A federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana has issued a preliminary injunction against new Title IX rules proposed by President Biden’s Department of Education. The ruling, in favor of Attorney General Raúl Labrador and the attorneys general from Louisiana, Montana, and Mississippi, halts the implementation of rules that would require schools to allow students access to bathrooms and locker rooms inconsistent with their sex.
The injunction applies to the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, and Idaho, preventing the new rules from taking effect on August 1st as scheduled. Attorney General Labrador expressed his approval: “I am grateful for this first-in-the-nation injunction on the Title IX rules, and that Idaho girls and women will be protected.” He added that including gender identity in the definition of discrimination could undermine decades of progress made under Title IX.
Judge Terry Doughty issued the injunction Thursday, stating that the plaintiffs are likely to prove that the new rules violate Title IX, the First Amendment, and the Spending Clause of the U.S. Constitution. According to Judge Doughty’s ruling, these regulations would impose significant burdens on educational institutions nationwide and could deprive women and girls of equal educational opportunities while costing states billions to implement.
Labrador emphasized potential consequences for Idaho school districts: “This is a tremendous victory, and we are confident we will continue to prevail in court.” He noted that implementing these rules could lead to loss of Title IX funding and numerous lawsuits.