On December 16, 2025, Defending Education filed a privacy complaint against Seattle Public Schools with the U.S. Department of Education’s Student Privacy Policy Office and the U.S. Department of Justice. DE claims the district is breaking the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), a federal law that gives parents the right to see their children’s school records, and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), a federal law that protects student privacy and parents’ rights when schools question or evaluate students on sensitive topics.
The complaint challenges three district practices. First, a district procedure tells teachers to hide a student’s gender transition at school from the student’s parents. Second, the district does not let parents opt their children out of “LGBTQ Inclusive Instruction” lessons, even though the U.S. Supreme Court recently held that this kind of curriculum can violate parents’ religious liberty rights. Third, public records obtained by Defending Education show that district administrators asked Seattle Children’s Hospital for “gender-affirming supplies” such as chest binders, “trans tape,” nipple guards, and tucking underwear for the district’s “Community Health Lockers” project, which is designed to help minors transition. These policies also conflict with White House guidance on gender identity, including at least three executive orders.
Defending Education urges the Department of Education’s Student Privacy Policy Office and the Department of Justice to quickly investigate Seattle Public Schools for these violations.
Read the full complaint below:
