Trump Administration's Kansas FERPA Enforcement as Model for Restoring Parental Rights Over Schools' Gender Policies
Source: Brooke Brandtjen. "Trump Admin Cracks Down On KS Schools Pushing Trans Insanity." August 31, 2026. thefederalist.com
The Gist
The author argues that the Trump administration was right to crack down on Kansas schools that hid students' gender transitions from their parents, framing this as a victory for parental rights that other states should copy. She claims that schools supporting trans students are actually enabling a harmful social trend fueled by social media, and that parents—not teachers—should have final say and full information about their children's gender identity at school.
Conclusion
Every school district in America should follow the Trump administration's enforcement action against Topeka Public Schools by ending policies that conceal students' gender transitions from parents, because such policies violate parental rights and enable harmful social contagion.
Premises
- The Topeka Public School District violated FERPA by concealing students' 'gender transition' information (names, pronouns, gender support plans) from parents
- Multiple other Kansas districts, along with districts in Michigan, Illinois, Virginia, Maryland, New York, and California, engaged in similar concealment practices
- Some districts additionally violated Title IX by allowing males in female facilities and sports based on gender identity claims
- Gender dysphoria in teenagers is typically caused by peer pressure, social media influence, and cultural encouragement rather than an innate condition
- Schools that help students socially transition without parental knowledge are enabling students to 'deny reality' and spreading a 'social contagion'
- Parents have a natural right and moral authority as the primary protectors of their children, which supersedes school staff authority over children's identity-related decisions
- The Supreme Court's Mirabelli v. Bonta ruling affirmed that parents have priority over public schools in raising their children
Assumptions
- Gender dysphoria/transgender identity in minors is not a legitimate or authentic experience but rather a socially induced phenomenon
- Parental notification is always in the best interest of the child, even in cases where a child might fear negative parental reactions
- FERPA compliance and the elimination of gender support plans are equivalent to protecting children's wellbeing
- Schools that support students' chosen names/pronouns are acting in bad faith to 'divide families' rather than attempting to support struggling students
- Federal enforcement via funding threats is a legitimate and appropriate tool for this policy area
- The cited examples (Topeka, Maryland, New York cases) are representative of a widespread, coordinated pattern rather than isolated incidents