Regional Industry & News

KCKPS denies federal allegations of withholding student gender records from parents amid 14-day DOJ deadline

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) - The Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools district is strongly denying allegations by the federal government that it unlawfully shields students’ gender identity information from their parents, setting up a high-stakes standoff with the U.S. Department of Justice.

In an Aug. 4 response letter, district leadership pushed back against a July 21 demand from the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. The federal agency had warned KCKPS USD 500 that it had 14 days to stop enforcing what it called ‘Transgender Guidelines’ or face potential civil litigation and a loss of federal funding.

Federal officials argued the district’s guidelines violated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) by requiring student consent before disclosing gender identity, preferred names, or pronouns to parents.

However, in a joint letter signed by Superintendent Dr. Anna Stubblefield and Board President Randy Lopez, KCKPS General Counsel Gregory P. Goheen insisted the district has never blocked parental access to student records.

“USD 500 disagrees with your assertion that there has been any ‘ongoing substantial noncompliance’ with FERPA,” Goheen wrote. “USD 500 does not, nor has it ever, prohibited parental access to student records based on a student identifying as transgender.”

According to the district, the document federal regulators referenced as the ‘Transgender Guidelines’ was actually a 2017 informational presentation that the school board never formally adopted. The district’s active guidance document, KCKPS officials argued, does not restrict parental rights but instead outlines case-by-case reviews for extreme circumstances, such as when a student is an emancipated minor or when there are active child abuse investigations.

The school district’s federal battle comes as local advocates raise separate concerns over student safety and administrative transparency.

Prior to a recent school board meeting, the Community Conscience Action Network (CCAN) accused KCKPS of a broader pattern of denying records access to families, pointing to a June 1 incident where an immigrant family was allegedly refused their child’s records. CCAN is also calling for administrative resignations, claiming they have recordings of an immigrant student who was abused without required reports being made to state authorities.

While denying any systemic policy of withholding records, KCKPS leaders indicated they are willing to issue a written directive to staff clarifying that no district practice should prevent parents from accessing their children’s education records in accordance with FERPA.