As a second Trump administration approaches, we’re running out of time to confirm as many federal judges as possible to provide a check on his presidential power and curb his stated policy priorities.
There are 42 federal judicial vacancies and 13 nominations before the Senate right now—as our civil rights hang in the balance, take action now!
Washington, DC — June, 14, 2024 — Yesterday, a federal judge in Monroe, Louisiana, ruled in favor of four states, the Louisiana Department of Education, and 18 school boards challenging the Biden administration’s recent changes strengthening Title IX rule protections. This decision temporarily blocks the new Title IX rule set to go into effect on August 1 in Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, and Idaho.
In response, Shiwali Patel, Director of Safe and Inclusive Schools & Senior Counsel for the National Women’s Law Center, issued the following statement:
“We are outraged by yesterday’s decision, which aims to strip students in Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, and Idaho of baseline civil rights protections against discrimination. The decision grotesquely blocks Title IX’s strengthened protections against sex harassment, pregnancy discrimination, and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics all under the guise of ‘protecting women.’
In reality, the court is using its hostility towards transgender students to harm all women and girls in school. This lawsuit, one of nine brought by extremists challenging the Department of Education’s Title IX rule, is a blatant attempt to weaken Title IX and deny students full protection from sex harassment and sex discrimination.
The Biden administration’s recent changes to the Title IX rule are absolutely essential for ensuring that every student can learn and be themselves without fear of sex-based harassment or discrimination. This includes student survivors of sexual violence, LGBTQIA+ students facing relentless bullying and harassment, and pregnant and parenting students who need accommodations to complete their education.
Unfortunately, even before the Title IX rule changes were finalized, opponents of gender equity and civil rights spread lies and misinformation to prevent these crucial changes from taking effect. This court’s decision is a step back, but the legal fight to protect these crucial rule updates is not over, the preliminary injunction could be swiftly reversed by a higher court. We urge schools across the nation — including in Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, and Idaho — to be ready to implement the rule changes by August 1 to stay on the right side of the law and history.”
