Parents of an 11-year-old girl have asked the Supreme Court to hear their complaint against a Massachusetts school district that secretly transitioned her to “genderqueer” — even having her work with a gender-transitioning nonprofit behind their backs.

Stephen Foote and Marissa Silvestri say the Ludlow School Committee, a Massachusetts public school system, socially transitioned their daughter “B.F.” against their wishes.

School officials at Baird Middle School in Ludlow allowed her to transition to a “genderqueer” identity, use boys’ facilities, go by a male name and use nonbinary pronouns, the parents’ complaint states.

“For more than a century, this Court has safeguarded parents’ right to make key decisions about their children’s upbringing, education, and healthcare,” their petition to the high court reads. “Petitioners seek refuge in those decisions.”

Mr. Foote and Ms. Silvestri said they became aware of the situation when a middle school teacher, who was concerned, disclosed that the school counselor had instructed staff not to disclose “B.F.’s” male name to them. That teacher was later fired.

The parents had informed the school that they had hired a therapist to counsel their daughter when they learned she was depressed and questioning her sex.

The school did not comply with their plan and even sent the student private messages to facilitate the transition, the complaint says.

A spokesperson for Ludlow School Committee, the named defendant in the dispute, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The school district has until Oct. 20 to file a response to the high court.

The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided against the parents, reasoning the school’s move to safeguard the student and create an inclusive environment did not interfere with her parents’ fundamental right to direct the upbringing of their child.

According to the parents’ filing, more than 1,000 school districts may have similar transitioning policies that keep parents in the dark.

It would take four justices to vote in favor of hearing the case for oral arguments to be granted during the court’s 2025-2026 term.

The case is Stephen Foote v. Ludlow School Committee.

• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.