The Justice Department sued Anne Arundel County Public Schools on Tuesday, October 27, to stop what it calls secret gender transitions of children without their parents' knowledge or consent. The Civil Rights Division says the suit enforces the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment.

The complaint alleges the district directs staff to solicit, document and act on a student's self-identified name, pronouns and gender identity without telling parents, then withholds that information as a “safety concern.” It also describes one anonymous family. During the 2025-2026 school year, the district questioned students one-on-one about names and pronouns. Jane and John Doe then twice received emails from teachers calling their daughter by a male name and pronouns. DOJ says the district eventually admitted lying but refused to turn over the child's records.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said: “Parents should not be lied to, stonewalled, or branded as ‘safety concerns’ when they ask to see the education records that reveal what schools are secretly doing to their children.”

America First Legal says DOJ also filed a statement of interest in the group's own lawsuit for the Does. Eye On Annapolis reports the school system disputes the allegations and says it complies with the law. The district changed its policy this school year to follow parents' wishes when parents and students disagree over names, pronouns or bathroom use.

The Justice Department's complaint says the district does more than withhold records. According to DOJ, Anne Arundel County Public Schools labels a student's gender identity information as confidential, tells staff to keep it from parents, and reports it to the Maryland State Department of Education without notifying parents or giving them a chance to challenge its accuracy. Dhillon also said schools should not discuss preferred pronouns or gender identity with a student at all without telling parents and getting their consent. DOJ says the suit is the latest in a series of Civil Rights Division actions against school policies it says violate FERPA and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment. Under the PPRA, the department notes, parents have the right to give or withhold consent before a school collects sensitive personal information from a minor.

The family's own case came first. America First Legal says that earlier this year it sued the district and its superintendent in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, with the firm Consovoy McCarthy PLLC, on behalf of John and Jane Doe. That complaint alleges school staff secretly facilitated the social gender transition of their minor child, identified as Mary Doe, without notice or parental consent. Weeks after that filing, the group says, the Trump administration announced it would take enforcement action against the district over parents' rights under FERPA. Ian Prior, senior counsel at America First Legal, said the group was pleased to see the department act. The group says DOJ filed its statement of interest in that case the same day it filed its own complaint.

Parents who believe a school has violated their rights have a path of their own. DOJ says individuals may file FERPA and PPRA complaints with the U.S. Department of Education.

FERPA gives parents the right to see and correct their children's education records. DOJ says this district blocked that right.