Justice Department sues Kansas school system over policies on transgender students

The U.S. Department of Justice has initiated a federal lawsuit against the school district in Kansas City, Kansas, alleging violations of federal law concerning its policies on transgender students. This comes after a complaint from the Defense of Freedom Institute, which claimed the school system was preventing parents from being informed about a student's "transgender status" without their consent.

The school district in Kansas City, Kansas, is known for its practice of using students' preferred names and pronouns. However, the Justice Department claims the district maintains a policy of not disclosing a student's gender transition to parents upon request. Despite an investigation by the Education Department in April finding the four Kansas districts in violation of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, the district in Kansas City, Kansas, has disputed the claim of non-compliance and expressed disappointment over the lawsuit.

The lawsuit is the first by the current administration to invoke FERPA to protect parents' right to know about their child's gender transition.