(ConservativeJournal.org) – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has taken legal action against the Biden administration regarding new federal protections for transgender students.
The Education Department recently approved big changes to Title IX, a federal law that bans sex-based discrimination in schools. These changes extend protections against discrimination based on how students self-identify, a move that has sparked criticism from conservatives.
Paxton criticized the new Title IX regulations as ambiguous and overly expansive. He is also arguing that they misinterpret the Supreme Court’s rulings regarding transgender people’s protections against discrimination. Paxton described the attempt to alter federal law as undemocratic, unlawful and disconnected from reality.
The lawsuit is likely to be assigned to US District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who oversees most cases in Amarillo. Kacsmaryk is known for his opposition to laws protecting LGBTQ individuals, including the Equality Act. He has also previously expressed views against expanding Title IX to include gender identity.
As a basis for strengthening protections for transgender individuals, the Biden administration frequently cited the Bostock ruling, which made discrimination based on sexuality and gender illegal. For example, a recent Health Department rule, which reinforced the Affordable Care Act’s ban on sex discrimination, relied on the same legal precedent.
The Biden administration has yet to finalize rules regarding athletics eligibility, which would prevent schools from implementing policies that exclude transgender student-athletes from sports teams corresponding to their gender identity.
Republican-led states, including Louisiana, have voiced opposition to the new Title IX regulations. They have expressed concerns that broadening the definition of sex discrimination could negatively impact women and girls and punish people who don’t use a transgender person’s name or pronoun.
Louisiana, Idaho, Montana, and Mississippi, all filed a lawsuit challenging the regulations as well. They are arguing that the regulations directly undermine Title IX. Despite the legal issues, federally funded schools are required to adhere to the final regulations.
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