The U.S. Department of Education announced Tuesday it's investigating two school districts — one in Denver and another south of Seattle — over allegations that schools conducted activities involving students without proper parental notification, potentially violating federal privacy protections.
The probes target Denver Public Schools over claims a teacher required same-sex students to kiss in front of classmates, and Bethel School District in Washington state for displaying vials of testosterone during a Pride month exhibit. Both investigations will examine whether the districts violated federal law giving parents the right to opt out of school evaluations on topics including sex behavior or attitudes.
"Parents must be the decision-makers in matters impacting the most intimate parts of their children's lives," Frank Miller, director of the Student Privacy Policy Office at the Education Department, said in a statement.
The Denver Case
Denver schools spokesman Scott Pribble confirmed the district placed a teacher on administrative leave after students raised concerns in March 2025. The district completed an investigation, though officials didn't specify what prompted the students' complaints. The Board of Education fired the teacher in May.
"The safety, emotional well-being, and dignity of our students are the absolute highest priorities of DPS," Pribble's statement said. "Our actions to date have been wholly consistent with those priorities."
The dismissal occurred before federal investigators opened their probe. The timing raises questions about whether district protocols adequately protected parental rights during the initial incident.
Testosterone Vials in Washington
Bethel School District acknowledged that vials displayed at Graham-Kapowsin High School in June weren't authorized by administrators. Officials immediately removed the items and turned them over to the Pierce County Sheriff's Office.
The display contained vials with a "small amount of unknown liquid," according to the district's statement. Testosterone is prescribed for gender-affirming care and is classified as a controlled substance.
Pierce County Sheriff's Deputy Carly Cappetto said administrators identified the student who brought the vials to campus. The sheriff's office would test the liquid to determine its contents if prosecutors requested, she said. Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mary Robnett said she wasn't aware of the case and would need additional information to determine its status.
Bethel officials said they're reviewing protocols for overseeing displays to "ensure all school materials strictly align with our educational standards and community expectations." The district added that maintaining "a safe, respectful, and focused learning environment for all of our students" remains its primary focus.
Broader Federal Enforcement
Both districts operate in Democratic-led states, while President Donald Trump is a Republican. The Trump administration has opened dozens of investigations into schools making accommodations for transgender and LGBTQ+ students, frequently targeting districts allowing students to use bathrooms or locker rooms aligning with their gender identities. The department accused Denver schools last year of violating Title IX protections against sex-based discrimination over such a bathroom policy.
Trump officials have also challenged schools keeping information about students' gender identities confidential from parents, which the department characterizes as a violation of federal privacy laws.
The Education Department tied the new investigations to National Parents' Day on Sunday. The agency said it will announce "significant actions" involving enforcement of parental rights laws throughout the week.
Why This Matters:
These investigations underscore fundamental questions about the balance between institutional authority and parental rights in public education. Federal law explicitly grants parents the ability to opt out of evaluations involving sensitive topics like sexual behavior, yet these cases suggest some districts may not consistently honor those protections. The Denver incident resulted in a teacher's termination, indicating the district recognized serious concerns — but only after students, not parents, raised alarms. The Washington case involves potential criminal matters alongside educational policy questions. When schools display controlled substances or conduct exercises involving intimate student interactions without transparent parental notification, they risk both legal liability and the erosion of trust between families and institutions. The broader pattern of federal scrutiny reflects growing demands that schools respect parental authority over decisions affecting children's development and privacy.