NORMAL, Ill. (WMBD) — A federal lawsuit involving a transgender girl and the largest school district in McLean County could go to trial next year.
The suit, which alleges civil rights violations, was was filed by the girl’s mother, on behalf of her 15-year-old daughter who attended Chiddix Junior High School in 2024. It was filed after the girl was bullied verbally and online, and later physically injured and needed medical attention.
In the 23-page suit, the girl’s mother claims Unit 5 officials did not follow through with promises to update the child’s name, gender identity, and pronouns in the school system, even after they signed a document to amend those items.
The district was to keep her former name confidential, but still issued her an email address with that name at the start of the school year.
The girl’s mother claims in the lawsuit that after multiple meetings with Chiddix staff regarding the bullying, they did nothing to stop it. She claims she showed district officials a social media account that had slurs aimed at her daughter. Nothing was done, she said in the suit.
In an emailed statement, the district denied wrongdoing.
“We strongly deny the allegations in the complaint and are asserting affirmative defenses,” the statement said.
Named as defendants are the district, the school board, the district’s head of diversity and inclusion, Krystal Shelvin, and Mariana Nicasio, Chiddix’s principal, who recently announced her retirement from the school at the end of the year.
The suit seeks unspecified monetary damages as court costs and fees. Evidence is to be completed next summer, and a trial date will be set later.
It was initially filed in McLean County Circuit Court in December 2025, but it was moved to federal court the following month. It was moved due to the allegations — a violation of Title IX of the federal Education Amendments Act, as well as civil rights issues — are matters of federal, not state law.
There are allegations of state law violations, such as the Illinois Human Rights Act and the Illinois Civil Rights Remedies Restoration Act, but those can fall within the jurisdiction of the federal court as they mirror some of the claims within the 23-page suit.
In a court document filed in February, the district denied the allegations and filed three “affirmative defenses,” which is legalese for saying why they think their actions were justified.
First, they argued the actions were not due to a Unit 5 policy and as such, the district wasn’t liable. Second, they argued the district wasn’t indifferent but rather, investigated and took action when they felt it was appropriate. Third, the district said, one of the alleged state law violations didn’t pertain to this case.
WMBD TV first reported this story. You can read the original story online at CIProud.com.
