Nebraska transgender student files complaint claiming she was outed by school officials (2024)

A student from eastern Nebraska has filed a federal complaint claiming she was outed as transgender by school administrators at the start of the school year.

The complaint filed with the U.S. Department of Education's Student Privacy Policy Office says that school officials violated the privacy of the 12-year-old student, who socially transitioned in elementary school, by outing her without consent, according to a Tuesday news release from the American Civil Liberties Union.

The ACLU did not disclose which school district the student attends for fear of revealing her identity.

The complaint dates back to August 2023, when the family of the student was allegedly contacted by the president of a private organization who said he had heard their child was trans. The family believes school officials violated the student's privacy due to the connection between the organization's leadership and school administration, according to the ACLU.

The complaint states that school officials violated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which is intended to prevent school officials from disclosing personal student information.

“As parents, we had the basic expectation that our child’s private information would be protected and safeguarded by those who held positions in school giving them access to confidential information. That was not the case, and the consequences for our child both inside and outside of school have been heartbreaking to watch unfold," the family wrote in a statement.

"Our child deserved better. We never want another child or family to face the pain we have because of abuse of information."