A Maryland school district is facing a lawsuit from parents who claim that school officials concealed their daughter's social gender transition and cited district policy to justify not informing them. The lawsuit, led by America First Legal on behalf of anonymous parents identified as John and Jane Doe, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. The plaintiffs argue that the policies of Anne Arundel County Public Schools violate their First and 14th Amendment rights, as well as provisions of the Maryland Constitution.
The lawsuit is part of a broader trend of legal challenges against school districts that allow staff to withhold information about a student's gender identity from parents. This follows a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Mirabelli v. Bonta, which America First Legal claims reinforces parental rights in decisions regarding their children. Ian Prior, a senior advisor at America First Legal and counsel for the plaintiffs, stated that the district ignored this precedent.
According to the complaint, the issue began in December 2025 when a teacher mistakenly emailed the parents using a male name for their daughter. The teacher later claimed the email was sent to the wrong recipient, but later admitted that the student had requested to be called by a male name. The parents instructed school officials to use their daughter's legal name and requested records related to the school's actions, but the school reportedly refused, citing district policies that require staff to honor a student's preferred name and keep gender identity information confidential.
The lawsuit alleges that the district's policies prevent parents from being notified or giving permission regarding their child's social transition. Prior expressed concern that litigation is necessary to ensure schools adhere to constitutional rights, noting that America First Legal is also pursuing similar cases in other states. The Anne Arundel County Public Schools declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.