Five-year-old boy from Brooklyn named Leo decided for myself that the dress is the best clothing for him, and he wants to play with dolls. In addition, the kid has long hair, loves everything pink and sparkly, makes a girlie tattoo, which looks more like a girl. Despite their preferences, the kid has not encountered any particular public condemnation and resistance. And all this lasted, until… he went to kindergarten and then to school. Now Leo’s parents are embroiled in a lawsuit that was not wanted originally.
Last week, Danielle Super , and Michael Davis, in conjunction with the new York Commission on human rights filed a lawsuit to the Department of education. The document says that public school No. 107 in Park Slope has created a hostile environment for their son and violating his rights. School officials told the boy’s mother that the suspect parents of abuse children after Leo made a very strange comment about his genitals. One of the parents of a classmate, Leo accidentally became a witness of the story of the boy about how someone is «drinking from his penis». On the question of what is meant by the boy, he said that meant that the parents eat his feces. The parents immediately reported the conversation to the teacher, and that of the school administration. The administration reported the incident to the police, what was the cause of the night visit from the police to parents Leo home.
The Department of education claims that the actions of school staff is absolutely true, they are obliged to report any suspicion of the mistreatment of a child. However, the family claims that the boy is a children’s joke, nothing more.
«They have distorted an innocent comment, turning it into a false statement, because they were very uncomfortable with us, as a family,» said Daniel Super.
After 2 months of investigation, the suspicions against the parents of Leo was found to be unsubstantiated, but the data on the basis of a complaint will be kept on file for 10 years.
Before Leo began to attend school number 107, his parents advised his classmates, their parents and teachers to read a few books on gender expression, which, in their opinion, was to help a deeper understanding of the boy. The parents insisted that the books be read in class, but their request was not taken into account. Classmates did not understand the boy and didn’t know how to address him, as to call him «he» or «she.» They did not understand his appearance and why he visits the toilet for boys. In the end, Leo hated school.
Parents do not think the child is transgender, claiming that he’s a boy. The school that raises many questions. Parents tried to transfer the child to another school, but there it have not accepted, referring to the wrong area. In the end, in the middle of the school year, the boy was transferred to a private institution.
Leo’s parents said that he had filed a lawsuit because they feel that their rights have been violated unreasonably. According to the lawyer of the family, now even being recognized innocent, Daniel Super on the question of whether it was charged in the brutal treatment of children, will be forced to answer «Yes» and it’s not fair.
