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Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach is calling on the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to investigate four Kansas school districts for possibly violating federal student privacy laws.
In a letter to Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Kobach said Kansas City USD 500, Olathe USD 233, Shawnee Mission USD 512, and Topeka USD 501 have policies that allow or require teachers to withhold information from parents about students who are socially transitioning their gender at school.
Kobach called the practice irresponsible and said it may violate the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which gives parents the right to access their children’s educational records.
He also raised concerns about policies in three of the districts—Kansas City, Shawnee Mission, and Topeka—that allow students to use bathrooms and locker rooms based on their gender identity.
His letter follows a similar complaint filed June 24 by the Defense of Freedom Institute.