Court Dismisses Lawsuit Challenging LGBTQ Protections

\Hate merchant Andrea Lafferty

Speaking of special rights for Christofascist, that cause took a major hit yesterday when a Fairfax County Circuit Court dismissed a lawsuit brought by the hate group Traditional Values Coalition, and an unnamed student that challenged the Fairfax County School Board's adoption of policies to ban discrimination against gay and transgender students and staff.  The alleged basis for the lawsuit was the claim that Virginia's existing state law does not include such protections, but the real reason for the lawsuit was outrage over anything that restricted the ability of of Christian extremists to bully and denigrate LGBT individuals.  First and last, these people are self-centered and care nothing for the rights of others.  The Washington Post looks at the development.  Note that Lafferty - who has made a very comfortable living peddling hatred - is represented by the always foul Mat Staver and his hate group, Liberty Counsel. Here are highlights:

A Virginia judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit that sought to overturn protections for gay and transgender students in Fairfax County Public Schools.

Andrea Lafferty, the head of the conservative Traditional Values Coalition, and an unnamed student sued the county school board in December in Fairfax County Circuit Court. The lawsuit argued that the board overstepped its authority when it changed its policies to ban discrimination against gay and transgender students and staff because state law does not include such protections. The student said he was “terrified at the thought of having to share intimate spaces with students who have the physical features of a girl, seeing such conduct as an invasion of privacy.”

“We’re very pleased with the Circuit Court of Fairfax County’s decision today to dismiss the lawsuit brought against the School Board by Ms. Lafferty and the other plaintiffs,” said School Board Chairman Pat Hynes (Hunter Mill). “The School Board remains committed to ensuring that all of our students and employees are treated fairly and with dignity and respect.”

Lafferty, reached by phone Friday, said she planned to appeal the dismissal, but referred further comment on the matter to her lawyer. Mat Staver of the Liberty Counsel, which is representing the student and Lafferty, said the judge dismissed the suit because he said his clients lacked standing.

The Fairfax County School Board voted to change its nondiscrimination policy to include gay students and staff in December 2014. Six months later, the board expanded the policy to bar discrimination based on “gender identity” despite vocal opposition from Lafferty and some parents in the district.

If the case is appealed and goes to the Virginia Supreme Court, I have no confidence that the gutless wonders on the Court will rule to appease Christofascists.  It is after all, the Court that twice ruled to uphold bans on interracial marriage before the U.S. Supreme Court struck down such bans in Loving v. Virginia.