The News: WILL, the Liberty Justice Center, and Dr. Erica Anderson, PhD, filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit supporting two Florida parents who say their local public school kept them in the dark about important conversations with their child regarding gender identity.
The Quotes: WILL Deputy Counsel Luke Berg, stated, “It’s up to the parents to raise their child, not school staff. When a major decision-point arises—like whether school faculty treat a minor child as the opposite sex—schools must defer to parents. Unfortunately, this school has left these parents in the dark, violating their constitutionally protected rights.”
“For too long school districts have been hiding important information about life-changing events from children’s own parents,” said Emily Rae, Senior Counsel at the Liberty Justice Center. “We stand with parents across the country who simply want courts to uphold their constitutionally protected right to parent—to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children.”
Additional Background: The case centers on January and Jeffrey Littlejohn, parents in Leon County, Florida, who allege that school officials met privately with their child about using a new name and pronouns, and did not inform or involve them as parents. The family believes this violated their right to be involved in major decisions affecting their child’s well-being.
The amicus brief filed by WILL, the Liberty Justice Center, and Dr. Anderson explains why parents should be kept informed and included when schools address sensitive issues with their children. The brief urges the full court to reconsider the decision and to recognize the vital role parents play in their children’s lives.
Dr. Erica Anderson, PhD, is a clinical psychologist practicing in Minnesota and California. She received a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1978. She has been actively working as a clinical psychologist for over 40 years. Her work has focused primarily on children and adolescents dealing with gender-identity related issues.
Read more:
Amicus Brief, April 2025
