DOJ suing Maryland public school system over alleged ‘secret gender transitions’

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division is suing a Maryland public school system, accusing it of secretly “gender transitioning” children without parental knowledge or consent.Anne Arundel County Public Schools’ policies allegedly deny parental rights by instructing school staff to abide by the student’s self-identified name, pronouns, and gender identity without notifying their parents, according to the DOJ. The lawsuit breaks down one family’s experience with their daughter’s name being changed and a staff member’s attempt to cover it up.The lawsuit states these policies violate the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA). During the 2025-26 academic year, a family, under the pseudonyms Jane and John Doe, learned their daughter, listed as Mary Doe, was using a male name without their knowledge.Mary was a senior in high school during fall 2026 when the parents allegedly received an email from a staff member referring to their child, a biological female, by using a male name, according to the lawsuit. A notification showed in a second email that the staff member had tried to recall the first email.A follow-up email was sent containing the same information as the original, but with the child’s legal name substituted. The staff member sent an additional email claiming the original was sent “to the wrong addresses,” according to the lawsuit.However, the family didn’t recognize the name from their child’s classes. When pressed, the staff member reportedly admitted their daughter wanted to be referred to by the male name. The staffer admitted to asking students one-on-one about their gender identity and preferred pronouns, the lawsuit states.After the staff member assured the parents that they would only use Mary’s legal name, Mary’s parents received an email on May 1 with a roster of children attending a school field trip. However, the roster did not use Mary’s legal name, instead referencing the same male name as before.School officials were accused of refusing to turn over education records and providing details on the transition when requested by the parents.According to the lawsuit, the school system files gender identity as confidential and allows employees to withhold information about gender identity if there was a potential safety concern. The information is reported to the Maryland State Department of Education without parental notice, the lawsuit alleges.FOURTH CIRCUIT GRILLS DOJ ON LAWSUIT OVER VIRGINIA’S CRACKDOWN ON LOCAL POLICE COOPERATION WITH ICE“When Mary’s parents tried to exercise their rights to their daughter’s education records, AACPS staff told them some records required an appointment and others a subpoena,” the lawsuit states.The DOJ accuses the school system of unauthorized disclosure of personally identifiable information, failing to obtain prior written parental consent, denying the right to inspect and review education records, and failing to notify parents or provide an opportunity to opt out.