EXCLUSIVE: House committee probes Chicago Public Schools over hiding ‘gender affirmation’ from parents
The House Committee on Education and the Workforce has asked Chicago Public Schools’ chief executive, Macquline King, to explain policies that Republicans say may prevent parents being told about a pupil’s gender transition. Committee chair Tim Walberg said CPS guidance appears inconsistent with King’s June testimony that the district does not hide information from parents, intensifying a wider political and legal dispute over parental rights and transgender pupils in US schools.
Walberg cited CPS interim guidance and a Gender Diversity Toolkit stating that staff should not disclose a pupil’s transgender status or gender-nonconforming presentation without the pupil’s permission, and that parental consent is not required. He also referred to the Supreme Court’s recent Mirabelli v. Bonta decision, which found parents were likely to succeed in challenging a California non-disclosure law, although the case remains under appeal; the committee has requested relevant CPS documents, complaints and training materials by 11 September. CPS had not responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
- House committee challenges CPS gender-identity disclosure policies.
- Republicans say parents may be excluded from key decisions.
- CPS documents have been requested by 11 September.
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Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is the public school district serving the city of Chicago. Its staff guidance covers how schools should support pupils who are transgender or whose gender expression differs from expectations, including what information may be shared with parents.
The issue sits within a wider US debate about parents’ rights, pupil privacy and how schools support transgender young people. Tim Walberg chairs the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, a congressional committee that examines education policy; Macquline King leads CPS. A recent Supreme Court case from California has added to legal scrutiny of school policies on telling parents about a child’s gender identity.
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The case for
Supporters of the committee’s inquiry argue that parents have a strong interest in knowing about major issues affecting their child’s wellbeing and should be able to make informed decisions about support and care. They say the cited CPS guidance may conflict with the chief executive’s testimony and that scrutiny is warranted, particularly in light of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on a similar policy.
The case against
Defenders of CPS’s approach argue that a pupil’s privacy and safety must be considered, since disclosure at home could expose some transgender or gender-nonconforming young people to rejection or harm. They may contend that staff should build trust with pupils and assess individual circumstances rather than automatically disclose sensitive information, while noting that the cited Supreme Court case is still under appeal.