DOJ sues Kansas school district over alleged secret gender transition policies

The Department of Justice sued Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools on Tuesday, alleging the district's internal guidance facilitates secret gender transitions for students without their parents' knowledge or consent, in what officials describe as the first of many such cases.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said the department is investigating other school districts and contemplating additional lawsuits over alleged violations of federal parental rights laws. She called the case against the Kansas district a landmark enforcement action under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment.

"This is a really important lawsuit for us. And the point I wanted to emphasize is that it's the first of many," Dhillon said. "No, we're not waiting. What we do is we ask for documents, we investigate and then we try to resolve cases with school districts. And if we cannot, then we file lawsuits."

The lawsuit centers on guidance for transgender and gender non-conforming students that the district has used in various forms since 2017, according to the complaint. Under the policy, students can request that their parents be excluded from school planning meetings and that their transgender or gender non-conforming status not be disclosed to their families. The resulting written plans can address names, pronouns, school records, restroom and locker room use, sports participation, and other accommodations.

The Justice Department argues these written plans constitute education records under FERPA, and that excluding parents prevents them from exercising their rights to inspect and challenge those records. The government separately alleges the district violates PPRA by allowing students to participate in meetings and evaluations that can reveal sensitive information without prior written parental consent.

Dhillon rejected the district's assertion that it complies with federal law. "Well, I think you can get that from the complaint, but they had secret gender transition plans that locked parents out of knowing what was being asked of their children. So, I obviously completely reject that," she said.

KCKPS disputed the allegations in a news release Tuesday, stating it is "in full compliance with FERPA and PPRA" and is "disappointed by the DOJ's decision to file the lawsuit." The district said it would respond through the federal court process and would not comment further while litigation is pending.

The Department of Education opened a FERPA investigation into the district in August 2025. Federal officials advised the district that its guidance violated the two laws, and the complaint states the government ultimately determined KCKPS would not voluntarily comply.

The Justice Department is asking a federal court to declare the district's practices unlawful and prohibit enforcement of the guidance or similar policies that violate FERPA or PPRA. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Kansas referred questions about the case to the DOJ's Office of Public Affairs.

Dhillon declined to identify other districts under investigation, saying she did not want to prejudge outcomes. She said the department intends to send a clear message to school districts nationwide.

"But I want there to be a very clear message to every school district in the United States. They are on notice that if they violate FERPA and PPRA, the United States Department of Justice stands ready to protect the rights of parents and the rights of pupils to privacy, dignity and parental rights in determining how children are educated in the United States," Dhillon said.

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Caroline Mercer

World News Correspondent

Caroline Mercer covers public affairs, politics, business, culture and daily news for Core Memo. The role focuses on verification, context, and clear explanations for readers.

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