A federal judge has sided with Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill and the State of Louisiana, issuing a preliminary injunction against President Joe Biden’s Department of Education's new Title IX rules.
U.S. District Court Judge Terry Doughty issued the injunction today, siding with plaintiff states and agreeing that the rule is unlawful. The preliminary injunction applies to the States of Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, and Idaho. More than 17 Louisiana school districts joined the lawsuit to protect women and girls.
This injunction prevents the new rules from going into effect pending further review by the district court. The challenged rules would have applied requirements on nearly every school, college, and university in Louisiana and across the nation. These requirements could have deprived women and girls of equal educational opportunities they have struggled for decades to secure and cost states billions of dollars to implement. Additionally, the new rules could have violated First Amendment rights for students and teachers and potentially caused Louisiana school districts to lose Title IX funding or face numerous lawsuits.
“This is a victory for women and girls. When Joe Biden forced his illegal and radical gender ideology on America, Louisiana said NO! Along with Idaho, Mississippi, and Montana, states are fighting back in defense of the law, the safety and prosperity of women and girls, and basic American values,” said Attorney General Liz Murrill.
In his ruling, Judge Doughty confirmed that the plaintiffs are likely to succeed in showing that the rule violates Title IX, the First Amendment, and the Spending Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Louisiana was the first state to file a lawsuit challenging the 2024 Rule, making this decision a significant development in ongoing legal battles over Title IX regulations.