DOJ lawsuit targets alleged school ‘secret gender transitions’ policies that keep parents in the dark
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating other school districts and contemplating additional lawsuits over alleged violations of federal parental rights laws, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon told Fox News Digital Tuesday, calling the DOJ's newly filed "first-of-its-kind" case against Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools the "first of many."
The DOJ sued Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools (KCKPS) Tuesday, alleging the district violated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) with a district policy that facilitates "secret gender transitions" for students at school without their parents’ knowledge or consent.
"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. And, so, there are many other lawsuits contemplated here and other investigations that are ongoing," Dhillon said when asked whether DOJ would wait for the Kansas case to conclude before pursuing other districts.
Dhillon declined to identify the other districts under investigation, saying she did not want to prejudge the outcomes.
"This is a really important lawsuit for us. And the point I wanted to emphasize is that it's the first of many," she said.
The DOJ lawsuit against KCKPS centers on internal guidance for transgender and gender non-conforming students. The DOJ alleges the district has used versions of the guidance since 2017.
Under the guidance described in the complaint, students can ask that their parents be excluded from school planning meetings and that their transgender or gender non-conforming status not be disclosed to their parents. The resulting written plans can address names, pronouns, school records, restroom and locker room use, sports and other accommodations.
Asked about KCKPS’ assertion that it complies with federal law, Dhillon rejected the district’s position.
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"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," Dhillon said.
KCKPS disputed DOJ’s allegations Tuesday in a news release.
"Contrary to the allegations in the complaint, the district maintains that it is in full compliance with FERPA and PPRA and is disappointed by the DOJ’s decision to file the lawsuit," the release read.
The district said it would respond through the federal court process and would not comment further while the litigation is pending.
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The DOJ argues the written plans constitute education records under FERPA and that excluding parents can prevent 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.
The Department of Education opened a FERPA investigation into KCKPS in August 2025.
The federal government advised the district Aug. 12 that its guidance violated FERPA and PPRA, and the complaint states the government ultimately determined KCKPS would not voluntarily comply.
The DOJ 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.
Dhillon said the DOJ intends to pursue potential violations elsewhere.
"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 to pupils to privacy, dignity and parental rights in determining how children are educated in the United States," Dhillon said.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas referred questions about the lawsuit to the DOJ’s Office of Public Affairs.