California sues Trump administration to protect trans students

The state of California has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education and the federal government, challenging the state’s threat to withhold about $4.9 billion in annual education funding over a state law that prohibits the expulsion of transgender students.

State Attorney General Rob Bonta filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging the federal government’s fraudulent application of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

U.S. District Judge Noel Wise granted a temporary restraining order on the same day the complaint was filed, preventing the federal government from withholding funds while the case progresses.

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The controversy centers on Assembly Bill 1955, which was signed into law in 2024 and prohibits schools from requiring faculty to disclose a student’s gender identity to parents without the student’s consent.

The U.S. Department of Education has launched an investigation into whether California’s policy violates FERPA, the federal law governing access to student education records.

Federal officials called for several “corrective actions,” including ensuring the district could adopt a parent notification policy, warning that failure to comply could result in the loss of all federal funding.

California argues in its complaint that FERPA does not require schools to proactively disclose a student’s gender identity or pronouns to parents without a valid records request, and the federal government has not identified any instances in which states have failed to comply with the law.

The lawsuit seeks a declaration that the requested remedial action is illegal and requests preliminary and permanent injunctions to prevent the withholding of funds.

A temporary restraining order remains in effect until the court resolves the merits of the case.

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