The Trump administration finalized a rule Monday rolling back Biden-era Title IX protections for LGBTQ students. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said it reflects court orders; opponents say it will weaken safeguards and recourse for sexual-assault survivors.
Title IX is a federal law barring sex discrimination in education. The Biden-era Education Department rule explicitly protected transgender students, requiring educators to respect their gender identities, including preferred pronouns. Courts overturned that policy last year; the final rule was expected to be published Tuesday.
McMahon described the rollback as a return to “commonsense language” and said the regulations would reduce confusion for parents, students and educational institutions. Shiwali Patel, senior director of education justice at the National Women’s Law Center, said sexual harassment and assault remain pervasive in schools and accused the administration of disregarding survivors’ needs and using Title IX to attack trans students.
