California’s gender secrecy policies, already hanging in the balance before the Supreme Court, are now in the federal government’s crosshairs. The DOE’s Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) investigation determined the CDE “egregiously abused its authority by pressuring school officials to withhold information about students’ so-called ‘gender transitions’ from their parents,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. The President vowed to ensure that K-12 schools receiving federal funding comply with all applicable laws, including FERPA. In California, and throughout the country, state educational guidance allows schools to facilitate students’ gender transitioning behind their parent’s backs. It also directs the state to notify school officials that violations of FERPA risk loss of federal financial assistance.