The U.S. Department of Education posted a graphic on X featuring the cartoon characters from The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron with the caption “Parents know best” on Monday.
Parents know best. pic.twitter.com/nFK68s0Sqd
— U.S. Department of Education (@usedgov) July 27, 2026
The post came one day after the department marked National Parents’ Day and the same day it announced enforcement actions against two school districts (one in Michigan, the other in Maryland) accused of withholding information about students’ “gender identity” from parents.
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and the department have framed the message as part of a broader effort under President Donald Trump to restore parental authority in education, enforce the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and reverse policies from the prior administration that prioritized student “gender identity” over parental notification.
National Parents’ Day Messaging
On July 26, 2026, the Department of Education issued a statement celebrating National Parents’ Day, established by Congress in 1994 as the fourth Sunday in July.
Secretary McMahon said, “One of life’s greatest honors is the opportunity to nourish, teach, and raise a child. As a daughter, mother, and grandmother, I know the importance of the role parents play in their children’s lives. They are the most essential decision makers in their child’s education, and the Trump Administration will always put them first.”
The department highlighted initiatives including the Education Freedom Tax Credit, the “Returning Education to the States” effort, enforcement of parental legal rights, and accountability for schools that protect sexual predators. A separate video message from McMahon emphasized parents’ “God-given role as the primary decision makers in their children’s lives.”
Happy National Parents’ Day to all the incredible parents across our great nation.
Under @POTUS, @usedgov has taken significant steps to restore parents' God-given role as the primary decision makers in their children's lives. pic.twitter.com/Gmtn4dGdaH
— Secretary Linda McMahon (@EDSecMcMahon) July 26, 2026
Enforcement Actions on Parental Notification
Also on July 27, the department’s Student Privacy Policy Office partnered with the Department of Justice to take action against Anne Arundel County Public Schools in Maryland and Ann Arbor Public Schools in Michigan. Officials determined the districts violated FERPA by hiding information related to students’ “gender identity” or “transgender status” from parents.
In Anne Arundel County, parents reported discovering that school staff had been helping their daughter present as male at school after receiving an email using male pronouns. Administrators declined to provide details or records. The department said the district improperly classified “gender identity” information as confidential medical information that could not be shared.
Ann Arbor’s policy required employees to hide a child’s “transgender status” from parents and maintain related records in a separate filing system. The district was given until August 10, 2026, to show why enforcement should not proceed.
“As a mother and a grandmother, it is unconscionable that any school district would hide the most sensitive information about children in their care from their own parents. This is not only an affront to basic moral principles, but also to parents’ rights under federal law,” McMahon said in the department’s press release. “Under the Trump Administration, ED and DOJ are working together to vigorously uphold parents’ federal protections.”
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon stated, “School districts that hide information from parents are violating federal law. FERPA is not optional.”
FERPA gives parents the right to access their children’s education records. The department has said policies that instruct staff to conceal “gender transition” records infringe on those rights and can lead to loss of federal funding.
Actions Since 2025
In March 2025, the department issued a Dear Colleague Letter to state education chiefs designating the practice of hiding a child’s “gender identity” from parents as a “priority concern.” McMahon attached a cover letter stating that “by natural right and moral authority, parents are the primary protectors of their children.”
The department has opened investigations in multiple states, including a first-of-its-kind finding against the California Department of Education for tactics such as secret “gender support plans” and requests to software companies to hide name and pronoun changes from parents. Similar actions have targeted districts in Kansas and other locations.
In June 2026, the department formalized a partnership with the Justice Department to streamline enforcement of parental and civil rights laws.
Additional measures include approving “Returning Education to the States” waivers for states such as Vermont and Indiana, committing a record $500 million to Charter School Programs, and proposing increased special education funding in the Fiscal Year 2027 budget while reducing paperwork burdens.
Shift From the Biden Administration
Under the Biden administration, the Education Department finalized Title IX regulations in April 2024 that expanded the definition of sex discrimination to include sexual orientation and “gender identity.” The rules took effect in 24 states in August 2024 before being struck down nationwide by a federal judge in Kentucky in January 2025.
The Biden-era approach generally supported school policies that affirmed a student’s stated “gender identity” and, in many districts, limited disclosure to parents.
The Trump administration has reversed that priority. It treats parental access to records under FERPA as a core enforcement focus, has launched statewide investigations, and has partnered with the Justice Department for potential funding cuts and judicial action against noncompliant districts. The department has also directed schools to end racial preferences in admissions and other programs.
Provided by Dallas Express
