Parental Rights Bill Creates Direct Lawsuit Path Against Schools Over Student Privacy

The aptly named “Parental Rights Relief Act” is about giving parents a much more direct, and much faster, way to enforce federal student privacy laws. If passed, this bill fundamentally changes how parents can challenge schools and districts over alleged violations of two key laws: the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA).

The Fast Track to Federal Court

Right now, if a parent thinks a school violated their student’s privacy under FERPA or PPRA—say, by improperly sharing records or running unauthorized surveys—they generally have to file a complaint with the Department of Education (DOE) and wait for the administrative process to play out. It’s slow, bureaucratic, and often frustrating. This bill scraps that requirement. It creates a private right of action, meaning a parent who feels harmed by a violation can skip the DOE entirely and file a civil lawsuit directly in U.S. District Court. They can sue for a court order to stop the violation and, crucially, they can seek to recover reasonable attorney’s fees and costs (SEC. 2).

Think of it this way: the bill turns a complex, slow administrative complaint process into a clear-cut legal route. For parents who feel strongly that their rights were violated, this is a huge win for enforcement. They get immediate access to the court system, which has the power to issue injunctions—quick orders to stop a school from doing something immediately. This is the bill’s core mechanism for ‘relief.’

What It Means for Your Local School District

While this empowers parents, it simultaneously shifts a massive new risk onto school districts. By allowing parents to bypass the administrative process, the bill removes a crucial filter that usually screens out minor or unsubstantiated claims before they reach federal court. Every alleged violation now carries the risk of a federal lawsuit, complete with the potential for the school district to pay the plaintiff’s legal bills if they lose.

For a busy school principal or a small district superintendent, this translates directly into higher costs and increased legal exposure. Districts will likely need to beef up their legal teams and may become extremely cautious about sharing any information at all, even when communication might be beneficial. If a district’s resources are tied up defending against multiple federal lawsuits, that’s money and time diverted away from classrooms, teacher training, and essential student services.

Making the DOE Move Faster

Even with the new lawsuit option, the bill doesn't completely abandon the Department of Education. It requires the Secretary of Education to establish a designated office and review board specifically for investigating and adjudicating FERPA and PPRA complaints. The kicker? The DOE must investigate, process, and adjudicate these complaints within 90 days of filing (SEC. 2).

This 90-day deadline is ambitious. While it’s intended to speed up a notoriously slow federal bureaucracy, meeting that timeline consistently could be a massive challenge, especially if the volume of complaints spikes. If the DOE struggles to meet the deadline, it might further encourage parents to use the new, faster lawsuit option, putting even more pressure on local school systems.