Trump DOJ to Maryland schools: end secret gender transition of students or face feds in court

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon sent a letter to Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) demanding the district rescind its gender identity confidentiality policy, arguing it violates the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) by denying parents access to their children's educational records. "Comply with the law or face us in court," Dhillon wrote. The warning marks the latest move by the Trump administration to crack down on school districts that keep information about students' gender identities from parents, making parental rights a central focus of its education agenda.

In her letter, Dhillon accused the district of adopting a blanket policy of withholding information related to students' gender identity. "By categorically withholding information about a student's gender identity from parents except where legally required, AACPS appears to have adopted a blanket, district-wide practice of nondisclosure untethered to FERPA's enumerated exceptions," she wrote. She further alleged that parents were denied access to their children's complete educational records, that information was disclosed without parental consent, and that parents were denied hearings to correct those records.

The Department of Justice and Department of Education recently launched a joint enforcement effort targeting Anne Arundel County Public Schools and Ann Arbor Public Schools in Michigan over similar policies. According to the Department of Education, investigators received complaints from Maryland parents alleging the district "was secretly helping their daughter pretend to be male at school" while refusing to provide parents with information when they confronted school officials.

Under Anne Arundel's current policy, students may request different names and pronouns at school without parental approval. The district instructs staff to involve parents in developing a support plan unless there is what it describes as a "genuine safety concern" for the student's physical, emotional, or mental well-being. The policy also classifies information relating to a student's gender identity as confidential medical information, limiting disclosure to parents except where legally required.

"School districts that hide information from parents are violating federal law," Dhillon said. "FERPA is not optional, and any districts that attempt to bypass or distort its requirements should expect immediate federal action."

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