AG Kobach urges investigation of 3 metro school districts for Title IX, FERPA violations

Yahoo

2 days ago

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach released a statement Tuesday, urging the federal government to , including three in the Kansas City metro, for 'illegal social transition policies' relating to gender identity and discrimination.
According to the attorney general's office, Kobach sent a letter to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, calling for the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights to investigate Kansas City USD 500, Olathe USD 233, Shawnee Mission USD 512 and Topeka USD 501.
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Kobach said the school districts violated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) by allowing and/or requiring teachers to conceal information from parents about their child and their 'social transitioning' practices.
Additionally, he said three of these districts – Kansas City, Shawnee Mission and Topeka – not only permitted schools to withhold information from parents, but established policies that allowed students to share bathrooms, locker rooms and other 'intimate spaces' based on their proclaimed gender identity.
'That a Kansas school district would so cavalierly act to hide such information from parents is shockingly irresponsible,' Kobach said.
The letter from Kobach's office follows a complaint sent to the Department of Education by the Defense of Freedom Institute for Policy Studies (DFI), also asking for the federal government to investigate the schools.
The DFI's complaint claims that each district not only violated FERPA but also Title IX.
The nonprofit further elaborated by saying each district allowed for discrimination on the basis of sex and by taking away the right of parents to 'inspect, review, and control access to the education records of their minor children.'
The complaint also said employees were allowed to 'conceal information from parents and disseminate such information among their colleagues regarding requests by their minor children to alter the names and pronouns used by staff to refer to them throughout the school day to align with their 'gender identity' rather than their biological sex.'
Three teachers at one of the area districts were also cited in the complaint, as well as their experiences facing various disciplinary actions by the school after misusing pronouns, calling students by their legal name and publicizing information about school policies related to the district's transgender practices.
The DFI's complaint also broke down each district's guidelines relating to gender identity, sexual orientation and expression, and subsequently called for investigations by the federal government.
Following Kobach's letter and the DFI's complaint, each school district issued the following statements:
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'Transgender students are welcome in all schools in the Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD). We categorically denounce any attempt by any outside individual or entity to make even one student feel something less than welcome in an SMSD school. Our parents are our partners in ensuring that every student feels a sense of belonging.
In the June 24, 2025, letter from Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, the Attorney General references a letter that he sent to the Shawnee Mission School District in December of 2023. The school district wrote a comprehensive response to the Attorney General's 2023 letter, which is linked here. Our response has not changed.
Attorney General Kris Kobach is attempting, as a publicity tactic, to start public discord between his office and public school districts in the very state that he represents and that he was elected to strengthen. The Shawnee Mission School District is declining to engage in this stunt; Mr. Kobach is raising boxing gloves over hypothetical scenarios and the SMSD will not step into the ring. In neither AG Kobach's recent press release nor the letter he sent the district 18 months ago is there any statement or information that any parent of a transgender student has sought help from the AG's office related to access to information regarding their student. There is no complaint of withholding of student information from any SMSD parent for the U.S. Department of Education to investigate.
Again, transgender students are welcome in our schools. We will continue to work to ensure that ALL students feel safe at school and can focus on learning. Parents/guardians who have concerns about their child in relation to gender identity may contact Shawnee Mission School District administration at any time for support.'
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'Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools (KCKPS) is committed to complying fully with all state and federal laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
We remain committed to ensuring that all students feel safe at school and are able to focus on learning.
KCKPS will continue to partner with parents and guardians to maintain open, respectful communication between families, their children, and the district.
Parents and guardians with concerns related to their child's gender identity are encouraged to contact KCKPS administration at any time for support.'
'Olathe Public Schools is obligated to follow all state and federal laws to support our students, staff and families. As a district, it is always our practice to work directly and partner with families and students as situations arise to ensure we are providing the appropriate and necessary support. To be absolutely clear, it is our expectation that staff work directly with families regarding student-related matters involving their own child(ren). The Olathe Public Schools does not and has never socially transitioned our students.
Olathe Public Schools received written communication from the Attorney General's office on Dec. 11, 2023, regarding concerns about student pronouns and gender identity. The district responded directly to the Attorney General's office on Dec. 19, 2023. On Feb. 8, 2024, the district was also made aware of a press release sent from the Attorney General's office related to the same concern. The district immediately responded to his concerns upon being notified and worked through multiple correspondences to schedule a meeting with the Attorney General's office in person.
On Tuesday, March 26, 2024, the Olathe Public Schools superintendent and staff counsel met with two attorneys from the Attorney General's office, as Attorney General Kobach did not meet with the district. In that meeting, the district repeatedly sought clarity from the Attorney General's office regarding specific changes that they believed should be made by the district. The district also asked the Attorney General's office to identify specific situations involving Olathe Public Schools students, staff or families that they were aware of in which the district was not following state or federal laws. However, the Attorney General's office would not provide specific input or information regarding any alleged violations of state and federal laws by the district.
Due to the limited information shared by the Attorney General's office, the district was left with no actionable information to make change. Despite the district's willingness to remedy any concerns, the result of the meeting and overall interaction left the district feeling as though they were part of a larger political agenda. As the second largest district in the state supporting tens of thousands of students, Olathe Public Schools does not have time to engage in political agendas. Our focus is and will always be educating our students for their future.'
According to the DFI, if found in violation of Title IX and/or FERPA, any of the districts could face sanctions and lose federal funding.
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