House Panel Demands Chicago Schools Clarify Policies on Student Gender Transitions and Parental Notification

A Republican-led House committee has launched an investigation into Chicago Public Schools, asserting that district policies may obscure information about student gender transitions from parents. In a letter made public through Fox News Digital, House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chair Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., pressed Superintendent Macquline King to address the matter following her testimony at a June 10 congressional hearing on parental rights in schools.

During that hearing, King stated that CPS does not conceal information from parents when asked about the district’s practices regarding socially transitioning children. However, Walberg contended that the district’s interim guidelines and its “Gender Diversity Toolkit” contradict this assertion by restricting staff from divulging a student’s transgender status or gender-nonconforming identity without the student’s consent, with parental permission not required.

Walberg referenced a recent Supreme Court decision in Mirabelli v. Bonta, which found parents have protected rights regarding their children’s upbringing and education. He criticized King for deflecting when asked whether CPS had modified policies to comply with that ruling and questioned whether the district’s practices align with federal law requirements regarding parental communication.

The committee demanded that Chicago Public Schools submit all guidance documents, written complaints, and professional development materials related to gender and sexuality by September 11. A Fox News inquiry to the district for comment went unanswered at the time of reporting.