The U.S. Department of Education has launched an investigation into the Maine Department of Education over allegations that schools in the state may have violated federal law by hiding student gender transitions from parents.
The probe, announced on Friday, will look for breaches of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
The U.S. D.O.E. said in a press release:
This investigation comes amid reports that dozens of Maine school districts are violating or misusing FERPA by maintaining policies that infringe on parents’ rights. The districts’ policies allegedly allow for schools to create “gender plans” supporting a student’s “transgender identity” and then claim those plans are not education records under FERPA and therefore not available to parents.
This action, alongside SPPO’s investigation initiated yesterday into the California Department of Education, is in furtherance of U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s directives to strengthen FERPA enforcement by taking action against schools misusing FERPA and clearing the backlog of complaints submitted to SPPO that accumulated under the Biden Administration.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Education said in a statement, “We take seriously any allegations that schools or state agencies may be denying parents their lawful rights to access their children’s education records. This investigation will determine if Maine’s policies and practices align with federal law.”
“Parents and guardians have the right to access their child’s education records to guide and safeguard their child’s mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Any policy to the contrary is both illegal and immoral,” said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to meet with several young people who shared their detransitioning stories. It is deeply concerning to hear that teachers and school counselors in Maine are reportedly encouraging and helping students to undergo so-called ‘gender transitions’ while keeping parents in the dark. The Trump Administration will enforce all federal laws to safeguard students and families.”
Parents Defending Education Founder and President Nicole Neily said of the investigation, “Under the previous Administration, we were fighting to protect our children from irreversible ‘sex changes’ – a path too often facilitated by school personnel who we entrusted with our children. We are proud to stand with President Trump and Secretary McMahon to hold school districts accountable and ensure no child is socially transitioned behind parent’s backs by teachers or administrators,”
Maine’s Department of Education has not yet issued a statement addressing the matter.
Hellbound and Down 