Clarification On Judge’s Ruling On Title IX

TSN – Texas claims victory in federal court over the Biden Administration’s effort to interpret Title IX to include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor of Fort Worth has ruled in favor of the state’s argument that the U.S. Department of Education failed to adhere to the appropriate notice and comments requirements when interpreting Title IX to include first-time protections for LGBTQ+ students and employees.

The June 11 court decision does not block the Biden administration’s new Title IX regulations issued in April 2024. These regulations are still scheduled to take effect on August 1, 2024, in Texas and nationwide (except in 4 states**). They will explicitly prohibit anti-LGBTQI+ discrimination in schools, strengthen the rights of student survivors, and clarify protections for pregnant and parenting students.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton released a statement saying threatening to withhold education funding by forcing states to accept transgender policies that put women in danger was illegal.