Palisades Charter High School (Image: Getty Images North America)
The parents of a transgender student who died by suicide are suing a California school, alleging staff kept their child’s gender identity secret from the family and contributed to a breakdown in their relationship. Dylan Parke died in March 2024 at the age of 19. Their parents, Kathleen Mulligan and Andrew Parke, have filed a lawsuit against Palisades Charter High School claiming school staff withheld information about their child’s gender identity.
According to the legal complaint, Parke told teachers during the 2019–2020 school year that they were transgender and wished to go by the name Aria while at school. The filing states they were allowed to socially transition within the school environment and were listed under that name in the school yearbook.
READ MORE: NHS poised to stop giving hormones to transgender kids
READ MORE: Tourist brutally robbed by women he booted from bedroom for being transgender
The lawsuit alleges the parents were not informed about the change (Image: Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The lawsuit alleges the parents were not informed about the change, despite staff being aware of it.
Mulligan and Parke argue that the school’s actions weakened their relationship with their child and prevented them from providing support during a critical period in their life. The complaint claims this secrecy “weakened and severed the parent-child relationship” and contributed to emotional distress within the family.
Court documents say Parke had previously struggled with depression and was autistic. Their parents say they were concerned about their wellbeing and attempted to communicate with school staff about their mental health.
The filing includes an email sent by Mulligan to a school employee in August 2020 in which she expressed concern that her child might be struggling and said she wanted what was best for them.
According to the complaint, Parke had spoken with a school counsellor, Elva Pouya, about coming out publicly and requested that their parents not be informed.
The lawsuit alleges that the counsellor praised Parke’s honesty and later connected them with an individual who ran a student transgender support club at the school. The filing also claims Parke was told they could change their name within the school system without parental permission.
The parents further allege that school staff helped connect Parke with third-party LGBT+ resources, including youth housing services, without informing them.
They argue the school’s policies allowed staff to decide whether to disclose a student’s gender identity to parents. The lawsuit claims the policy lacked safeguards and ultimately isolated their child rather than providing support.
The legal case also highlights broader debates over school policies regarding student gender identity and parental notification.
In 2024, California passed legislation allowing schools to withhold information about a student’s gender identity from parents without the student’s consent. The law was later blocked by a federal judge.
In a statement, the Los Angeles Unified School District said it does not comment on ongoing legal proceedings.
The case is expected to examine how schools balance student privacy with parental involvement when dealing with sensitive issues such as gender identity and mental health.
**Whatever you’re going through, you can call the Samaritans free at any time from any phone on 116 123. Lines are open 24 hours a day. You can also email **jo@samaritans.org