Attorney General Ken Paxton. (The Texan/Daniel Friend)
AUSTIN, TX — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a detailed advisory to Texas schools on the application of Title IX, following a significant legal victory that halted the implementation of federal rules aimed at enforcing “transgender” policies in state schools.
Legal Victory Against Federal Transgender Policies
On June 11, Attorney General Paxton successfully stopped the Biden Administration’s Department of Education from imposing rules that would have required Texas schools to adopt policies supporting transgender students, which Paxton argued violated existing state and federal laws. A federal court agreed, stating that allowing the Biden Administration’s actions would “functionally rewrite Title IX” and overstep congressional authority, a move the court deemed incompatible with the principles of the democratic system.
Implications for Texas Schools
The court’s ruling means Texas schools are not required to implement the Biden Administration’s proposed policy changes. This decision ensures that Texas students retain their Title IX protections without the risk of schools losing federal funding. Paxton emphasized that Texas schools should not enforce any policies contained in the now-invalidated federal rule.
Attorney General’s Advisory
In his new legal advisory, Attorney General Paxton clarified the ruling’s statewide implications: “This ruling covers all Texas school districts and ensures no district in our State will have to comply with the Biden Administration’s illegitimate interpretation that Title IX includes gender-identity requirements, including allowing men into women’s restrooms, locker rooms, sports teams, or requiring students or teachers to use pronouns based on gender identity rather than biological sex.”
Paxton reiterated his commitment to safeguarding the state’s educational policies, stating, “If any Texas school district adopts a policy or procedure that conflicts with or contravenes state law, then I will pursue every remedy available to protect students and teachers from these illegal and radical policies.”
Protecting State Laws and Students
This advisory and the preceding legal victory mark a significant stance by Texas against federal intervention in state educational policies, particularly concerning gender identity issues. Attorney General Paxton’s office has made clear its position on maintaining traditional interpretations of Title IX, focusing on biological sex rather than gender identity.
The court’s decision and Paxton’s advisory collectively ensure that Texas schools will operate under the state’s legal framework without the influence of the contested federal rules. This development underscores a broader national debate on the role of federal versus state authority in educational policy and the interpretation of civil rights protections.