The Trump administration announced Tuesday it would pursue enforcement action, potentially including the withholding of federal funding, against Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools over its policies regarding transgender students. The U.S. Department of Education stated that the district's policy of not disclosing a student's transgender status to their parents violates the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
Frank Miller, Director of the Student Privacy Policy Office at the Education Department, asserted that the district's actions represent "a serious and deliberate breach of federal law" by attempting to "sidestep FERPA, conceal its true policies, and obstruct parents’ lawful access to their children’s education records." The agency emphasized its commitment to holding districts accountable through a partnership with the Department of Justice to ensure compliance with federal parental rights laws.
The Education Department indicated that despite a proposed Resolution Agreement outlining steps the district could take to remedy FERPA violations, Kansas City Kansas Public Schools has continued to disregard federal parental rights law. The agency has previously identified similar policies concerning transgender students in four Kansas school districts as violating federal law.
This action occurs as the U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld state laws that bar transgender women and girls from participating in women's sports. Former NCAA swimmer Paula Scanlan, commenting on the ruling, expressed relief and a desire for nationwide legislative action to ensure fairness and safety in women's athletics.