Education Secretary Linda McMahon Targets Schools Hiding Gender Transition Records

U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced that the Department of Education will enforce compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) against school districts accused of concealing records related to students' gender transitions. The move, framed as a defense of parental rights, threatens to withhold federal funding from non‑compliant districts.

Investigations are under way in Maryland, Michigan and Vermont, with specific focus on Anne Arundel County Public Schools and Ann Arbor Public Schools. The Department of Justice is coordinating with the Education Department to ensure parents can access any documents that pertain to their child's health and well‑being, including name, pronoun or gender presentation changes.

The action aligns with the Trump administration’s broader agenda to limit what it describes as “radical left‑wing gender ideology” in public schools, emphasizing that parents have a legal right to review their children’s educational records.