Moms for Liberty v. School District of the Chathams Board of Education

Moms for Liberty, a national organization that defends parental rights at every level of government, represents member parents whose two young daughters attend elementary school in the School District of the Chathams in Morris County, New Jersey. With Thomas More Society as counsel, the group sued the district's Board of Education over a secret gender transition policy. In October 2026, the board voted 7–0 to abandon that policy for good and to honor the parental rights the U.S. Supreme Court recognized in Mirabelli v. Bonta.

The Chathams secret gender transition policy

In January 2024, the board adopted Policy 5145.7, which told parents that the state's Commissioner of Education directs districts to accept a student's asserted gender identity regardless of parental consent. No such directive exists. Under the policy, a school counselor held sole discretion over whether a child's asserted transition was hidden from the child's parents. The district could alter school records, grant access to restrooms, locker rooms, and changing facilities by gender identity, and refer children to outside organizations, all without parental notice. Other students risked discipline up to expulsion for a single refusal to use a classmate's chosen name and pronouns, even in speech away from school.

Mirabelli v. Bonta and the board's refusal

In Mirabelli v. Bonta, won by Thomas More Society, the Supreme Court held that school policies fostering the gender transition of children in secrecy from their parents substantially interfere with the right of parents to guide their children's religious development. The Chathams district was informed of that ruling and asked to rescind its policy, but no reply came. On June 15, 2026, Board President Ann Ciccarelli told the public that Mirabelli is not binding on New Jersey school districts.

The New Jersey parental rights lawsuit

Thomas More Society filed suit on August 26, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey. The complaint asked the court to strike the policy down and require parental notice and consent before any social transition takes place. The parents remain anonymous because of the harassment they faced for opposing the policy.

The settlement

The Board of Education approved a settlement 7–0 on October 12, 2026, and the case was dismissed with prejudice on October 15. Under the agreement, the board:

• Will not readopt Policy 5145.7 or any derivative policy unless the law requires it on terms consistent with Supreme Court precedent
• Will honor parents' First and Fourteenth Amendment rights under Mirabelli v. Bonta, Mahmoud v. Taylor, and Wisconsin v. Yoder
• Will give every current and future district employee a copy of the agreement