The U.S. Department of Education, under the Trump administration, announced Tuesday it has launched investigations into two school districts, citing alleged violations of federal privacy laws. These probes target a high school in the Denver school district and another in Washington state, signaling an escalated federal intervention into local education policy and student life.
In Denver Public Schools, the investigation centers on allegations that a teacher required same-sex students to kiss in front of a class. Students raised concerns in March 2025, leading the district to place the teacher on administrative leave. By May of the first year, the Board of Education had fired the teacher, according to Denver schools spokesman Scott Pribble. The district stated its actions were consistent with priorities for student safety and emotional well-being.
The State's Hand
The second probe targets the Bethel School District, located an hour south of Seattle, over a Pride month exhibit at Graham-Kapowsin High School. This display, which occurred in June of the same month, reportedly included vials of testosterone. The district stated these vials were not authorized by school administrators and were immediately removed, then turned over to the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office. Testosterone is a substance prescribed for gender-affirming care.
Frank Miller, director of the Student Privacy Policy Office at the Education Department, articulated the administration's stance, declaring, “Parents must be the decision-makers in matters impacting the most intimate parts of their children’s lives.” This statement frames the investigations as an enforcement of parental rights, a recurring theme in the Trump administration's broader strategy to exert social control over educational institutions.
Pierce County Sheriff’s Deputy Carly Cappetto confirmed school administrators identified the student who brought the vials to campus. The sheriff’s office would test the liquid, described as a “small amount of unknown liquid,” to determine if it was testosterone—a controlled substance—should prosecutors request it. Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney Mary Robnett, however, was not aware of the case.
Undermining Autonomy
These new investigations are not isolated incidents. The Trump administration has initiated dozens of similar probes into schools that provide accommodations for transgender and LGBTQ+ students. These federal actions frequently target districts allowing students to use bathrooms or locker rooms aligning with their gender identities. Last year, the administration accused Denver schools of violating Title IX protections over such a bathroom policy, demonstrating a consistent pattern of ideological enforcement.
Federal officials have also pushed against schools accused of keeping information about students’ gender identities confidential from their parents. The Education Department asserts this practice violates federal privacy laws. The timing of these new investigations, announced just two days after National Parents’ Day, underscores the political nature of the state’s intervention, with the agency promising further “significant actions” throughout the week.
Districts Yield to Pressure
Both the Denver and Bethel school districts are situated in states led by Democrats, yet their responses reflect a capitulation to federal pressure. Bethel School District stated it would cooperate fully with the Education Department’s investigation and is reviewing its protocols for overseeing displays. The district aims to “ensure all school materials strictly align with our educational standards and community expectations,” a move that signals a tightening of internal controls in response to external state demands. The firing of the Denver teacher, while framed as a district priority, also occurred under the shadow of federal scrutiny. The state apparatus continues to shape educational environments, often at the expense of student autonomy and the rights of marginalized groups.