Authorities Threatens Funding Cuts for Two School Districts Over Transgender Policies
The administration of US President Donald Trump has threatened to cut federal funding to two school districts in Maryland and Michigan, accusing them of violating federal law through policies concerning transgender students and parental access to information.
The US Department of Education announced on Monday that it was taking action against Anne Arundel County Public Schools in Maryland and Ann Arbor Public Schools in Michigan, working with the Department of Justice on possible enforcement measures.
The department said Anne Arundel County schools violated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) by classifying information about a student’s gender identity as confidential medical information that could not be disclosed to parents.
Officials also accused Ann Arbor Public Schools of maintaining a policy that requires school employees to conceal a student’s transgender status from their parents. The district has been given until August 10 to explain why the federal government should not pursue similar enforcement action against it.
The Education Department said possible enforcement measures could include legal proceedings and the termination of federal funding.
FERPA governs access to students’ education records and generally gives parents rights to inspect and review those records. The Education Department says violations can result in the loss of federal financial assistance.
Anne Arundel County Public Schools said it learned of the federal government’s allegations through the department’s public statement and had not received formal correspondence or supporting documents at the time. The district said it would review the information once received and respond through the appropriate process. Ann Arbor Public Schools had not immediately commented.
The latest action is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to reverse policies protecting transgender people and establish what it considers a stricter interpretation of sex-based rights in schools.
The administration has also pursued action against other school districts over transgender students’ access to bathrooms, locker rooms and sports teams. In June, the Education Department threatened several Kansas school districts with possible loss of federal funding over policies it said violated Title IX, the federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in education.
The issue has generated a wider legal and political debate over the balance between parental rights, student privacy, transgender protections and federal control of education policy.
Civil rights groups have criticised the administration’s approach, arguing that using federal funding to pressure schools raises concerns about due process, free speech and academic freedom.
The latest dispute therefore goes beyond the two districts involved, potentially setting another important precedent in the rapidly evolving US debate over transgender rights and the role of parents and schools in decisions concerning students’ gender identity.
