Family of transgender student, school division settle human rights dispute

Isabella Burgos has seen letters of support pour in.

A human rights dispute involving a young transgender girl refused access to the girl’s washroom in her school has been settled.

The family of Elizabeth “Bella” Burgos filed a complaint with the Manitoba Human Rights Commission back in October 2014 after a parent of another child at Joseph Teres School refused to let Burgos use the bathroom.

Now, the River-East Transcona School Division says it has “reached a voluntary resolution.”

The details of the settlement will be kept confidential.

Last September, Burgos’ father Dale said the case would move to adjudication after “no reasonable accommodations were made.” In October, the school division published its gender identity guidelines.

“As a result of this settlement(the school division) made further revisions that provide greater clarity and emphasis on the rights of transgender students and employees,” they said in a news release.

The guidelines use a “rights-based approach” which acknowledge that transgender people have equal rights, said the school division.

A hearing before the commission set for this summer has been cancelled.

The gender guidelines can be found on the school’s website.