Education Department probes allegations that a high school teacher made same-sex students to kiss

The U.S. Department of Education said it's investigating allegations that a Colorado high school teacher required students of the same sex to kiss in front of the classroom as part of a class assignment. 

The investigation is trying to determine if parents were notified about this student evaluation and whether parents or students who wanted to opt out of the exercise were allowed to, as required by federal law. 

“Shocking reports from across the country indicate that our kids are being subjected to inappropriate material, surveys, and events in schools, and parents’ fundamental right to review such materials and opt their children out of these suggestive activities appear to be disregarded in the process,” Frank Miller, director of the Student Privacy Policy Office, said in a statement. 

The department is also investigating a district in Washington state that displayed vials of testosterone as part of an LGBTQ Pride Month exhibit. Local police removed the display because the restricted drugs, which are prescribed as part of a gender-transition process, were left unattended around minors. 

"These reports raise serious concerns, including whether Bethel School District teachers and school administrators encourage students to undergo medical procedures without parental consent," the department said in a statement.