Trump’s Department Of Education Threatens Anne Arundel School District Over Student’s Gender Identity

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The federal Department of Education (DOE) is threatening “enforcement action” and to pull funding for Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) over the district’s gender identity policy.

In a joint statement posted on its website with the Department of Justice (DOJ), the DOE claimed that the school district violated parental rights protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

FERPA is a federal privacy law enforced by the U.S. Department of Education’s Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO). FERPA gives parents the right to access their children’s education records, the right to request record corrections or amendments, and the right to control (with important exceptions) the disclosure of personally identifiable information in education records.

The statement claimed that hiding a child’s “gender transition” violates FERPA.

“School districts that hide information from parents are violating federal law,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. “FERPA is not optional, and any districts that attempt to bypass or distort its requirements should expect immediate federal action. In partnership with the Department of Education, the Department of Justice will initiate enforcement proceedings with districts that fail to comply.”

AACPS has a policy that protects a student’s right to be called by their chosen name. Passed in 2023, Regulation JQ-RA says that “every student has the right to be addressed by a name and pronoun that correspond to the student’s gender identity.”

“AACPS first learned of the U.S. Department of Education’s assertions through its July 27, 2026, press release. The school system has not received any formal notice, findings, correspondence, or supporting documentation regarding the actions described. Once such information is received, AACPS and its legal counsel will carefully review it and respond through the appropriate process. AACPS takes its responsibilities under FERPA seriously and cannot discuss matters involving an individual student,” Executive Director for Communications & Community Outreach Maneka Monk wrote in an emailed statement to The BayNet.

Earlier this month, two anonymous parents filed a lawsuit against AACPS with the backing of right-wing nonprofit America First Legal, a group founded by Trump adviser Stephen Miller. The Trump administration is currently engaged in several lawsuits aiming to decrease or withdraw protections for women and the LGBTQ+ community.

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