An organization that supports the rights of parents of children in public schools was able to host a free after-school event at Vergennes Union Middle School and High School in Vermont featuring Walt Heyer discussing gender ideology and sex education in the schools, even though school district officials had tried to cancel the event. 

The Parents’ Rights in Education organization reached out to Liberty Counsel when the Addison Northwest School District first approved the June 20 event, “‘Transgender’ Care - Helpful or Harmful,” but then claimed district facilities were not available to host the event. 

Parents in Addison Northwest School District previously contacted Liberty Counsel because the district had refused to respect parental rights. School officials had denied multiple parental requests to opt their children out of certain portions of the Comprehensive Sex Education instruction which was inconsistent with their religious and moral beliefs. However, parents have the fundamental right to direct their children’s education and those parental rights are protected by the U.S. Constitution and Vermont law.

On June 18, 2023, Liberty Counsel sent a letter to school officials after the Parents’ Rights in Education organization rented a space on school property for the event but detractors called for cancellation based on the viewpoint of event speakers. The school district also falsely claimed that space was not available but then recanted when event organizers noted space was available. The district also refused to announce the event via bulletin board postings and email distribution despite District Policy E21 which requires equal promotion for events on school property. 

School officials then claimed a lack of “adequate” insurance for the event and threatened cancellation unless insurance proof was provided by 9:00 a.m. the next day (the day of the event). However, Liberty Counsel noted in the second letter that the “insurance” claims appeared pretextual and were inconsistent with a simple speaking event. 

As a result of Liberty Counsel informing school officials about the parents’ legal rights to host the after-school event, “’Transgender’ Care - Helpful or Harmful” occurred on June 20 at Vergennes Union Middle and High School. The information was helpful to parents and students. In fact, some youth who originally attended to protest the event based on misrepresentations sat quietly and respectfully listened to the featured speaker, Walt Heyer, share his life story. 

Walt Heyer, who previously struggled with gender confusion due to sexual abuse as a child, was the featured speaker. Many years ago, Walt took hormones and underwent surgery to attempt to live as a female for eight years. However, he eventually realized that altering his physical appearance did not solve his underlying issues or change the immutable fact of his true identity as a male. Now Walt has been happily married to a woman for many years and he regularly helps others who are struggling with regret after undergoing medical mutilation. 

Walt’s presentation at the event included how the majority of gender-distressed children naturally grow to accept their biological sex; how “affirming” children in social transition, including false names and pronouns is harmful; the devastating, permanent effects of mutilating surgeries; how the real message to children now is “something is wrong with who you are;” and how to be a true ally through truth and compassion to those struggling with gender confusion. 

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, “Parents have the fundamental right to direct the education and well-being of their children. The First Amendment protects the right to speak and use public facilities for expressive activity that are generally open to the public. The First Amendment prohibits viewpoint discrimination.”