From Staff and Wire Reports
Bossier City, Louisiana – In a move echoing the sentiments of several Republican state attorneys general, the Bossier Parish School Board has decided to join the State of Louisiana in a legal battle against the U.S. Department of Education. The dispute centers on changes to Title IX regulations, which some argue constitute federal overreach.
The regulations in question aim to protect transgender students’ rights in schools, including access to bathrooms and locker rooms aligning with their gender identity. However, officials from several conservative-leaning states, including Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, argue that these policies infringe upon states’ rights and could have adverse effects on women and girls.
The decision to challenge the regulations came after the Bossier Parish School Board unanimously passed a resolution tonight. According to the resolution, the board views the new Title IX rules as contradictory to both state and federal law, as well as to the community standards upheld in Bossier Parish.
“Not only is it the position of the Bossier Parish School Board that these regulations are contradictory to both state and federal law and the original intent of Title IX, but they also do not reflect the community standards upheld in Bossier Parish,” a press release from Bossier Parish Schools read.
In solidarity with the Louisiana Department of Education, Attorney General Liz Murrill, and Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, Bossier Parish Schools have pledged not to alter their policies or procedures until the issue is resolved in court.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, who is leading the charge against the federal regulations, expressed strong opposition to the changes. In a press release issued today, Murrill emphasized the potential harm the regulations could cause to women and girls’ educational opportunities and constitutional rights.
“These regulations ignore significant safety concerns for young women students across Louisiana and the entire country,” said Murrill. “It is enormously invasive and much more than a suggestion; it is a mandate that well exceeds their statutory authority.”
The lawsuit, named Louisiana v. The U.S. Department of Education, includes Mississippi, Montana, and Idaho as co-plaintiffs alongside Louisiana. The states argue that the new regulations could jeopardize Title IX funding for schools and create legal uncertainties for educators and administrators.
As the legal battle unfolds, Bossier Parish Schools and other plaintiffs are preparing to defend their position against what they perceive as federal overreach and a threat to the rights of women and girls in educational settings.
