Nonbinary student sues Michigan school district for allegedly ignoring years of reported bullyinghttps://www.advocate.com/news/nonbinary-kalamazoo-school-lawsuit 🔗Gisselle Palomera (4 March 2026)
A nonbinary student in Michigan is suing their school district in federal court for what they say is a failure to stop continued harassment. According to filings with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, the high school student known as Jane Doe is suing the Kalamazoo Public School District for gender-based discrimination.
The Loy Norrix High School student says the school district did nothing to protect them or investigate claims they were being assaulted and harassed in 2023, when they were 14 years old.
Case documents indicate that the assault and harassment began in April 2023, when several Loy Norris students participated in a Snapchat conversation where they made hateful remarks about Doe's appearance and perceived gender, describing them as "manly."
Doe reported the gender-based harassment to school staff, but nothing was done in response. The complaint alleges that on various occasions, the student reported the harassment to a security guard who told them to "mind their own business," and that they would be "fine."
Shortly after, according to the complaint, Doe stepped into the girls' locker room and was tripped and attacked by their classmates. One student allegedly filmed them while they were undressing down to their bra, and the video was shared among classmates.
The lawsuit names several school staff who allegedly did nothing in response to the reported abuse and harassment.
