Title IX Expansion for LGBTQ+ Students Blocked in Four States by Federal Judge

The Biden administration's new Title IX rule, aimed at expanding protections for LGBTQ+ students, has encountered a legal roadblock. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty in Louisiana issued a preliminary i****ction, temporarily blocking the rule in Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, and Idaho. Judge Doughty, appointed by former President Donald Trump, found that the rule overstepped the Education Department's authority.

The new Title IX rule, finalized in April 2024, seeks to expand civil rights protections to LGBTQ+ students, redefine sexual harassment, and add safeguards for victims. However, several Republican-led states, backed by organizations such as the Defense of Freedom Institute, have challenged the rule. The Louisiana case, which argues that the rule would compel schools to update facilities at great expense, is among at least seven similar lawsuits supported by over 20 Republican-led states.

Judge Doughty expressed concerns that the rule could mandate schools to allow transgender women and girls to compete on female sports teams. He emphasized that the term "sex discrimination" was originally intended to encompass discrimination against biological males and females only. The judge also noted potential implications for educational programs and activities receiving Federal financial assistance, including sports teams.

The Education Department is currently reviewing Judge Doughty's order but maintains its support for the new Title IX regulations. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has proposed a separate rule to prevent blanket bans on transgender athletes, although the recently finalized rule does not address athletics specifically.

In response to the ruling, Bob Eitel, president of the Defense of Freedom Institute and a former Trump administration education official, expressed confidence that other courts and states would follow suit. Betsy DeVos, Trump's education secretary, hailed the decision as a victory, criticizing Biden's Title IX rewrite as "anti-woman" and illegal.

Judges in at least six other cases are currently deliberating whether to impose similar holds on the Biden administration's Title IX rule, suggesting that this legal battle is far from over.

Conservative Bias:

Here we go again, folks. The liberal agenda, spearheaded by Biden and his cronies, is trying to shove their radical LGBTQ+ ideology down the throats of our schools and children. They want to redefine Title IX, a law that was originally meant to protect biological males and females from discrimination, to now include every letter of the alphabet soup. This is nothing but an overreach by the Education Department, which has no business dictating these kinds of social experiments. Thankfully, Judge Doughty, a beacon of sanity appointed by President Trump, has put a stop to this madness in four states. This rule would force schools to waste taxpayer money on unnecessary facility updates and allow biological males to compete in female sports, completely undermining women's rights. It's a victory for common sense and a blow to the left's relentless war on traditional values. Betsy DeVos and the Defense of Freedom Institute are right—this is an "anti-woman" and illegal rewrite of Title IX. Let's hope more judges follow suit and put an end to this lunacy once and for all.

Liberal Bias:

Once again, the conservative war machine is in full swing, attacking the rights and dignity of LGBTQ+ students under the guise of protecting "traditional values." Judge Doughty, a Trump appointee, has decided to block the Biden administration's progressive and much-needed expansion of Title IX protections in four states. This is nothing more than a politically motivated move to appease the far-right base, who can't stand the idea of inclusivity and equality. The new Title IX rule is a crucial step towards ensuring that LGBTQ+ students are protected from discrimination and harassment, but the GOP and their allies, like the Defense of Freedom Institute, are determined to keep these vulnerable kids marginalized. They hide behind bogus arguments about costs and false claims of protecting women's sports, all while ignoring the real issues of discrimination and inequality. This ruling is a setback for civil rights, but the fight is far from over. The Biden administration and advocates for LGBTQ+ rights will continue to push forward, despite these blatant attempts to drag us back into the dark ages.