The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals granted an injunction on Wednesday on behalf of Alabama and other states, prohibiting the Biden administration's Title IX rule change regarding gender identity from going into effect.
In a swift move, the 11th Circuit reversed a decision by Judge Annemarie Carney Axon of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, which initially rejected the states' appeal for an injunction against the federal rule.
In April, the U.S. Department of Education announced an update to the Title IX code, the sweeping name given to civil rights legislation prohibiting sex-based education discrimination. The changes, which will go into effect nationwide on Thursday, add gender identity and sexual orientation to the list of federally protected groups. They also redefine sexual harassment, exposing teachers and students to liability for using biologically accurate pronouns. Schools risk losing federal funding for failing to adhere to the changes.
In response, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall sued the federal government along with the support of attorneys general from Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. The Independent Women's Forum, Parents Defending Education and Speech First also joined the suit.
Several GOP-led states successfully filed injunctions, barring the rule from being enforced in their states until the matter could be adjudicated. However, things were not looking good for Alabama after Axon's Tuesday decision.
The states' AGs filed appeals with the 11th Circuit on Tuesday, and less than 24 hours later, their appeals were granted.
According to the injunction, the U.S. Department of Education is barred from enforcing the Title IX rules on gender identity until further court orders.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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