Staff Reports
Four more states, Kansas, Alaska, Utah, and Wyoming, have come together to challenge President Biden’s changes to Title IX, a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education. These changes broaden the definition of “sex” to include claimed gender identities, which the states argue could have serious consequences for biological girls in schools.
The states have joined forces with Moms for Liberty, Young America’s Foundation, Female Athletes United, and an unnamed minor child and her mother, Shawna Rowland, to push back against the overhaul in court.
Kansas GOP Attorney General Kris Kobach expressed concern over the potential consequences of the Biden administration’s changes, stating that it could force female students to share private spaces like hotel rooms and locker rooms with biological males who identify as females, or risk losing federal funding. The lawsuit argues that the Title IX overhaul violates the constitutional rights of students and school employees and forces them to use “preferred pronouns” for individuals who claim a gender different from their biological sex.
‼️DeSantis: Florida ‘will not comply’ with new Biden Title IX rules‼️
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said Thursday his state “will not comply” with recently unveiled changes to Title IX by the Biden administration.
“Florida rejects [President Biden’s] attempt to rewrite Title… pic.twitter.com/gg684GNS69— Kamala “Momala” Harrimuff (@MuffWorldStudio) April 26, 2024
The lawsuit also claims that the Biden administration’s changes could infringe on the privacy and safety of students, particularly in personal spaces such as restrooms and overnight accommodations. In addition, it challenges the revisions as a violation of First Amendment rights. The four states’ challenge joins a growing number of lawsuits from 22 other states, which brings the total to at least 26 states challenging the Title IX rewrite.
However, the Kansas chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) quickly criticized the lawsuit, arguing that the U.S. Department of Education’s rules are intended to ensure that all students, including survivors of sexual harassment, LGBTQ students, and pregnant and parenting students, have equal access to educational opportunities regardless of sex. The ACLU expressed concern that the challenge to the Title IX changes may negatively impact the rights and safety of students facing sexual harassment and violence.
This lawsuit comes amid a broader debate over gender ideology, parental rights, and transgender procedures for children. The states’ challenge was filed in federal district court in Kansas, demonstrating the ongoing disputes over the Biden administration’s changes to Title IX.
