Equal Protection Essay

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Somerset County School Board v. C.C., by his next friend and mother, Sandra Cortex.
This is a case that was presented by Sandra, mother to Chris against the Somerset County School Board. This is after the parents of the school were against Chris using the restrooms for males as a boy. Chris is a child born with a disability of transgender. At birth, Chris is identified as a lady. With time, the male hormones were dominant, therefore calling for hormone therapy which was done unto him, and he is finally recognized as a male. In the year 2016, Chris together with his mother met the principal and the guidance and counseling council of Somerset high school together they discussed on the case of Chris and the board agreed to allow him to come and join the school as a male student. Therefore, they allocated him the male restrooms where he stayed for quite a time before conflicts arose.
The parents of Somerset learned of Chris and raised a concern to the board of managers as to why a girl child was allowed to use a male’s restroom. Therefore, they demanded that the child could be relocated to the restrooms that are for ladies since that is the birth gender that Chris was identified with. This led to a board meeting where many parents were concerned of the comfortability of their children. Other parents raised concerns that decreed that Chris went to the male bathrooms to peep on the male in their bathing rooms. This seemed like a speech of belittling the boy child who had an issue with his gender at birth.

From the complaints that were presented, the school board had to come up with a strategy whereby privacy of each child in the institution was catered for. Therefore, private bathing rooms were set up. This policy also satisfied for the restrooms. The school authorized that male and female restrooms were given out according to one’s designated gender in birth. Also, it gave room to those students who were not comfortable with the rooms they were allocated. Such cases as for Chris were given private rooms which could keep students of the same gender stay in the same restroom, and also they used the same washrooms and even bathing rooms. For the case of transgender, the school was ensuring that they offer Chris the required privacy of his general reproductive system. This was essential to ensure that nobody discriminates him among the students. Also, it was to provide that he is comfortable with his nature. As much as the court looked on the issue to be positive as the school handled it, judge Curstie had it that it was not an administrative way of bringing about solutions considering the number of students who were affected. Also, Curstie emphasized that the court was not approving the policy of the school. Somewhat, she realized that the community was on a debate on how to treat and relate to the transgender children. According to the constitution, there is nowhere it mentions in the way these children should be handled. Also, it is against the law to rule on matters that concern the community, and they are going on with the debates to solve out the issues. Therefore, the local school boards had the mandate to go for what suits their children and they are held accountable for any step that they take, and they think it is more applicable. Thus, a group of people in the school board are called to hold a consensus from which they would determine the best solution which they all agree to be suitable, and it could work in favor of all children. They also looked at the protection measures and the extent to which security was needed.
After a review of the case, the Circuit of the Court of Appeal agreed with Cortez. Judge Reinholdt saw it better since the case felt with sexual differences and since many transgenders are quickly put to prejudice, then they could listen unto the arguments, and the court could come up with the best solution for the case. From his view, he questioned on the biological difference that brought about the conclusion of the gender of the child. From the briefs of medical details he was given, many were detailed that sex revealed neuro-biologically, not only differences in the chromosomes. Therefore, he ruled claiming that the court was not confined to only the scientific argument but also Chris had been banished in his status, hence depriving of equal protection about his instincts. From the views of the community, it had shown disapproval of a non-continuous yet deep individual character that could either be changed or unchanged at a personal cost. Judge Reinholdt allowed the claims of privacy since they had some significance though he argued that the raised concerns were if a distinct character rather than a transgender student. From his argument separation within a school encouraged the development of a social stigma among the students affected, and the other students could be uncomfortable staying with the transgender students.
According to the 14th amendment, it is put in action to protect the people from ungrounded fears which may be dwelling within the community with respect to the people who have different issues. Therefore, considering this rule, separation in the school could bring about more harm to the students rather than good. Many of the students could develop a negative attitude toward relating with the fellow transgender student. Also, some could fear him and tend to avoid him by all means. Chris could be affected more by his health. He was depressed since he had no friend to share with. Also, he saw himself as an outcast since none of the students were ready to relate and accommodate him the way he was.
Therefore, the Supreme Court was in agreement with the case that was brought on appeal. It then ruled that felicitous level of diagnosis be done when the medical personnel is giving out details of children. This was appropriate to ensure that equal protection is offered to children who are born as transgendered. Also, from the court, it was clear that the restroom policy laid in the school violated the 14th amendment’s protection clause. Therefore, the school had to review its rules. This was to ensure that Chris was comfortable in school and could relate to all other students equally. He should not be separated from the rest of the members. Hence, from the court’s ruling, Chris was not a female as previously diagnosed from the hospital but a male. He was to receive equal respect from the society and even in school. He was required to live in harmony with all who were around him as a male.

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