The United States Justice Department has initiated a lawsuit against the Anne Arundel County Board of Education, asserting that the Maryland school district’s gender identity policy is in violation of federal law. The legal action, filed in federal district court, centers on allegations that the district’s policy of facilitating “secretly gender transitioning” students breaches the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA).
FERPA ensures parental access to their children’s educational records and regulates disclosure of personally identifiable information, while the PPRA limits the exposure of sensitive information without parental assent. Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, stated, “Schools should not discuss preferred pronouns or ‘gender identity’ with a student without parental notification and consent.” This lawsuit exemplifies concerns that parents are being obstructed from accessing critical information about their children’s educational experiences, as further explored here.
This development follows a July 2026 lawsuit led by America First Legal, representing two parents who claimed the district facilitated their child’s gender transition without their consent. An additional statement from the US Department of Education indicated collaboration with the Justice Department for enforcement actions against the school district, potentially impacting its federal funding for non-compliance with FERPA.
Responding to the mounting pressure, Superintendent Mark T. Bedell communicated in August that the district had revised its guidelines to require parental permission when addressing students by their preferred names and pronouns. This adjustment reflects growing nationwide tensions on issues related to gender identity in schools.
The legal proceedings form part of a broader pattern under the Trump administration, which has shown a critical stance on policies concerning transgender rights, gender identity, and gender expression in educational settings. This stance mirrors past moves such as efforts to limit gender-affirming care for incarcerated individuals and enforce policies that recognize only two genders, outlined in more detail here.