Trump Officials Probe Two Schools Over Testosterone, Kissing
The U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday launched investigations into two school districts — Bethel School District in Washington state and Denver Public Schools in Colorado — over allegations involving an unauthorized Pride Month display containing vials of testosterone and a French teacher who allegedly compelled female students to kiss one another in class. The probes, conducted under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) and Title IX, represent the latest actions in the Trump administration’s broader push to enforce parental rights in education.
Context
The Education Department’s Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) is investigating whether the districts violated PPRA, a federal law that gives parents the right to review instructional materials and opt their children out of surveys or evaluations on sensitive topics including sexual behavior. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is separately investigating Denver Public Schools for potential Title IX violations. Violations of either law can result in termination of federal education funding for the offending district.
The department tied the announcements to National Parents’ Day on July 26, signaling what it described as a week of “significant actions” enforcing parental rights laws. The Trump administration has opened dozens of investigations into school districts over policies related to transgender and LGBTQ+ accommodations.
Bethel School District: Testosterone Vials in Pride Display
At Graham-Kapowsin High School in Washington, vials of testosterone — some containing what the district described as “a small amount of unknown liquid” — were placed in an unauthorized Pride Month display in June. The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office removed the vials after they were discovered. The student responsible was identified and referred to a drug and alcohol diversion program; no charges were filed, according to the AP News. The vials were never tested to confirm they contained testosterone.
“Our primary focus remains on maintaining a safe, respectful, and focused learning environment for all of our students,” Bethel School District said in a statement, adding that the display was not authorized by school administrators and that it will cooperate fully with federal investigators.
The Education Department’s press release raised broader concerns, suggesting the incident raised questions about whether school officials might be encouraging students to undergo medical procedures without parental consent, a claim the district has not addressed directly.
Denver Public Schools: Teacher Accused of Forcing Students to Kiss
In a separate investigation, federal officials are probing allegations that French teacher Jennifer Honka required female students at Northeast Early College to kiss each other as part of classroom skits during the 2023-24 school year. Students reported feeling pressured by a classroom policy that “the answer is always yes,” and at least one student said she received a zero after refusing to participate. Students also told investigators that the teacher consistently selected girls, never boys, for these skits, according to the Chalkbeat Colorado.
Denver Public Schools placed Honka on administrative leave in March 2025 after students raised concerns. The Board of Education voted unanimously to terminate her employment in May 2025, and an administrative law judge upheld the firing for incompetence and neglect of duty in April 2026. Honka told investigators she believed she was targeted because she was open at school about being a lesbian and participated in LGBTQ advocacy.
“The safety, emotional well-being, and dignity of our students are the absolute highest priorities of DPS,” district spokesperson Scott Pribble said in a statement. “Our actions to date have been wholly consistent with those priorities.”
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey characterized the alleged conduct in stark terms in the Education Department’s press release: “Schools have an obligation to prevent and address sexual assault. Yet in Colorado, school personnel are alleged to have compelled the sexual assault of minor students by forcing them to engage in blatantly sexualized conduct in class.”
Broader Implications
The twin investigations are part of a broader pattern under the Trump administration, which has opened dozens of probes into school districts over transgender athlete policies, bathroom access, and classroom content related to gender identity. Both Washington and Colorado are Democratic-led states with laws protecting transgender students, creating a tension between state and federal policy.
On the same day the investigations were announced, Jeffco Public Schools in Colorado filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over enforcement of transgender athlete policies, arguing the federal government is overstepping its authority. The Education Department has previously found Denver Public Schools in violation of Title IX over an all-gender restroom at East High School, though no enforcement action has been taken.
What’s Next
The Education Department has signaled it will announce additional investigations throughout the week. Both school districts have said they will cooperate with federal investigators. The key question remains whether these probes will result in concrete enforcement actions — including the potential loss of federal funding — or serve primarily as symbolic statements in a politically charged debate over the role of parents, schools, and the federal government in education.