A Portland mother is seeking an emergency order from a federal court to regain access to her children's school and to challenge Portland Public Schools' policy of keeping student gender transitions confidential from parents. The case raises questions about the balance between parental rights, free speech, and school policies regarding LGBTQ+ issues.

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Allison Roberts, the mother at the center of the dispute, is represented by attorney Timothy Snowball of the Liberty Justice Center. Roberts filed a lawsuit against the district after she was issued a trespass order that barred her from entering Meriwether Lewis Elementary School, where her three children are enrolled. According to Roberts, the exclusion followed her objections to a “Progress Pride” flag painted on school property and a gender identity lesson presented to her son.

Roberts alleges that she was not permitted to speak at a Parent-Teacher Association meeting to express her concerns. In response, she distributed pamphlets outside the school, which led to a heated exchange with another parent. Following this incident, the school issued a trespass order against her. The order prevented her from attending her son’s elementary school graduation and has continued to restrict her involvement in her children’s school activities.

Emergency Injunction Request

Last week, Roberts filed a request with the U.S. District Court in Oregon for a preliminary injunction. The injunction seeks several forms of relief: restoring her access to school grounds, revoking public statements made about her character, and requiring the district to notify her of and allow her to opt her children out of LGBTQ+ curricula that contradict her beliefs. Additionally, the injunction asks the court to suspend the district’s policy of not informing parents if their children announce a gender transition at school. Roberts is also seeking to have these protections extended to other parents who may have similar concerns.

Her attorney, Timothy Snowball, argued that the district accused Roberts of “hate speech” because of her objections. Snowball emphasized the importance of free speech protections, stating, “The First Amendment frankly exists to protect offensive and unpopular speech. There’s no Portland exception to the Constitution.”

Roberts herself said her motivation for pursuing the lawsuit is to defend parental rights and free expression. “Every parent has the freedom to speak up. That is exactly why I’m pursuing this,” she said.

Portland Public Schools has not yet responded to the emergency motion. According to Roberts’ attorney, the district’s response is due by Sept. 8. After that deadline, both parties will have the opportunity to submit additional briefs before a federal judge decides whether to grant temporary relief while the lawsuit proceeds.

Roberts’ legal team has cited the Supreme Court’s decision in Mirabelli v. Bonta (2026) as relevant precedent. In that case, the Court upheld an injunction against a California policy that required school staff to keep a student’s transgender identity secret from parents unless the student consented to disclosure. Roberts’ attorneys argue that this decision supports their position that parents have a right to be informed about significant issues affecting their children at school.

Ongoing Impact on Family

As a result of the trespass order, Roberts remains barred from school property. She says this restriction has had a significant impact on her ability to participate in her children’s education and school events. For example, she was unable to attend her daughter’s orientation this year, which she described as a “punitive” measure. Roberts contends that the district’s actions are intended to punish her for expressing her views and for challenging school policies.

Portland Public Schools has not publicly addressed the lawsuit or responded to the specific allegations regarding its policies on parental notification or the handling of gender identity issues. The outcome of the emergency injunction request, and the broader lawsuit, could have implications for how schools in Portland and potentially elsewhere handle parental involvement and communication about sensitive topics such as gender identity.

The case remains pending, with both sides preparing to submit further arguments to the court in the coming weeks.