(Dec. 9, 2025): Fox News reports on Southeastern Legal Foundation’s (SLF) new lawsuit challenging Letitia James and other New York education officials over their overt attempts to censor and silence concerned parents, students, and school board members in the state. Representing two parents and two school board members, SLF argues that James violated the First Amendment when she threatened in a guidance letter to remove school board members from office if they allow debate on transgender issues by letting students express their fears of sharing a bathroom with someone of the opposite sex or by “misgendering” someone during a board meeting.

Plaintiff Kerry Wachter, a parent and president of the Massapequa School Board, says, “They’re saying if we allow this discussion in our board meetings, she can come in and remove us from the board. They want me to stop public comment and stop them from speaking.”

SLF President Kim Hermann adds, “They’re not saying you can’t talk about this topic, they’re saying that nobody can speak out say in favor of biological sex. If a transgender activist or an LGBTQ activist [stand up] and say ‘boys need to be in girls’ sports, we need to have boys in girls’ locker rooms, these people are awful,’ they can say anything they want… but anyone who disagrees with them can not speak at these meetings anymore.”

The letter was issued by James and educational officials in May 2025, as many school boards across the State of New York and the country are engaging in policy discussions and debates about transgenderism and gender identity in sports, locker rooms, bathrooms, and curriculum. It warns that if anyone seems to be “attacking” or “demeaning” individuals on the basis of their gender identity, school board members must shut them down or face consequences. “When they’re threatening the removal of dually-elected school board members for simply allowing public debate, that’s a blatant violation of the First Amendment,” says Hermann.

Read the full article at FoxNews.com.