Missouri appeals court reinstates $4 million verdict for trans student against school district

An Appeals Court in the Western District of Missouri reinstated a jury verdict against a school district that allegedly denied a transgender person use of male restroom and locker room facilities.

John Ransom is a Lion contributor and a national political writer and editor whose work has appeared in The Epoch Times, at Townhall.com, Newsmax, the Daily Caller and IBT.

The plaintiff, who was transitioning from female to male in high school, alleged in a 2015 lawsuit that the Blue Springs School District (BSSD) denied equal access to facilities under the Missouri Human Rights Act (MHRA).

In 2022, a jury found in favor of the teen and awarded $4.2 million in damages. But the trial judge overturned the verdict, saying that the plaintiff failed to prove the charges at the hearings.

However, the appeals court cited Bostock v. Clayton County in reversing the trial judge’s decision.

Bostock is a recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that is helping President Joe Biden redefine the legal meaning of “sex” to mean gender identity.

Notably, Bostock was narrowly framed for cases of employment discrimination, not bathroom usage.

“For an employer to discriminate against employees for being homosexual or transgender, the employer must intentionally discriminate against individual men and women in part because of sex,” wrote Justice Neil Gorsuch in the Bostock text used by the appeals court to justify its decision on behalf of the plaintiff.

Critics of the Bostock decision have claimed it will be used as the thin edge of the wedge that will radically redefine gender identity into a protected class of people.

READ MORE

LIVE DEBATE: St. Charles County Executive Primary
On Tuesday, June 2nd, NewsTalkSTL will be hosting a live debate at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri at the J. Scheidegger Center for the Arts at 2300 West Clay Street. The debate will also be broadcast live on NewsTalkSTL… Read more: LIVE DEBATE: St. Charles County Executive Primary

Road to Zero Income Tax Townhall – April 30th at Lodge Des Peres
What if Missouri eliminated its income tax entirely? Find out how at the Road to Zero Income Tax Townhall — hosted by NewsTalkSTL’s own Mike Ferguson, joined by Senator Nick Schroer and Representative Ben Keathley. Come ready with your questions and get the facts on the… Read more: Road to Zero Income Tax Townhall – April 30th at Lodge Des Peres

Make Missouri Pro Life Again Banquet 2026
Missouri Right to Life, the state’s oldest and largest pro-life organization and the sole Missouri affiliate of National Right to Life, has dedicated more than 50 years to establishing Missouri as a pro-life state. As the lives of unborn children… Read more: Make Missouri Pro Life Again Banquet 2026

Officer Brandon Tatum talks pro-life with Chris and Mike
You don’t have to be political to be Pro Life, you just have to care. At Tuesday night’s Vitae Foundation event, Chris Arps and Mike Ferguson spoke with Brandon Tatum about his story and why he says compassion, faith, and… Read more: Officer Brandon Tatum talks pro-life with Chris and Mike

Angel mom shares how her daughter was severely disabled by an illegal alien
Patti Fox, Angel Mother of Carissa Aspnes, came on The Tim Jones and Chris Arps Show to share how Biden’s immigration policies failed her daughter. Carissa Aspnes was severely disabled by an illegal alien last year when an unlicensed and uninsured… Read more: Angel mom shares how her daughter was severely disabled by an illegal alien