Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis made it clear on Thursday that his state will not adhere to the updated Title IX regulations introduced by the Biden administration, which include protection for gender identity.
Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters also announced Thursday that he has directed schools across the state not to follow the Title IX changes. Both states have sent memos to school leaders saying they intend to challenge the revisions to Title IX.
It comes after the Biden administration announced last Friday a set of modifications to Title IX, which include provisions safeguarding transgender students under the federal law against sex-based discrimination.
The new regulations expand the definition of sex discrimination to include both sexual orientation and gender identity, a move championed by the current administration as a means to safeguard LGBT students.
The changes will reverse regulations implemented by former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos under the Trump administration, which guaranteed due process for those accused.
The Biden administration is planning to implement the changes in early August, but both Florida and Oklahoma are strongly objecting to the regulations.
In a video shared on the social platform X, DeSantis said: "Florida rejects attempt to rewrite Title IX. We will not comply, and we will fight back.
"We are not gonna let Joe Biden try to inject men into women's activities.
"We are not gonna let Joe Biden undermine the rights of parents.
"We are not gonna let Joe Biden abuse his constitutional authority to try to impose these policies on us here in Florida."
Florida’s response to Joe Biden trying to inject gender ideology into education, undermining opportunities for girls and women, violating parents' rights, and abusing his constitutional authority:
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) April 25, 2024
We will not comply. pic.twitter.com/12pnpOU68Z
In a memo distributed Thursday, Florida's Commissioner of Education, Manny Diaz Jr. said: "Instead of upholding Congress's explicit mandate to prohibit discrimination based on biological sex, the Biden Administration distorts the statute to an unrecognizable extent, attempting to persuade the nation that biological sex is devoid of significance."
Meanwhile, Walters said in a statement that the state would fight Biden every day to keep "this social Marxism out" of Oklahoma.
"This is a time for states to rise up against the federal government's assault on young girls," he added.
In a letter sent to state school leaders, Walters said he consulted with "several other state education leaders and legal counsel" regarding significant concerns about the legality of the rule changes, particularly their redefinition of "sex" to incorporate gender identity.
He added that there will be legal challenges to the Title IX alterations in the upcoming days and advised schools to withhold implementation of changes until the matter is resolved.
