Sarah Toce
The U.S. Department of Education Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) launched an investigation Thursday into the California Department of Education (CDE) for alleged violations of the Family Educational Rights Privacy Act (FERPA).
Trump’s SPPO claims that FERPA gives parents the right to access their children’s educational data. According to a press release The Seattle Lesbian received Thursday, Trump’s chaotic cronies are coming for California.
The CDE has allegedly abdicated the responsibilities FERPA imposes due to a new California state law that prohibits school personnel from disclosing a child’s ‘gender identity’ to that child’s parent. SPPO has reason to believe that numerous local educational agencies (LEAs) in California may be violating FERPA to socially transition children at school while hiding minors’ ‘gender identity’ from parents. Given the number of LEAs that appear to be involved, SPPO is concerned that CDE played a role, either directly or indirectly, in the widespread adoption of these practices, which appear to be required by the recently enacted California Assembly Bill 1955.
Trump’s pick for education secretary, Linda McMahon, stated in the news release, “Teachers and school counselors should not be in the business of advising minors entrusted to their care on consequential decisions about their sexual identity and mental health. That responsibility and privilege lies with a parent or trusted loved one.”
McMahon added, “It is not only immoral but also potentially in contradiction with federal law for California schools to hide crucial information about a student’s wellbeing from parents and guardians. The agency launched today’s investigation to vigorously protect parents’ rights and ensure that students do not fall victim to a radical transgender ideology that often leads to family alienation and irreversible medical interventions.”
If the far right wing Trump education department deems that a violation of FERPA has occurred, it can “result in termination of an educational entity’s federal funding.”
“We will not stand idly by while the Trump Administration continues to sow chaos, uncertainty, and interruptions of normal communication surrounding federal education programs,” said California State Superintendent Tony Thurmond. “We will combat these attempts to undermine educational equity and opportunity and stay focused on our most important goal: improving educational results for our students.”
Thurmond stated, “… recent actions by the administration have caused real harm to students, families, and educators, including the elimination of contracts with agencies who provide supports for schools and students and the sudden and irresponsible shuttering of the Office for Civil Rights in the most populous state.”
Since states operate independently from federal government, each jurisdiction can make their own laws pertaining to education, however, if federal funding is needed for programming and support, schools in misalignment with Trump’s oligarchy will most likely be denied funding under this administration. It’s a selfish and childish effort by the Trump team to show who has the biggest balls: Trump or people with actual brain cells who received a proper education.
