Federal judge rules in favor of Southlake Carroll in dispute over Title IX interpretation
A federal judge in Fort Worth has ruled in favor of the Southlake Carroll school district in its lawsuit against the Education Department, ruling that the Biden administration exceeded its authority when it changed Title IX to add protections for gender identity and sexual orientation.
The case was heard in U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Texas, and decided by Judge Reed O’Connor. In his summary judgment, issued Feb. 19, O’Connor vacated Title IX’s Final Rule, which prohibits discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation, arguing the rule violates the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protecting the freedoms of speech and of religion.
The Final Rule was added in April 2024 to existing Title IX statutes, which protect people from discrimination based on sex in education programs that receive federal funds.
Carroll filed the lawsuit challenging this in May 2024. The district argued that the addition of gender identity undermined Title IX’s original intent to provide equal access to educational programs for women. In July, O’Connor issued a temporary ruling in the district’s favor.
“Because the distinction between male and female is at the heart of Title IX,” O’Connor’s latest ruling read, “‘throwing gender identity into the mix eviscerates the statute and renders it largely meaningless.”
O’Connor issued a temporary injunction in July blocking the expanded protections from taking effect. At the time, he said the changes would force the district to spend millions to comply.
Alliance Defending Freedom of Scottsdale, Arizona, represented the school district pro bono.
Carroll school board President Cam Bryan said in a statement that the decision to vacate the Final Rule affirms the district’s dedication to maintain a learning environment where all students can thrive in a safe environment.
“We are committed to ensuring that Title IX continues to fulfill its foundational promise: to prevent any form of discrimination based on sex in education,” Bryan said. “Our primary concern has always been the safety and well-being of our students, and this ruling reinforces our ability to uphold these values.”