The Biden administration’s controversial Title IX rewrite went into effect in part of the country this week.
But not in Idaho, and 25 other red states.
The Title IX rules rollout is more or less a good illustration of the state of American politics, especially on social issues. The rules expand Title IX — a landmark 1972 federal education law that bans sex-based discrimination in schools. The White House rules extend Title IX protections to LGBTQ+ students, banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
But the rules are on hold in 26 states, which have filed a series of lawsuits to block them. All 26 of these states have Republican attorneys general, reports Shauneen Miranda of States Newsroom, who has a full report on the rules rollout.
In April, Idaho joined one of these multistate lawsuits, with Gov. Brad Little, Attorney General Raúl Labrador and state superintendent Debbie Critchfield voicing support for the move. A Louisiana-based federal judge issued an injunction in June, blocking the rules from going into effect in four states, including Idaho.