Justice Department sues Maryland school district over transgender policies

On October 27, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice sued Anne Arundel County Public Schools in Maryland, alleging the district violated federal privacy laws like FERPA by withholding students' gender identity information from parents. Federal officials accuse the 84,000-student district of allowing staff to use alternate pronouns for students without parental consent. Anne Arundel County Public Schools pushed back, stating it complies with federal law and regrets the litigation.

Department of Justice lawsuit against district

• ▪A Justice Department lawsuit filed October 27, 2026, against Anne Arundel County Public Schools seeks to block the district's transgender student policies and alleges violations of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment
• ▪The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Anne Arundel County Public Schools
• ▪Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon stated that schools should not discuss preferred pronouns or gender identity with a student without parental notification and consent
• ▪Anne Arundel County Public Schools stated that it disagrees with the Justice Department's allegations in its lawsuit over transgender policies and stands by its compliance with FERPA and PPRA

District policies on student gender identity

• ▪The Justice Department alleged Anne Arundel County Public Schools reported gender identity information to the Maryland State Department of Education without notifying parents or allowing them to challenge the information's accuracy
• ▪Federal officials alleged Anne Arundel County Public Schools designated gender identity information as confidential medical information and instructed staff to withhold it from parents based on potential safety risks
• ▪The Justice Department said Anne Arundel County Public Schools' policies directed staff to solicit, document, and act on students' self-identified names, pronouns, and gender identities without parental notification

Lawsuits filed by families

• ▪Two families sued Anne Arundel County Public Schools, alleging school staff helped a student transition at school while withholding information from the student's parents
• ▪An anonymous family named in the Justice Department's complaint against Anne Arundel County Public Schools allegedly learned school staff were helping their daughter present as male after receiving an email using male pronouns

District policy amendments and official statements

• ▪Anne Arundel County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark Bedell stated in a letter that the gender identity policy amended in August 2026 clarifies that parents have the right to inspect complete education records
• ▪In August 2026, Anne Arundel County Public Schools amended its gender identity policy concerning LGBTQ+ student protections and FERPA compliance after the Trump administration threatened legal action and the loss of federal funding
• ▪Anne Arundel County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Mark Bedell stated that no district policy can interfere with parents' rights to information about a student's gender identity or preferred pronouns

Trump administration actions on transgender policies

• ▪The Trump administration issued executive actions and a directive stating the U.S. government will recognize only two sexes, male and female
• ▪The Trump administration launched federal probes against educational institutions and threatened to freeze federal funding over transgender policies