferson County Public Schools after their children were placed in overnight sleeping arrangements with students of the opposite sex — and the parents were never told.
Joe and Serena Wailes were shocked to learn that their 11-year-old daughter, on a school-sponsored trip, had been made to share a bed with a male student who identifies as female. That’s right — a boy, simply calling himself a girl, was placed in the same bed as their daughter. This wasn’t an accident. It was the result of a policy that quietly assigns sleeping arrangements based on gender identity, not biological sex.
The school district had told parents that boys and girls would be housed on separate floors. But what the district didn’t say is that they had changed the definition of “boy” and “girl” to match whatever gender a student claims to be. So parents believed their daughters would be safe, only to find out later that boys were being placed in the same sleeping quarters.
This is not just a mistake. It’s a betrayal. Parents trust schools with their children. That trust depends on honesty and transparency. But here, the district kept parents in the dark, violating their right to protect their children’s privacy and safety.
The Wailes family isn’t alone. Bret and Susanne Roller found out that their young son had a girl in his cabin who was also tasked with monitoring showers. Rob and Jade Perlman, whose daughter had already been sexually harassed in middle school, were horrified at the idea that she could be roomed with a boy again — all without their knowledge.
These families are now asking the U.S. Court of Appeals to stop the district from continuing this dangerous practice. According to the legal team at Alliance Defending Freedom, the policy violates parental rights, bodily privacy, and even religious freedom. And they are absolutely right.
The Constitution does not give schools the power to override a parent’s role in raising and protecting their child. In fact, the Supreme Court has long recognized that parents — not the state — have the primary responsibility for the care, custody, and control of their children. That includes knowing where their children sleep and with whom.
Let’s be clear: no little girl should ever be forced to share a bed with a boy, no matter what he calls himself. That’s not compassion. That’s confusion. And it puts children at risk.
What’s worse is that the school district claims it offers accommodation to all students. But when parents asked for sex-based accommodations — to make sure boys and girls were housed separately — those requests were denied. So it seems the only “accommodations” that count are the ones that match the district’s political agenda.
This case is about more than just one school trip. It’s about whether families still have the right to raise their children according to truth and common sense. It’s about whether schools must be honest with parents. And it’s about whether we still believe that biology matters.
Those who push radical gender policies in schools often say they’re doing it to protect children. But protecting children means keeping them safe — not putting them in situations where their privacy, dignity, and innocence are compromised.
In truth, the district failed all the children involved. Girls were forced into uncomfortable and private spaces with boys. Boys were given false ideas about what identity means. And parents were left in the dark.
We applaud the families who are standing up and fighting back. The Constitution is on their side. The truth is on their side. And with enough courage, justice will be too.
