US DOJ sues Maryland school district over transgender policies

WASHINGTON - The US Justice Department sued a public school district in Maryland on Tuesday over transgender policies that it alleged violated federal law, the latest attempt by President Donald Trump's administration to limit transgender rights.

The Trump administration has launched federal probes against educational institutions and threatened to freeze their federal funding over transgender policies.

The Justice Department complaint filed in the US District Court for the District of Maryland alleged Anne Arundel County Public Schools violated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA).

The school district said it "disagrees with the allegations and stands by its compliance with FERPA and PPRA," saying it has been in regular contact with the Justice Department in "good faith" and found the department's decision to pursue litigation "regrettable."

The school system covers 128 schools serving more than 84,000 students, according to its website.

Trump has cast the ​gender identity of transgender people as a lie, issued a ​series of executive ⁠actions targeting their rights and stated in a directive that the US government will recognize only two sexes: male and female.

The US Education Department previously accused the school district of being in violation of federal law by classifying information about a student's gender identity ​as "confidential medical information" that cannot be shared with parents.

"Schools should not discuss preferred pronouns or 'gender identity' with a student without parental notification and consent," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department's civil rights division said on Tuesday.

Trump has also targeted ⁠educational institutions ​over other issues like climate initiatives, pro-Palestinian protests ​against US ally Israel's assault on Gaza and diversity programs, leading to concerns about academic freedom, free speech and ​due process.

-Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Stephen Coates/Reuters