- Littlejohn’s lawsuit, which was dismissed by a federal judge, alleged the school district violated her parental rights by discussing bathroom preferences and name changes with her daughter without her consent.
- The case drew national attention and fueled support for Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Act, known by critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” law.
- Littlejohn, invited by First Lady Melania Trump, is the only Florida resident on her list.
January Littlejohn, the Tallahassee mother who sued the Leon County School Board for allegedly allowing her 13-year-old daughter to transition without her consent, will be a special guest of the first lady at the president’s speech to a joint session of Congress in Washington D.C.
According to a press release from the White House, Littlejohn and 14 other guests were invited by President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to represent to what Trump calls the “disaster” faced under the Biden administration.
Littlejohn is a stay-at-home mom, a licensed mental health counselor and an active parents’ advocate. She is often associated with Moms for Liberty; the conservative organization that advocates for parental rights.
Her lawsuit against the Leon County School Board ignited a firestorm among Florida’s GOP lawmakers and with Gov. Ron DeSantis, who passed the Parental Rights in Education Act, dubbed “Don’t Say Gay” by its critics. The governor even commended Littlejohn for her bravery in speaking out during the bill signing.
“What happened to our family is one of the many reasons why this bill is necessary,” Littlejohn said at the press conference with the governor.
The suit alleged the district discussed restroom preferences and name changes without permission from the parents after they told a teacher they did not agree to those changes and wanted their daughter’s pronouns to remain those assigned at birth.
Previous coverage:Lawsuit against Leon Schools says district excluded parents from gender discussions
School officials spoke to the student in the fall of 2020 about bathroom preferences and pronouns after the student asked for the meeting. At the time, the district’s LGBTQ+ guide stated parents did not have to be told about a child’s gender or sexual identity. The guide has since been changed, which was one of the stipulations of the lawsuit against the district.
The White House press release maintains the school district “drove a wedge” between the family with their “covert plans,” something school administrators deny.
Despite the national attention the 2021 case received, a federal judge dismissed her case in January of 2023, citing that the suit’s claims didn’t meet the high standard that federal case law requires.
“I personally met with the parents before this lawsuit was filed, and before the passage of the Parental Bill of Rights, and felt as though we had reached an amicable resolution,” Superintendent Rocky Hanna said after the case was dismissed. “Unfortunately, this unnecessary lawsuit has now cost our school district — and ultimately taxpayers — thousands of dollars that otherwise would have gone to support the education of our children.”
The firm representing Littlejohn appealed the decision, which is currently pending.
Littlejohn is the only Floridian on the special guest list.
Other invitees include a 15-year-old from Texas who was bullied over social media, the widow of a New York police officer who was killed at a traffic stop, and the mother and sister of Laken Riley, a young female nursing student who was killed on a morning jog.
Alaijah Brown covers children & families for the Tallahassee Democrat. She can be reached at[email protected]. Follow her on Twitter/X:@AlaijahBrown3.
