On Friday, the U.S. Department of Education, under President Donald Trump, announced a significant change. They will now interpret Title IX protections based on biological sex. This reverses the changes made during President Joe Biden’s tenure.
This shift re-establishes the Trump administration’s 2020 Title IX rule, which officials claim strengthens due process for students involved in Title IX cases. Craig Trainor, who served as the acting assistant secretary for Civil Rights under Trump, criticized the Biden administration’s changes. He labeled them an overreach of regulatory power and detrimental to women and girls.
Title IX is a federal law that prohibits discrimination based on sex in educational institutions that receive federal funding. Previously, under Biden, the definition of “sex” was broadened to include gender identity and sexual orientation. This was met with legal challenges. In June 2024, U.S. District Court Judge Terry Doughty temporarily blocked the Biden administration’s rule, stating it showcased an abuse of power by federal agencies.
Later, Chief Judge Danny Reeves struck down the Biden rule in January 2025, stating that Title IX clearly defines discrimination based on being male or female. He argued that expanding this definition to include gender identity fundamentally misinterprets the law’s intention.
Riley Gaines, a former NCAA swimmer and advocate for women’s sports, expressed her support for the change on social media, emphasizing that the definition of “sex” aligns with its original intent from 1972. Betsey DeVos, the Secretary of Education during Trump’s first term, echoed her sentiments, celebrating the return of “common sense” to educational regulations.
Check out this related article: Unlocking the Truth: Lawmakers Examine the Details of Gov. Phil Scott’s Education Funding Strategy
Source link