A North Carolina father has sued Cabarrus County Schools, alleging officials failed to answer whether opposite-sex students may use bathrooms or locker rooms assigned to his children. Brandon Matthews is seeking disclosure of district policies and advance notice about facility access, rather than an order barring a particular student from a restroom. The federal case raises claims involving religious freedom and parental rights.
Matthews has a fourth-grade daughter at Mount Pleasant Elementary School and a son entering his senior year at Mount Pleasant High School. He says he asked both principals whether a biological male could use facilities used by his children. According to his filings, the principals cited student confidentiality instead of addressing the broader policy question.
| 1) | Father seeks policy disclosures from school district |
| 2) | Principals cite confidentiality in responding to requests |
| 3) | Lawsuit presents religious-liberty and due-process claims |
| 4) | Motion seeks notice and an opportunity to opt out |
| 5) | Court has not ruled on the allegations |
Father seeks policy disclosures from school district
Matthews filed the federal lawsuit in the Middle District of North Carolina against the Cabarrus County Board of Education, Superintendent John Kopicki and the principals of his children’s schools. The case concerns access policies for sex-separated restrooms, locker rooms and changing facilities at Mount Pleasant Elementary and Mount Pleasant High School.
In May, Matthews asked the principals to notify him if a person of the opposite biological sex was permitted to use facilities used by his daughter or son. His filings state that he did not request the identity of any student. He sought information about district rules, practices and their possible effects on his children.
Principals cite confidentiality in responding to requests
Both principals responded on June 8, according to court documents. The elementary school principal said the school could not confirm, disclose or provide advance notice about the status, identity or accommodations of an individual student because those matters were confidential. The high school principal reportedly gave a substantially similar response.
The schools invited Matthews or his daughter to contact administrators about a specific situation affecting her experience. Matthews’s attorney, Nicholas Barry, says the responses did not answer whether opposite-sex students are permitted to use the facilities. The lawsuit does not allege that a biological male used the elementary school’s girls’ restroom, and it does not identify a particular student.
Lawsuit presents religious-liberty and due-process claims
Matthews says his Christian beliefs include the view that sex is immutable and that his children should not be expected to undress or use restrooms in the presence of members of the opposite sex. His attorneys, including Barry and co-counsel Philip Thomas, allege violations of the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause and the Fourteenth Amendment’s Due Process Clause.
Matthews previously addressed the issue at a May 11 school board meeting, where he appeared with his daughter and urged officials to maintain separate facilities or create additional ones. He said the request was not intended to target a child. He also used threatening language during the meeting while discussing his desire to protect his daughter, but the lawsuit focuses on information, notice and school policy.
Motion seeks notice and an opportunity to opt out
Matthews has asked for a preliminary injunction while the case proceeds. The motion seeks disclosure of district policies, information about whether opposite-sex individuals may access facilities used by his children, and notice when such access has been authorized or is expected.
The filing says Matthews wants advance notice and a meaningful opportunity to opt his children out before they are expected or required to use intimate facilities in the presence of a member of the opposite sex. His attorneys emphasize that he is not asking the court to prevent any student from using a particular facility. They rely in part on the Supreme Court’s decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, involving parental notice and opt-out rights for certain LGBT-related classroom instruction.
Court has not ruled on the allegations
The court has not ruled on Matthews’s claims or his request for preliminary relief. The lawsuit is separate from earlier litigation brought by the same legal group involving allegations that female students at Cox Mill High School were required to share restrooms, locker rooms and changing spaces with a biological male.
That separate litigation does not establish that a biological male used the restroom at Matthews’s daughter’s elementary school. The current case focuses on whether Cabarrus County Schools must disclose its policies and provide notice about possible access. At an April 13 board meeting, district attorney William Isenhour said the district handles bathroom and locker-room situations case by case.
| Number | Key Point |
|---|---|
| 1 | The lawsuit concerns bathroom and locker-room policies at two Cabarrus County schools. |
| 2 | Matthews says school officials did not answer his policy questions. |
| 3 | He seeks information, advance notice and a possible opt-out opportunity. |
| 4 | The complaint alleges violations of religious-freedom and due-process protections. |
| 5 | No court ruling has determined whether the requested disclosures are required. |
Summary
The case asks whether a public school district must tell parents how it handles access to sex-separated facilities when those practices conflict with religious beliefs. Matthews is seeking transparency and notice, not a direct order excluding a particular student. No legal requirement has been established in this case.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the North Carolina lawsuit about?
It concerns a father’s request for information about policies governing access to bathrooms, locker rooms and changing facilities used by his children at two Cabarrus County schools.
Is the lawsuit alleging that a biological male used the daughter’s restroom?
No. The filing does not allege that this occurred. It says Matthews does not know whether such access is permitted or has occurred.
What remedy is the father seeking?
He seeks disclosure of district policies, advance notice about relevant facility access and an opportunity to opt his children out. He is not seeking an order barring a particular student from a facility.
Has the court ruled on the case?
No. The court has not ruled on Matthews’s claims or his request for a preliminary injunction.
