Parents Defending Education (PDE) is an American nonprofit, part of the “parental rights” movement of anti-transgender activists.
The organization also operates the social welfare organization 501(c)4 PDE Action.
Parents Defending Education has brought lawsuits against trans-inclusive school districts in several states.
Parents Defending Education maintains “a list of school districts by state that have Transgender/Gender Nonconforming Policies that openly state that district personnel can or should keep a studentâs transgender status hidden from parents.”
Background
Parents Defending Education was founded in 2021 and is based in Arlington, Virginia.
PDE was plaintiff in Parents Defending Education v. Olentangy Local School District Board of Education. A federal appeals court refused to block a Columbus, Ohio school district policy banning the misgendering of transgender students.
PDE filed Parents 1 v. Montgomery County Board of Education over gender-inclusive policies at the Montgomery County, Maryland school district. Via Education Week:
The parentsâ lawsuit was dismissed in 2022 by a federal district court. Last year, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, in Richmond, Va., ruled 2-1 that the parents lacked standing to sue over the guidelines because none of their children had gender-support plans or had any discussions with school officials about gender transitioning or gender identity issues.
On February 28, 2024, PDE filed Parents Defending Education v. U.S. Department of Education for “unlawfully withholding records of the Departmentâs coordination with advocacy groups on Title IX and gender identity issues.”
People
- Nicole Neily, President
- Caroline Moore, Vice President
- Erika Sanzi, Director of Outreach
- Marissa Fallon, Director of Advocacy
- Rachel Metz Director of Operations
- Andrew Kozusko Director of Development
- Michele Exner Senior Advisor
- Scarlen Valderaz Advocacy Advisor
- Paul Runko Digital Communications Specialist
- Casey Ryan Investigative Reporter
- Rhyen Staley Researcher
- Isabella Rossini Development Assistant
- Kenneth Marcus, Treasurer
- Karol Marcowicz, Trustee
- Edward Blum, Trustee
- Garrett Exner, Trustee
- Mary Hasson, Trustee
- Asra Normani, VP for Strategy
- Ian Lindquist, Treasurer (2021)
References
Elordi, Mairead (October 29, 2024). These New Hampshire School Districts Still Have Transgender Policies That Leave Parents In The Dark. Daily Wire https://www.dailywire.com/news/these-new-hampshire-school-districts-still-have-transgender-policies-that-leave-parents-in-the-dark
Cordi, Peter (September 23, 2024). Documents reveal how Missouri school district âdeceives parentsâ about transgender students. Washington Examiner https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/education/3161723/missouri-school-district-parents-transgender-students/
Bilitz, Samantha (August 23, 2024). Parental right advocate worries about Harris-Walz administration school policies. KATV https://katv.com/news/nation-world/parental-right-advocate-worries-about-harris-walz-administration-school-policies-transgender-hormone-chicago-education
Whelan, Ed (August 2, 2024). Divided Sixth Circuit Panel Rejects First Amendment Challenge to Schoolâs Transgender Pronoun Policy. National Review https://www.nationalreview.com/bench-memos/divided-sixth-circuit-panel-rejects-first-amendment-challenge-to-schools-transgender-pronoun-policy/
Weiss, Degra Cassens (July 30, 2024). 6th Circuit refuses to block school’s pronoun policy; dissent makes belief-in-ghosts comparison. ABA Journal https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/schools-pronoun-policy-doesnt-violate-students-free-speech-rights-6th-circuit-says
Stemnpel, Jonathan (July 29, 2024). Ohio school district’s transgender anti-bullying policy upheld by appeals court. Reuters https://www.reuters.com/legal/ohio-school-districts-transgender-anti-bullying-policy-upheld-by-appeals-court-2024-07-29/
Walsh, Mark (May 20, 2024). Supreme Court Turns Down Case Challenging School Districtâs Transgender Policies. Education Week https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/supreme-court-turns-down-case-challenging-school-districts-transgender-policies/2024/05
Behrens, Cole (July 31, 2024). Federal court: Olentangy schools can punish students for bullying over pronouns. Columbus Dispatch https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/education/2024/07/31/olentangy-schools-enforce-pronoun-policy-bullying-trans-students-ohio/74617524007/
Watrobski, Kristina (July 1, 2024). Lewiston policy letting teachers ‘hide’ students’ gender identities sparks debate. WGME https://wgme.com/news/local/lewiston-policy-letting-teachers-hide-students-gender-identities-sparks-debate-lewiston-public-schools-maine-parents-defending-education-lgbt-transgender-gender-identity-equalitymaine-crisis-in-the-classroom
Janoski, Steve (June 16, 2024). Parents of Westchester County kids against âpreferred pronounsâ sue school district. New York Post https://nypost.com/2024/06/16/us-news/parents-of-westchester-county-kids-against-preferred-pronouns-sue-school-district/
Watrobski, Kristina (April 19, 2024). Biden leaving trans athletes out of Title IX rewrite is ‘100% political,’ parent org says. WPMI https://mynbc15.com/news/nation-world/biden-leaving-trans-athletes-out-of-title-ix-rewrite-is-100-political-parent-org-says-president-joe-biden-education-department-miguel-cardona-parents-defending-education-erika-sanzi-womens-sports-lgbt-gender-identity-crisis-in-the-classroom
Murphy, Esme (February 21, 2024). Iowa school district pays $20K to settle gender policy lawsuit. WCCO https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/iowa-school-district-paying-20k-to-settle-gender-policy-lawsuit/
Heisig, Eric (February 1, 2024). Ohio Schools’ Anti-Trans Bullying Policies Too Broad, Group Says. Bloomberg Law Review https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/ohio-schools-anti-trans-bullying-policies-too-broad-group-says
Tietz, Kendall (February 3, 2024). Utah school districts respond to allegations they conceal students’ gender status from parents. Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/media/utah-school-districts-respond-allegations-they-conceal-students-gender-status-from-parents
McCarthy, S.A. (August 22, 2023). Over 1,000 School Districts Hide Studentsâ Gender Identities From Parents. Daily Signal https://www.dailysignal.com/2023/08/22/over-1000-school-districts-hide-students-gender-identities-from-parents/
Esteban, Michelle (July 18, 2023 ). Seattle schools provide free gender affirming care through on-campus health centers. KOMO https://komonews.com/news/local/gender-affirming-care-seattle-students-lgbt-trans-transgender-health-center-washington-on-campus-services-sps-gay-academic-transition-non-profit-parents-law-regulation-doctor-community
Christiensen, Josh (March 8, 2023). Exclusive: Nearly 6,000 US public schools hide childâs gender status from parents. New York Post https://nypost.com/2023/03/08/us-public-schools-conceal-childs-gender-status-from-parents/
Staff report (August 8, 2022). Several parents sue Linn-Mar School District over transgender policy. Iowa Torch https://iowatorch.com/2022/08/08/several-parents-sue-linn-mar-school-district-over-transgender-policy/
Joseph, Jamie (August 8, 2023). Alaska school policy lets administrators hide gender identity of students from parents, watchdog finds. Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/us/alaska-school-policy-administrators-hide-gender-identity-students-parents-watchdog-finds
Kauffman, Clark (August 5, 2022). Linn-Mar schools sued over new gender-identity policy. Iowa Capital Dispatch https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/08/05/linn-mar-schools-sued-over-new-gender-identity-policy/
Gill, Peter (July 28, 2023). Federal court deals blow to conservative group in LGBTQ-related Olentangy schools case. Columbus Dispatch https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/state/2023/07/28/court-deals-blow-to-conservative-group-in-olentangy-schools-case/70488558007/
Torres, Michael (July 18, 2023). Whether You Like It Or Not: Guided by activists and flimsy legal reasoning, school districts are asserting a right to conceal childrenâs gender transitions from parents.City Journal https://www.city-journal.org/article/transgender-secrecy-policies-at-public-schools
Watrobski, Kristina (July 11, 2023). Seattle Public Schools offering ‘gender reaffirming care’ to students at ‘no cost.’ KOMO https://komonews.com/news/local/seattle-school-district-offers-gender-reaffirming-care-to-students-partners-with-nonprofit-that-offers-gender-transition-services-washington-seattle-public-schools-parents-defending-education-transgender-nonbinary
Watrobski, Kristina (July 10, 2023). NYC third-graders encouraged to read book about transgender child this summer. National News Desk https://thenationaldesk.com/news/americas-news-now/nyc-third-graders-encouraged-to-read-i-am-jazz-this-summer-jazz-jennings-new-york-city-public-schools-literacy-collaborative-guide-parents-defending-education-lgbt-transgender
Watrobski, Kristina (June 6, 2023). EXCLUSIVE: Students’ gender identities may be hidden from parents in Kansas school districts. KATV https://katv.com/news/nation-world/exclusive-students-gender-identities-may-be-hidden-from-parents-in-kansas-school-districts-shawnee-mission-maize-unified-olathe-public-parents-defending-education-transgender-lgbt
Iafrate, Anthony (March 9, 2023). 8 Groups Pushing Gender Ideology in American Schools. Catholic Vote https://catholicvote.org/8-groups-pushing-gender-ideology-in-american-schools/
Chasmar, Jessica (February 8, 2023). Idaho schools instructed to keep parents in dark about studentâs gender, name transitions. Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/politics/idaho-schools-instructed-keep-parents-dark-students-gender-name-transitions
Grossman, Hannah (May 27, 2022). Florida school district guide suggests hiding transgender identity from parents: advocacy group. Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/media/florida-school-district-suggests-hiding-transgender-identity-parents
Downey, Caroline (May 24, 2022). Ohio School Districtâs âTransgender Guidelinesâ Instruct Teachers to Socially Transition Students without Parental Consent. National Review https://www.nationalreview.com/news/ohio-school-districts-transgender-guidelines-instruct-teachers-to-socially-transition-students-without-parental-consent/
Johnston, Jeff (February 2, 2022 ). BLM at School Week â Indoctrinating and Training Radical Activist Children. Daily Citizen [Focus on the Family] https://dailycitizen.focusonthefamily.com/blm-at-school-week-indoctrinating-and-training-radical-activist-children/
Resources
Parents Defending Education (defendinged.org)
X/Twitter (x.com)
Facebook (facebook.com)
Instagram (instagram.com)
YouTube (youtube.com)