Fox News Digital interviewed two Virginia parents whose kids have been accused of sexual harassment for complaining about a girl using their locker room. (Fox News/istock)
Before taking the case to federal court, Hetzler, Wolfe and Smith sought other avenues to ensure the two boys were not suspended or marked as sexual harassers on their permanent record. They sought to appeal the Loudoun County Public Schools Title IX sexual harassment investigation finding, which came after the boys were videotaped by a biological female who identified as transgender inside the boys' locker room. The video caught them outwardly complaining to each other about the fact that there was a girl using their facilities, which resulted in the boys' suspension and the district's harassment finding against them.
However, the appeal was ultimately denied by the district, so the decision was made to take the matter to federal court with the help of Trump-aligned law group America First Legal (AFL).
Meanwhile, on Friday, Judge Brinkema, for the Eastern District of Virginia, extended a temporary halt to the boys' suspension so that they could continue attending class as the case is adjudicated. But, simultaneously, Brinkema also expressed "significant weaknesses in aspects of the plaintiffs' allegations" in another ruling that same day, which ultimately required Wolfe and Smith to drum up $125,000 over the next three business days if they wanted to keep fighting the matter in court.
"Fortunately, we have an extension until Friday," Ian Prior, AFL's attorney assisting on the case, said as the Wednesday bond deadline approached, and it appeared they would not have the funds.
According to Prior, it is not entirely "atypical" for the prevailing party in a preliminary injunction to have to put up a bond. However, Prior noted, in public interest cases such as this one, bond requirements are often set very low, sometimes even at $0. Prior also said he was not aware of bonds being required to cover attorneys' fees.
Video from a locker room in Stone Bridge High School where a trans male was in a male bathroom. (Loudoun County Sheriff's Office)
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When asked about what their plans would be if they were unable to raise the full amount, Prior indicated that there were "a multitude of options" that could be taken.
"The more that the students raise, the easier it will be to post bond, even if they do not get to the full $125k," Prior told Fox News Digital. "To be clear, the case does not get dismissed without posting the bond – rather, we would lose the preliminary injunction and the suspensions would take place immediately and the findings would be put into the students' records at a time when they would likely be applying for higher education."
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/virginia-parents-crush-fundraising-goal-for-trans-locker-room-fight-after-judge-ordered-massive-bond