Federal Judges Halt Biden's Title IX Rules Across Multiple States
A federal judge in Louisiana has issued an injunction stopping new Title IX rules issued by the Biden administration, which expand the definition of sex discrimination to include gender identity and pregnancy. The rules were finalized by the Department of Education and were set to go into effect on August 1. The changes include prohibiting single-sex bathrooms and locker rooms and requiring schools to use pronouns based on a student's preferred gender identity. The judge ruled that the rule violated the free speech and free exercise clauses of the First Amendment and was arbitrary and capricious. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill praised the ruling as a victory for women and girls.
In a separate ruling, a federal judge in Eastern Kentucky also blocked the new Title IX rules. This lawsuit was brought by Republican Attorney General Russell Coleman and counterparts from five other states. The ruling prevents the Department of Education from implementing or enforcing the new regulations. The Kentucky judge criticized the regulation as "arbitrary in the truest sense of the word" and stated that it would undermine equal opportunities for women. The Education Department defended the rule, emphasizing its role in preventing discrimination in federally funded educational programs and activities.
These rulings have halted the implementation of the Biden administration's Title IX changes in a total of six states, with a broader coalition of over 20 Republican-led states opposing the new rules. The Education Department is reviewing the orders and has asked a federal judge in Missouri to deny another request for a preliminary injunction against the new rule, arguing that blocking it would harm efforts to prevent discrimination.
