The Trump administration has escalated its campaign against school districts it accuses of violating parental rights, warning Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools that it faces loss of federal funding and potential judicial proceedings over a policy that directs staff not to disclose a student's transgender status to parents. The Education Department, acting in coordination with the Justice Department, characterized the move as a response to what it called a sustained and deliberate breach of federal law.
The FERPA Argument
At the center of the enforcement action is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the federal statute governing student records. The Education Department contends that Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools violated FERPA by maintaining a policy under which school personnel "should not disclose information that may reveal a student's transgender status or gender nonconforming presentation to others, including parents."
Frank Miller, Director of the Student Privacy Policy Office at the Education Department, said the district had compounded the violation by concealing its true policies and obstructing parents' lawful access to education records. The department said it had previously offered the district a Resolution Agreement outlining specific remedial steps, and that the district had declined to act on it.
Coordinated Federal Enforcement
What distinguishes this action is the formal partnership between two cabinet departments. By bringing the Justice Department into the enforcement chain, the administration signals it is prepared to pursue judicial remedies, not merely administrative ones. The Education Department said appropriate enforcement measures would include both applicable judicial proceedings and the potential loss of federal funding — a combination that gives the government considerably more leverage than a standard agency referral.
The department's statement described Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools' conduct as "serious and deliberate," language that suggests the administration will resist any negotiated settlement that falls short of a full policy reversal.
Broader Policy Context
This action does not stand alone. Earlier this year, the Education Department identified four Kansas school districts, including Kansas City and Kansas Public Schools, as operating in violation of federal law over transgender-related policies. The administration has issued similar funding threats to other districts across the country.
The enforcement push sits alongside a broader federal posture on transgender issues in schools and athletics. President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at barring transgender women and girls from competing in girls' and women's sports. On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld that position in a significant ruling, finding that states may bar transgender women and girls from girls' and women's sports — affirming Idaho and West Virginia laws while stopping short of requiring states without such bans to adopt them.
The Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools district had not responded to requests for comment as of publication.
Reuters contributed to this report.