Two conservative federal judges in Texas have issued rulings blocking the Biden administration from implementing new anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ students, effectively halting the rule’s enforcement in the state and within a specific school district represented by a Christian legal rights group.

U.S. District Judges Matthew Kacsmaryk in Amarillo and Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth delivered their rulings on Thursday, aligning with similar decisions made in Kansas, Kentucky, and Louisiana. Together, these rulings prevent the U.S. Department of Education from enforcing a rule that expands Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 to encompass protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The Education Department’s rule draws on a landmark 2020 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, which extended Title VII protections against sex discrimination in the workplace to include gay and transgender individuals. Based on this precedent, the Department argued that Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education, should similarly safeguard LGBTQ students.

However, Judge Kacsmaryk, appointed by former President Donald Trump, diverged from this interpretation. He sided with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and two University of Texas professors, contending that Title IX primarily aims to prevent discrimination against women in educational settings. Kacsmaryk argued that the new rule would mandate Texas schools to dismantle sex-segregated facilities such as bathrooms and locker rooms, potentially eroding protections historically provided to women.

“Title IX protects women in spaces historically reserved for men,” Kacsmaryk stated in his decision. “In stark contrast, the Final Rule inserts men into the very Title IX spaces statutorily reserved for women.”

Consequently, he issued a preliminary injunction halting the rule’s enforcement in Texas, a decision Paxton hailed on social media for thwarting what he characterized as the imposition of “radical ‘transgender’ ideology” on Texas schools.

Meanwhile, Judge O’Connor, appointed by former President George W. Bush, issued a separate injunction blocking the rule’s implementation specifically within the Carroll Independent School District in Texas. O’Connor argued that the rule not only undermines over five decades of advancements under Title IX but also jeopardizes the safety and rights of all students.

“The Final Rule undermines the progress made for women and girls over fifty years under Title IX,” O’Connor wrote. “Furthermore, the Final Rule poses risks not only to women and girls but to all students.”

The Alliance Defending Freedom, representing the Carroll Independent School District, sought broader relief by requesting a nationwide stay of the rule’s August 1 effective date. Judge O’Connor deferred ruling on this request, requesting further legal arguments by July 18 to assess the implications of a nationwide stay.

In response, the Education Department defended its rule, asserting that it upholds the statutory guarantee of Title IX and is designed to ensure equal protection for all students, including LGBTQ individuals.

These legal battles unfolding in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas underscore profound divisions over the interpretation of federal anti-discrimination law and the extent to which it should safeguard LGBTQ rights in educational environments. The cases are titled State of Texas v. United States, No. 2:24-cv-00086, and Carroll Independent School District v. U.S. Department of Education, No. 4:24-cv-00461.