New Hampshire School District Settles Lawsuit Over Parental Free Speech Rights

A New Hampshire school district has reached a legal settlement with parents who were barred from wearing wristbands expressing opposition to the inclusion of trans-identified males in girls' sports. The dispute began in September 2024, when parents at a Bow School District soccer game were ordered to remove pink wristbands featuring the “XX” symbol. One parent, Kyle Fellers, was subsequently banned from attending his daughter’s remaining senior games for refusing to comply with the directive.

A court order issued in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire affirmed that the parents possessed a First Amendment right to silently wear the wristbands on school property. The court ruled that the district violated these rights by attempting to suppress the parents' expression of their views. As part of the settlement, the district will pay $275,000 in attorneys’ fees to the legal teams representing the plaintiffs.

Legal representatives for the parents stated that the judgment serves as a reminder that school officials cannot silence public debate on school grounds. The plaintiffs expressed that the resolution validates their right to peacefully advocate for their beliefs regarding biological women's sports.