Connect with us

The Center Square

Louisiana’s Murrill files lawsuit to protect Title IX, female athletes | Louisiana

Published

on

www.thecentersquare.com – By Steve Wilson | The Center Square – 2024-04-29 14:06:00

(The Center Square) — Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced Monday she is leading a lawsuit with Mississippi, Montana and Idaho to fight the Biden Administration’s new Title IX rules.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court of Western Louisiana, seeks the overturn of the rules on constitutional grounds, an injunction preventing the administration from enforcing Title IX “in accordance with erroneous interpretation” in the rule and attorney fees and court costs. 

The lawsuit says the rule is a “a naked attempt to strong-arm our schools into molding our children in the current federal government’s preferred image of how a child should think, act and speak. The Final Rule is an affront to the dignity of families and school administrators everywhere and is nowhere close to legal.”

The lawsuit also says the new rule will “gut the very essence of Title IX and destroy decades of advances in equal educational opportunities, especially for women and girls.”

“With the stroke of a pen and 400 pages of rules written by would-be lawmakers in Washington, D.C. conference rooms, the DOE published Title IX regulations intended to remake American societal norms through classrooms, lunchrooms, bathrooms and locker rooms of American schools,” Murrill said at a Monday news conference with Gov. Jeff Landry. “Make no mistake: These rules eviscerate Title IX. They are entirely contrary to what Title IX was intended to achieve and what we have implemented and intended Title IX to mean and protect for 50 years.

“Title IX was intended to prevent pervasive discrimination against biological women.”

She also said the federal government’s overreach was like a degree and dimension “like no other.” 

“Whatever lever, whatever power the governor’s office has or the statutes vest in me, we will 100% be standing behind this Legislature, this attorney general and behind the BESE board because we do not intend to comply,” Landry said. “We are not going to pretend there is some kind of sexual category other than the ones the Almighty has set forth. There’s only two of them. We look forward to this fight because this fight is right.”

Louisiana Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley, who was flanked by some members of the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, said that this was a “line in the sand issue and a bridge too far for the state of Louisiana” and voiced his support for the lawsuit. 

Title IX prohibits educational institutions that receive federal funds from discriminating on the basis of sex in both educational programs and activities.

The new rules finalized by the Department of Education and which are supposed to go into effect Aug. 1. expand the definition of sex discrimination to include gender identity and pregnancy, but the agency didn’t issue any rules relating to transgender athletes. Among the changes include a prohibition on single-sex bathroom and locker rooms and requirements that a school use pronouns based on a student’s preferred gender identity. 

Read More

The post Louisiana’s Murrill files lawsuit to protect Title IX, female athletes | Louisiana appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com

News from the South - Georgia News Feed

Staffing a challenge for Georgia’s prisons, commissioner says | Georgia

Published

on

www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – 2024-11-14 10:00:00

SUMMARY: Georgia’s prison system faces significant challenges in hiring and retaining employees, as stated by Department of Corrections Commissioner Tyrone Oliver. Although there are many applicants, 80% fail to complete the application process due to issues like no-shows and poor interviews. Georgia’s salaries lag behind neighboring states, prompting discussions about potential salary increases in the context of a $1.5 billion budget. Currently, prisons are operating at 93% capacity, with a recidivism rate of over 26%, which drops to 13.64% for inmates completing vocational programs. An assessment of the system is due in December, with further committee meetings planned.

Read the full article

The post Staffing a challenge for Georgia’s prisons, commissioner says | Georgia appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com

Continue Reading

News from the South - Texas News Feed

Texas officers apprehend human smugglers, rescue unaccompanied children | Texas

Published

on

www.thecentersquare.com – By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor – 2024-11-14 09:56:00

SUMMARY: Texas DPS troopers are actively apprehending human smugglers and rescuing unaccompanied minors along the border through Operation Lone Star. Recent arrests included a smuggler leading a vehicle chase, multiple apprehensions of Mexican nationals, and discovery of individuals hiding in vehicle gas tanks. Notably, a TikTok video helped locate a coyote guiding migrants. Troopers stopped a group of 114 illegal crossers, including 13 minors, while efforts have led to over 900 rescues of unaccompanied children since Biden took office. The operation has resulted in over 525,800 illegal border crossers apprehended and a significant decrease in illegal crossings by 51%.

Read the full article

The post Texas officers apprehend human smugglers, rescue unaccompanied children | Texas appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com

Continue Reading

News from the South - Louisiana News Feed

Louisiana Congressional seats cost less in 2024 election cycle | Louisiana

Published

on

www.thecentersquare.com – By Jacob Mathews | The Center Square – 2024-11-14 07:00:00

SUMMARY: In Louisiana’s recent congressional elections, five incumbents faced poorly-funded opponents, leading to a decline in average campaign expenditures. The Federal Election Commission tracks financial activity from January 1 until mid-October. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise received $13.5 million and spent $14.3 million, lower than previous cycles. Rep. Troy Carter raised $1.8 million and spent $1.4 million, also down from 2022. U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins maintained stable spending patterns, while House Speaker Mike Johnson’s financial activity saw a significant boost, raising $17.4 million. Voter turnout was notably down in 2024, reflecting a broader trend alongside decreased campaign spending.

Read the full article

The post Louisiana Congressional seats cost less in 2024 election cycle | Louisiana appeared first on www.thecentersquare.com

Continue Reading

Trending