Massachusetts father escalates Title IX complaint over transgender bathroom incident

After his 9-year-old daughter reported that a transgender classmate entered her bathroom stall, Luis Rivera retained lawyer Sam Whiting and filed a Title IX complaint against the Old Rochester Regional School District. The complaint claims the incident violated the girl's privacy and dignity, noting the student had previously observed other girls using the restroom. Rivera and other parents say they repeatedly raised concerns with principal Heidi Letendre, only to receive conflicting responses.

The family intends to remove the child from Rochester Memorial School for the next academic year and has sought help from higher authorities, including the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. Superintendent Michael Nelson maintains the district acted in compliance with state law and education policy, while acknowledging intense communications from the community. Rivera argues the district’s lack of remedial action forces him to pursue federal intervention.