A federal judge in Texas has halted the Biden administration’s move to extend Title IX protections to LGBTQ+ youth, branding it as an “unlawful action.”
Judge Reed O’Connor ruled that the Education Department’s new guidelines were unacceptable, stating that it encroached on Congress’s authority and twisted the Title IX interpretation aimed at preventing sexism in federally funded institutions.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who initiated the legal challenge, hailed the decision as a “major victory.”
The clash between Texas and federal authorities arose from Biden’s efforts to broaden Title IX protections to include transgender children, covering both sexual orientation and gender identity.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott sent a directive to public universities warning against following the new guidelines, citing concerns over state funding risks.
Paxton welcomed the court’s decision, stating that Biden’s attempt to weaponize Title IX was thwarted, emphasizing the protection of women’s rights.
In a press release, Paxton emphasized the ruling’s significance in halting what he viewed as an illegal attempt to impose transgender policies.
Following a Supreme Court decision in 2020 expanding federal anti-sexism laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity, the Department of Education had issued revamped Title IX guidelines. However, Judge O’Connor opposed the move.
Paxton’s lawsuit against the Department of Education in June 2023 characterized the new guidelines as an abuse of federal regulatory powers.
The Education Department’s April implementation of binding regulations extending Title IX protections to sexual orientation and gender identity had sparked legal challenges from Republican-led states like Texas.
While the recent ruling did not directly impact the impending regulations, it hinted at potential legal repercussions for them in the future.
Critics argue that the ruling falls short in addressing transgender participation in sports, drawing condemnation from some Democratic figures like Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.
Judge O’Connor, known for previous clashes with Democratic administrations, notably ruled against an earlier Biden-Administration move to expand Title IX in 2016. He also made headlines in 2018 for deeming Obama’s Affordable Care Act unconstitutional.