Iowa school district paying $20K to settle gender policy lawsuit

MARION, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa school board has resolved a lawsuit over a now-rescinded district policy that let students request a gender support plan to begin socially transitioning at school, without the permission of their parents. The Gazette newspaper in Cedar Rapids reports that the Linn-Mar Community Schools’ insurance company will pay $20,000 to the plaintiffs, Parents Defending Education. The district announced the agreement Tuesday. The district adopted the policy in 2022 but later rescinded it. A new state law prohibits districts from knowingly giving “false or misleading information to a parent or guardian of their child’s gender identity or intention to transition.”