DOJ sues Maryland school district over gender policy

The Justice Department sued Anne Arundel County Public Schools in Maryland, alleging its policies let staff facilitate students’ gender transitions at school and withhold related information from parents, in violation of federal law. The complaint cites a student whose teachers allegedly used a male name without informing her parents, who later said school staff misled them and withheld records. The department is seeking to block the policy and allow parents to challenge or correct education records; it says schools should notify and obtain consent from parents before discussing students’ gender identity or preferred pronouns. The district disputes the allegations and says it complies with federal law; it revised its policy this summer to affirm parental rights under FERPA and directed staff not to use a transgender student’s preferred name over a parent’s objection. The case is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to challenge school policies concerning transgender students.