Trump admin cracks down on secret gender transitions; probe finds 4 Kansas schools in violation

The U.S. Department of Education has found four Kansas school districts secretly aided children with gender transitions in violation of federal law.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Student Privacy Policy Office launched an investigation into four Kansas districts – Kansas City, Olathe, Shawnee Mission and Topeka Public Schools – in August 2025.

Results of the investigation, conducted in conjunction with the department’s Office for Civil Rights and released April 17, found that all four districts were guilty of violating FERPA and Title IX, which could result in the loss of federal funding.

“These Kansas school districts have allowed ‘gender ideology’ to run amok in their schools,” Civil Rights Assistant Secretary Kimberly Richey said in a statement.

The districts had policies “that were likely to prevent schools from notifying parents of their child’s so-called ‘gender transition,’ even if the parent requested their child’s records,” the release said.

They also allowed schools to use different pronouns and names for a child without the parents’ knowledge. A different name could also be printed on the child’s diploma without parental consent.

“These policies not only violate federal law, but are contrary to the sound judgment we expect from our educational leaders and thoroughly disrespectful to parents who entrust school personnel to keep their children safe,” Richey said.

Withholding information about a child’s gender identity violates parental rights under FERPA, which allows parents to access their child’s school records.

“FERPA is not a suggestion,” Moms for Liberty wrote on X. “Schools do not get to act like parents are the last people who should know what is happening in their child’s life. And living in a red state does not automatically mean your local district is operating with common sense.”

All four districts also have policies allowing boys to use girls’ bathrooms, locker rooms and changing rooms. Boys could participate in girls’ sports based on their chosen ‘gender identity,’ all of which violates Title IX.

“Schools should never subject girls to unsafe, uncomfortable and unfair environments, nor should they abuse their authority by hiding the most sensitive information about a child’s health and well-being from that child’s parents,” Richey said.

Moving forward, the districts must discontinue basing participation in sports and the use of intimate facilities and overnight accommodations on gender identity and revert to using biological sex as the determining factor.

“School policies must prioritize the privacy of our daughters in bathrooms and the fairness of their sports based on biological sex,” Kansas Family Voice wrote.

The districts must also make “gender support plans” and other documents related to a student’s gender transition available to parents.

If these districts continue violating FERPA and Title IX, they could lose their federal funding.

“Parents’ rights come first,” former Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer said. “Girls’ safety and fairness come first. We will bring back Kansas common sense.”