In a bold move, two Texas federal judges have halted President Biden’s administration from enforcing new anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ students. This ruling blocks the implementation of the rule in Texas and a school district represented by a Christian legal rights group.
U.S. District Judges Matthew Kacsmaryk in Amarillo and Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth, both conservative appointees, delivered the decisions. Their rulings followed similar blocks by judges in Kansas, Kentucky, and Louisiana, impacting a total of 14 states.
The crux of the controversy lies in the U.S. Department of Education’s interpretation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The department’s rule extends the ban on sex discrimination to include sexual orientation and gender identity, citing the 2020 Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, which applied similar protections under Title VII.
However, Judge Kacsmaryk, appointed by former President Trump, ruled that Title IX does not cover sexual orientation and gender identity. He emphasized that the law’s primary goal was to prevent discrimination against women in education, and the new rule would compel Texas schools to change their facilities’ gender-specific designations.
“Title IX’s intent was to safeguard women in areas traditionally dominated by men,” Kacsmaryk stated. “This new rule disrupts that protection.”
In his parallel decision, Judge O’Connor, appointed by former President Bush, echoed similar sentiments, blocking the rule in 11 schools within the Carroll Independent School District. He argued that the rule undermines decades of progress for women and poses risks to all students.
The Education Department defended the rule, asserting it was designed to uphold Title IX’s promise. The legal battles continue, with further briefings expected soon.
The ongoing cases are State of Texas v. United States, No. 2:24-cv-00086, and Carroll Independent School District v US Department of Education, No. 4:24-cv-00461.
