Judge temporarily blocks expanded Title IX LGBTQ student protections in 4 states

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the Biden administration's new Title IX rule that expands protections for LGBTQ+ students, which has been temporarily blocked in four states by a federal judge in Louisiana.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The Biden Administration's New Title IX Rule

1. What are the key aspects of the Biden administration's new Title IX rule?

• The new rule expands Title IX civil rights protections to LGBTQ+ students
• It expands the definition of sexual harassment at schools and colleges
• It adds safeguards for victims

2. What are the concerns raised by opponents of the new rule?

• The rule is seen as an "abuse of power" and a "threat to democracy" by the judge
• The rule is claimed to undermine the spirit of Title IX, a 1972 law barring sex discrimination in education
• The rule clashes with state laws that require people to use bathrooms and locker rooms based on their sex assigned at birth, restricting transgender students from using facilities that align with their gender identity
• The rule could require schools to allow transgender women and girls to compete on female sports teams, which is opposed by several Republican states

3. What is the status of the legal challenge to the new rule?

• A federal judge in Louisiana has issued a preliminary injunction blocking the implementation of the new rule in Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, and Idaho
• The judge found that the new rule likely exceeds the Education Department's authority and violates free speech laws
• Judges in at least six other cases are also considering whether to put a similar hold on Biden's rule

4. How did the Trump administration's previous Title IX rule differ from the Biden administration's new rule?

• The Trump administration's rule narrowed the definition of sexual harassment and added protections for students accused of sexual misconduct
• The Biden administration's new rule aims to expand protections for LGBTQ+ students and add safeguards for victims

[02] Reactions to the Court Ruling

1. How did the Biden administration respond to the court order blocking the new rule?

• The Education Department did not immediately respond to the order

2. How did the Trump administration official who backed the lawsuit react to the court ruling?

• Bob Eitel, president of the Defense of Freedom Institute and a former Trump administration education official, applauded the court's decision and expressed confidence that other courts and states will soon follow suit

3. How did the former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who implemented the previous Title IX rule, respond to the court ruling?

• DeVos called the Louisiana decision a victory, saying Biden's "anti-woman radical rewrite of Title IX is not just crazy but it's also illegal"