Full Breakdown
DOJ Gives Anne Arundel County School District a 7-Day Deadline to Disclose Gender-Identity Records
8/4/2026, 8:49:43 AM
DOJ Issues 7-Day Ultimatum to Maryland District
On July 29, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon sent a letter to the Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) demanding that the district stop withholding information about students’ gender transitions from parents. The letter warned that failure to comply within seven days could trigger litigation and the possible loss of federal education funding.
Background: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Prior Federal Actions
FERPA grants parents the right to access their children’s educational records. The Justice Department has previously invoked FERPA in challenges to transgender-related policies in Maine and California. In the current case, the DOJ partnered with the Department of Education to target “nondisclosure policies” in both Anne Arundel County, Maryland, and Ann Arbor, Michigan. The partnership signals a broader administration effort to test whether gender-identity information must be disclosed to parents under FERPA.
Official Statements & Responses
A Department of Education official, speaking to Fox News Digital, declined to comment on the ongoing investigation. The DOJ spokesperson redirected inquiries to Dhillon’s remarks. AACPS policy, as described in the letter, permits students to use any name or pronoun they prefer without parental approval, while staff are instructed to involve families in a support plan unless a “genuine safety concern” exists. The district has not responded to requests for comment.
Opposing Views on Gender-Identity Disclosure
LGBT advocacy groups argue that keeping gender-identity information confidential can protect children in non-affirming or abusive households. Social-conservative commentators contend that schools lack the right to conceal such information from parents and that parental involvement is essential. The dispute centers on whether FERPA’s privacy protections extend to gender-identity records and how schools should balance student safety with parental rights.
Verbatim Quotes
- “School districts that hide information from parents are violating federal law,” — General Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney
