Austin’s NBC affiliate reports:
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton announced separate challenges to federal rule changes extending protections to LGBTQ+ students.
Abbott shared Monday afternoon he sent a letter to President Joe Biden, which detailed how he’s instructing the Texas Education Agency “to ignore your illegal dictate” about Title IX. This is the federal policy prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities that get federal funds.
Hours before the governor’s letter, Paxton said he filed a lawsuit in federal court Monday morning that attempts to block rule changes extending protections to LGBTQ+ students from taking effect. Paxton filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Amarillo Division.
Read the full article.
Of note, the suit was filed in the district of far-right Christian nationalist Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who most recently is behind the push to ban abortion pills nationwide.
BREAKING: Attorney General Ken Paxton Partners with @America1stLegal to Sue Biden Administration for Unlawfully Using Title IX to Mandate Radical Gender Ideology, Violating Constitution and Putting Women At Risk: https://t.co/ig4J0MZPMu
— Texas Attorney General (@TXAG) April 29, 2024
Statement from AFL President @StephenM on our emergency lawsuit to stop Biden’s Title IX rules: https://t.co/6pjtXFTGff pic.twitter.com/KTe1jl2CXn
— America First Legal (@America1stLegal) April 29, 2024