A federal appeals court has ruled that the Biden administration can’t implement its Title IX rules in an additional four states, bringing the total number of statewide injunctions to 26.
With a recent block awarded in Oklahoma on Wednesday and then an emergency appeal granted by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, over half of the United States will be exempt from the Thursday deadline.
The new Biden administration rules add gender identity to prohibitions on sexual discrimination in Title IX, including requiring schools to allow students to use a bathroom and locker room that aligns with their gender identity.
Alabama, Florida, Georgia and South Carolina are the latest states where the Department of Education cannot implement the updated rules that expanded federal sex discrimination protections to cover gender identity and pregnancy.
“The Department is enjoined from enforcing the final rule adopted on April 29, 2024, Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance…pending further order of this Court,” the court’s order reads.
The other 21 states where the Biden administration has been prohibited from implementing its rule expanding the definition of sex discrimination to include gender are Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota.
After the rule’s final implementation in April, the Biden administration was challenged by a spate of lawsuits from states, organizations and individuals arguing the rule was unconstitutional.
In the case led by Alabama, a lower court ruled against issuing a preliminary injunction on Tuesday, leading the coalition of states and organizations to file an appeal late into the evening. They asked the appellate court to issue an emergency block on the rule, citing its effects on students and schools.
“The Title IX rule not only immediately jeopardizes the rights and safety of students,” the request for an injunction reads. “But it also requires schools to digest the rest of the 423-page rule, update their policies, retrain their employees, figure out how to reconcile contrary state laws, and more. And the rule’s effective date is hours away.”
Two men boxers who were disqualified from competing with women at a global boxing event last year after a chromosome test showed they were men, are about to fight women at the Paris Olympics in the women’s division.
Footage of boxer Imane Khelif of Algeria, who was banned from the Women’s World Box Championships in 2023, and Lin You-Ting, of Taiwan also disqualified in 2023 because he has both X and Y chromosomes, are being allowed to fight women boxers.
Khelif will box Italy’s Angela Carini in the Women’s Welterweight 66kg division on Aug. 1 at 6:20 a.m. Eastern time.
Yu-Ting will box in the Women’s 57kg division on Aug. 2, 9:30 a.m. Eastern time. His opponent is Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova, a woman.
The International Olympic Committee decided both men can participate, on the grounds that they have fulfilled eligibility have female passports.
A video of Khelif in a match with a Mexican boxer has been making the rounds on X/Twitter. In it, it’s clear the Mexican woman boxer is severely outmatched:
?Beating women is now a spectator sport
We have never been more aware as a society of male violence against women
— Katherine Deves Morgan ??? (@deves_katherine) July 30, 2024
Some have made it clear that Khelif is not exactly transgender but is intersex, having both male and female traits present from birth, a very rare condition. Khelif has competed in women’s events but last year was excluded from the World Boxing Championship due to having both X and Y chromosomes, which makes him male. Khelif was allowed to box as a woman in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 because the testing of his hormones met the parameters set by the International Olympics Committee. Yu-Ting is also intersex, according to some accounts, but is a biological male.
The City and Borough of Juneau Election Toolkit provides insightful encouragement to prospective candidates for its local elections: “Whatever the office, our public institutions are stronger when voters have a choice of candidates to represent them. Democracy works only when enough citizens have the courage and determination to run for, and hold, public office.”
While national politics and party conventions continue to dominate the news, this is the time of year when voters should shift their focus to local municipal elections. Municipal races across the state will determine the make-up of local governing bodies that could have far more impact on our lives than who will be our country’s next president.
Whatever the sporting event, we have all been to games where the competition was substandard. The teams were unevenly matched, and it was a blowout. Attendance is usually down, and most attendees walk away thinking it was a waste of time. The favorite was not tested and, as a result, no one really knows whether they are really as good as they claim.
Despite that, the beauty of sports is that it is a merit-based system, and the best team should win. Of course, there are exceptions. Anyone can have a bad day. But the point is to prove to the audience that you deserve to win based on your performance.
While not directly comparable, local elections should work the same way. After all, they call elections “races” for a reason.
Often local elections generate little excitement. Frequently it is because too few people are willing to take the plunge and run for office. In many cases, incumbent candidates run unopposed because no one is willing to challenge them. Or the one or two candidates that do file have the same viewpoint so do not represent a true choice.
Furthermore, mail-in voting can depress voter turnoutbecause it trivializes the importance and gravity of the act of voting. Where elections are competitive, however, voters pay attention and turnout increases.
Lack of competition and lower turnout and have been the case in far too many local contests.
However, for the second year in a row, Juneau’s electorate has decided to challenge the status quo in their upcoming municipal election on Oct. 1.
Of the three Juneau Assembly seats up in 2024, two are open seats since the incumbents opted out. In all, seven people are running in those two contests, two in District 1 and five in District 2. In the third race, Juneau Mayor Beth Weldon will face competition from Angela Rodell, the former CEO of the Alaska Permanent Fund.
All three Juneau school board incumbents are running against challengers.
The candidates should be congratulated for their willingness to run. Why not encourage the candidates by separating your voting choices from your support for the electoral process. Regardless of who you prefer, Juneau voters could consider sending a small contribution to competing candidates as a way to express your support for the democratic process.
Certainly, there are plenty of issues for candidates to debate. Topping the list of significant issues are increases in property taxes, Juneau’s high cost-of-living, and homelessness. Also on the list are major expenditure for controversial projects like the Capital Civic Center and New City Hall, a possible new City Museum, hospital financial stability, and the facility consolidations in the Juneau School District, to name just a few.
Without competition, incumbents and candidates without challengers would not be required to defend their record or their stated positions.
Electoral competition is a cornerstone of democracy because it grants voters the opportunity to review the record of incumbents, change direction when warranted, and implement the will of the people.
None of our elected leaders own the seats in which they sit. They belong to the public and it is up to candidates to convince voters they deserve to remain in office.
Despite some national political leaders claiming our democracy is on the ballot this year, it is not.
Democracy is the ballot. And it starts locally.
After retiring as the senior vice president in charge of business banking for Key Bank in Alaska, Win Gruening became a regular opinion page columnist for the Juneau Empire. He was born and raised in Juneau and graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1970. He is involved in various local and statewide organizations.
Translators and interpreters use their knowledge of two or more languages and cultural meanings to translate or interpret texts and conversations from one language to another, to enhance communication across cultures and the parties involved.
The difference between a translator and an interpreter is how they perform their job duties. Translators convert one language to another in a written form (e.g., documents, film subtitles, books). In contrast, interpreters translate languages simultaneously through spoken words (e.g., meeting with clients in-person and attending negotiations). Also, on many occasions, interpreters play an essential role as assistants and troubleshooters behind the scenes.
For nearly 40 years, I performed both functions as a translator and interpreter of Russian for various government institutions, businesses, non-profit organizations, and private individuals. Although interpreting languages is a highly technical skill, it is also a communication task that ensures a successful cross-cultural engagement and understanding for all. In fact, unqualified interpretation can create a conflicting outcome and cross-cultural misunderstanding for those who rely on interpretation; and vice versa—a professional interpretation can lead to a successful outcome.
For example, in 1977, during U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s visit to Poland, a segment of his speech was incorrectly interpreted. The interpreter said President Carter wanted to learn about the Polish people’s “desires for the future,” which translated into a sexual desire for the then-Socialist country, instead of the country’s “aspiration for the future,” a hope or ambition of achieving something in the future.
From 1946 to the mid-1980s, Alaska was closed for Soviet citizens, except for some scholarly exchanges between two regions. During this time of the “Iron Curtain,” both nations were an enigma to one another and often subjected to dubious behaviors toward each other.
Nevertheless, initial visits of official Soviet delegations to Alaska in the 1980s and early 1990s, generated an enormous interest and excitement among all spectrum of Alaska’s residents (e.g., government institutions, businesses, educators, private individuals, etc.). In my practice as an interpreter in Alaska, three different occurrences clearly exemplified the complexity of responsible interpretations and the need for quick adaptation to an unpredictable turn of events.
The governor of the Magadan Region of the former Soviet Union, Vyacheslav Kobets, First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Magadan Region, and a special envoy from Moscow visited Alaska in February of 1989. The delegation of Soviet officials and I, as an interpreter, were invited to visit the Alaska Legislature in Juneau.
While at the guest gallery of the House Chamber, then-Speaker of the House Sam Cotten welcomed the Soviet delegation. Unexpectedly, Governor Kobets stood up, pulled out several long-typed pages of text and, from the gallery, began addressing the Legislature in the Russian language.
The legislators and I were not prepared for such a turn of events. I immediately began a simultaneous translation without prior familiarity with the text. Kobets’ presentation lasted about 40 minutes and, evidently, it delayed the working agenda of the House’s session that day.
Nevertheless, all legislators listened to Kobets’ presentation via my translation attentively and patiently. I noticed, however, that the special representative from Moscow was visibly nervous during the presentation; he understood that Kobets lacked knowledge of the proper protocol.
In the early stages of the Russian-Alaskan exchanges, both sides went through a learning curve of reciprocal cultural and business familiarity with each other—sometimes quite awkward and sometimes humorous. My friend David Marshall was an economist in Juneau in the 1980s and 1990s. He, as well as many Alaskans, traveled to the Soviet Union on several occasions with the purpose of establishing a lucrative business with Russian entrepreneurs. In the early-1990s, he got acquainted with Boris from Magadan; Boris appeared to David as an enthusiastic and well-connected businessman. When Boris arrived in Juneau, they met at the Fiddlehead Restaurant to discuss David’s carefully drafted business proposal for a joint venture. (Evidently, David and Boris previously discussed establishing a financial investment company—a hedge fund—prior to the meeting in Juneau).
At some point during the meeting, Boris leaned toward David and suggested, “Listen, David, why complicate our business with this hedge fund? Instead, we can simply sell shampoo and make a good profit.” For a moment, David was puzzled by this unexpected suggestion. “And can you explain to me where and how the profit will come from by selling shampoo?” David asked suspiciously. “It is simple. We will dilute the shampoo with about 20 percent water,” answered Boris with a smirk smile. “In Magadan, no one will even notice a difference, and the product will fly off the shelves very quickly,” he continued.
Suddenly, David erupted like an ancient volcano after centuries of “hibernation,” angrily tearing the business proposal in pieces and throwing them in the air like a party confetti. All the guests in the restaurant turned their attention toward our table, each with an obvious curiosity about the commotion. All I could think at this moment, “There goes $60 per hour for my interpretation services.” Indeed, this was last meeting between these two enthusiastic businessmen. I was not paid for my efforts, and I was not daring enough to ask for it.
In December of 1994, I was hired to interpret for meetings between Natives of Alaska and Natives of the Russian Far East. The meetings were held in White Mountain Village and Shishmaref Village of Northwest Alaska under auspices of the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services and Eurasian Foundation.
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The topics of the meetings were rather dramatic, emotional and urgent among Natives of both regions — alcoholism, diabetes, botulism, suicide, family abuses, mental illness, and various health-related issues. The participants shared their painful experiences, and I did my best in interpreting the information. Although Alaska Yupik and Inupiaq have close cultural and linguistic similarities with the Siberian Yupik and Chukchi, they could not fluently understand each other’s unique languages.
At one point of working with the Natives in Shishmaref Village, an elderly Alaskan Yupik woman approached me with a concern about my interpretations, “I do not like your translation,” she declared boldly. “Why?” I asked. “You do not translate our feelings,” she answered in a demanding voice, staring directly into my face. “I understand how you feel but interpreters translate words, sentences and contents, not emotions, feelings or attitudes,” I responded delicately. Her body language and facial expression gave me a distinct impression that she did not appreciate my explanation or my role at the meeting. Indeed, after 10 days of working above the Arctic Circle in December, I was relieved to return to my home in Juneau.
In my observation, the majority of the left-leaning progressive activists had impulsively initiated poorly-thought out exchanges with the former Soviet Union in the 1980s and early 1990s. Ironically, the left-leaning progressive activists went in the opposite directions after Russian annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in 2014 in supporting harsh and irrational sanctions upon the Russian Federation; which ultimately led to the rise of radical nationalism in Ukraine and, subsequently, led to the Russian-Ukrainian war of February 2022 until today.
After all, how many decades will it take to restore friendly and constructive relationship with our neighbor—Russia? It will take more than a skillful interpreter, it appears, because the two sides are far beyond the translation of “feelings” at this point in the conflict.
Alexander B. Dolitsky was born and raised in Kiev in the former Soviet Union. He received an M.A. in history from Kiev Pedagogical Institute, Ukraine, in 1976; an M.A. in anthropology and archaeology from Brown University in 1983; and was enroled in the Ph.D. program in Anthropology at Bryn Mawr College from 1983 to 1985, where he was also a lecturer in the Russian Center. In the U.S.S.R., he was a social studies teacher for three years, and an archaeologist for five years for the Ukranian Academy of Sciences. In 1978, he settled in the United States. Dolitsky visited Alaska for the first time in 1981, while conducting field research for graduate school at Brown. He lived first in Sitka in 1985 and then settled in Juneau in 1986. From 1985 to 1987, he was a U.S. Forest Service archaeologist and social scientist. He was an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Russian Studies at the University of Alaska Southeast from 1985 to 1999; Social Studies Instructor at the Alyeska Central School, Alaska Department of Education from 1988 to 2006; and has been the Director of the Alaska-Siberia Research Center (see www.aksrc.homestead.com) from 1990 to present. He has conducted about 30 field studies in various areas of the former Soviet Union (including Siberia), Central Asia, South America, Eastern Europe and the United States (including Alaska). Dolitsky has been a lecturer on the World Discoverer, Spirit of Oceanus, andClipper Odyssey vessels in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. He was the Project Manager for the WWII Alaska-Siberia Lend Lease Memorial, which was erected in Fairbanks in 2006. He has published extensively in the fields of anthropology, history, archaeology, and ethnography. His more recent publications include Fairy Tales and Myths of the Bering Strait Chukchi, Ancient Tales of Kamchatka; Tales and Legends of the Yupik Eskimos of Siberia; Old Russia in Modern America: Russian Old Believers in Alaska; Allies in Wartime: The Alaska-Siberia Airway During WWII; Spirit of the Siberian Tiger: Folktales of the Russian Far East; Living Wisdom of the Far North: Tales and Legends from Chukotka and Alaska; Pipeline to Russia; The Alaska-Siberia Air Route in WWII; and Old Russia in Modern America: Living Traditions of the Russian Old Believers; Ancient Tales of Chukotka, and Ancient Tales of Kamchatka.
On the 25th anniversary of Alaska’s “Farm Family of the Year” award, Bruce and Vickie Bush, owners and operators of Bushes Bunches farm and produce stand in Palmer, have been named the 2024 honorees.
The prestigious award was established in 2000 by the Alaska Division of Agriculture and the Alaska State Fair to recognize Alaska farm families who epitomize the spirit of the state’s agricultural industry.
Bruce Bush’s connection to farming runs deep, with roots stretching back to 1956 when his father purchased the farm in Alaska’s Matanuska-Susitna Valley. Bruce began his agricultural journey at the age of eight, participating in 4-H and later developing the “Bushes Peanut Potato,” a popular variety featured at their Alaska State Fair booth. The family’s first foray into direct sales began with a small vegetable stand started by Bruce’s sister, Nancy, in the 1960s. Over the years, this modest operation blossomed into the thriving business that is Bushes Bunches today.
Bruce took over the farm in 1988 and expanded the operation, opening a farm stand near the Parks Highway. Although the stand had to be relocated in 1999 due to highway expansion, the family persevered and in 2014, they reopened the Bushes Bunches Produce Stand on the Old Glenn Highway, where it now operates year-round. The stand not only sells produce from their own farm but also features products from other local farms, reflecting the Bushes’ commitment to supporting the broader agricultural community.
Vickie, who moved to Alaska with her family in 1956, joined the Bush family farm after marrying Bruce in 2005. Her background in farming and her experience as a letter carrier in Palmer have made her an invaluable asset to the business, particularly in the areas of design, operations, bookkeeping, and marketing. Vickie’s passion for farming is evident in her dedication to the farm’s success. “The challenge, the science, providing a healthy, healing product for others to enjoy and reap the benefits,” she said, reflecting on what she loves most about farming.
Beyond their farming success, Bruce and Vickie Bush are active members of the community, contributing countless hours to advancing Alaska agriculture. Bruce is a former member of the Mat-Su Borough Assembly, and has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Alaska State Fair Board of Directors, where he was instrumental in creating the Farm Family of the Year award 25 years ago. Known as the “rhubarb king of Alaska,” Bruce also played a significant role in the creation of the state’s first farmland conservation easement, Heaven’s Hayfield.
“Bruce and Vickie being recognized this year as a second-generation Alaskan farm family is impressive when you consider that Bruce continued the family farm business and grew it for the past 36 years,” said Bryan Scoresby, Director of the Division of Agriculture. Gov. Mike Dunleavy also praised the Bushes, noting that their work supports food security in the state and serves as an inspiration to the next generation of farmers.
As the silver anniversary recipients of the Farm Family of the Year award, the Bushes join a distinguished list of past honorees, including last year’s winners, Marja Smets and Bo Varsano of Farragut Farm near Petersburg.
During the Republican National Convention earlier this month, county singer Lee Greenwood gave a warm musical welcome and introduction to Donald Trump by singing his iconic song, “God Bless the USA.” The convention-goers were in tears with appreciation for the country and the still-vibrant message.
?Lee Greenwood gives an incredible introduction to Donald Trump as he enters the RNC Convention ??
If tomorrow all the things were gone I worked for all my life And I had to start again With just my children and my wife
I thank my lucky stars To be living here today ‘Cause the flag still stands for freedom And they can’t take that away
And I’m proud to be an American Where at least I know I’m free And I won’t forget the men who died Who gave that right to me And I’d gladly stand up next to you And defend Her still today ‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land God Bless the U.S.A.
From the lakes of Minnesota To the hills of Tennessee Across the plains of Texas From sea to shining sea
From Detroit down to Houston And New York to L.A. Where’s pride in every American heart And it’s time we stand and say
That I’m proud to be an American Where at least I know I’m free And I won’t forget the men who died Who gave that right to me And I’d gladly stand up next to you And defend Her still today ‘Cause there ain’t no doubt I love this land God Bless the U.S.A.
Two weeks later, Megan Thee Stallion, a popular rapper who was arrested in 2015 for assault, opened up Kamala Harris’ first major rally in Altanta on Tuesday, and it was a twerking spectacular, but raised a question: Did people come to see Harris or to see a free concert by Megan Thee Stallion, who is being sued by a former employee who was fired after being forced to watch her have sex with another woman?
NEW: Rapper Megan Thee Stallion performs 'Savage' at VP Kamala Harris' rally in Atlanta Georgia.
The song Megan Thee Stallion is performing discusses how "any ni**a I let hit is still attached… but you know this p*ssy fat."
Below are the actual lyrics to “Savage,” the rap song that Megan Thee Stallion sang to honor Vice President Harris on Tuesday, (caution, vulgar language ahead). The performer cleaned up the language in a few places for her Atlanta performance:
I’m that bitch (yeah) Been that bitch, still that bitch (ah) Will forever be that bitch (forever be that bitch) Yeah (ayy, ha)
I’m the hood Mona Lisa, break a nigga into pieces Had to X some cheesy niggas out my circle like a pizza (yeah) I’m way too exclusive, I don’t shop on Insta’ boutiques All them lil’ ass clothes only fit fake booties Bad bitch, still talking cash shit Pussy like water, I’m unbothered and relaxing I would never trip on a nigga if I had him Bitch, that’s my trash, you the maid, so you bagged him, ah
Eat me and record it, but your edge-up all I’m showing (ah) I keep my niggas private, so his AP all I’m showing (baow) Beefing with you bitches really getting kinda boring If it ain’t about the money, then you know I’m gon’ ignore it I’m the shit, ooh (ayy) I need a mop to clean the floor, it’s too much drip, ooh (too much drip, ooh) I keep a knot, I keep a watch, I keep a whip, ooh (I keep a whip, baow) Let’s play a game, Simon says I’m still that bitch, ayy (still that bitch) I’m still that bitch, yeah (ah)
Bitch, I’m lit like a match, ooh And any nigga I let hit is still attached, ooh That body right, but you know this pussy fat, ooh I drop a picture, now these bitches feel attacked, ayy Don’t let that nigga gas you up and get you whacked, ooh I make a call and get a pussy nigga smacked, uh These bitches talkin’ ’bout pulling up, well, where you at? Ooh I’m in a Lamb’, bitch, catch me if you can, ooh I’m kickin’ bitches out they spot, Stalli’ Chan, yeah (ah, yeah)
Niggas say I taste like sugar, but ain’t shit sweet, ah Mwah Ayy, ayy, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, mwah
The Alaska primary election ends on Aug. 20. With early voting options, many ballots will be already cast before that day, as absentee in-person, early vote, electronic transmission and special needs voting begins on Aug. 5.
The promoters of the open, nonpartisan primary say that the system allows voters greater choice. But it does so by robbing other voters, those belonging to political parties, of the ability to advance their candidates to the ballot. Political parties are cut out of the primary process in Alaska due to the 2020 Ballot Measure 2, which implemented jungle primaries and ranked-choice voting general elections.
Some points to remember:
The primary is not ranked-choice voting. It’s a pick-one primary and the top four vote getters proceed to the general election, where the ranking happens. This means that in almost all races across the state, the same candidates who appear on the primary ballot will appear on the general election ballot. Only three races have more than four candidates. They are:
Congressional Race: 12 candidates. Four are Republicans, two Democrats (one from out of state), the remainder are other parties.
State Senate District L (Eagle River): Five candidates. Four are Republicans, one Democrat.
House District 36 (Interior): Six candidates. Four are Republicans, one Democrat, one Libertarian.
“We often hear that this novel system provides an opportunity for greater voter choice, but the Left has realized that in reality, they perform better by offering the public only one candidate from their side of the aisle,” explained congressional candidate Nick Begich.
That is true, as seen in the several races where there are multiple Republicans running, and only one Democrat.
Begich has supported the repeal of Ballot Measure 2, and is the only congressional candidate to have signed the petition to repeal it.
He’s the only Republican candidate for Congress who has vowed to drop out after the primary if he is not the leading Republican in the race for the November ranked-choice ballot. Nancy Dahlstrom has not made that commitment.
“Ranked choice voting has worked for the Left specifically because they have realized that by depriving voters of additional choices they improve their odds of winning. In so doing, they consolidate support from the start while members of other parties argue the finer points of policy rather than unifying behind one candidate,” Begich wrote on his Facebook page.
“It’s for these reasons, that I have supported the repeal of Ranked Choice Voting. I was glad to add my signature to the repeal petition and have even donated personally to the effort to return to our traditional voting method. We need a system that represents the will of the people of Alaska, and this system – because it has been so easily manipulated – does not produce such a result.”
The Alaska Democratic Party is, indeed, raising money and fighting to protect ranked-choice voting, which is being challenged by an initiative that will be seen on November’s general election ballot.
However, until the time the voting system is restored, Begich said there is a way to voluntarily institute an actual primary, rather than the jungle primary that exists now:
“To do this, the leading conservative remains in the race after the primary, while the others withdraw from the race. I have made this commitment many times on the record over the past year because I believe this gives Alaskans the best opportunity to replace Mary Peltola and thereby drastically improve our representation in the U.S. House.
“To date, I am the only candidate in my race who has made this commitment, but I am committed to Alaska, and our nation, and will not allow RCV to divide and dilute our vote again,” Begich said.
By only advancing one candidate, the Left does not suffer from the impact of multiple candidates competing in what effectively becomes a “delayed primary” or a splitting of financial resources among multiple campaigns, Begich said.
The U.S. Department of Education has released guidance to school districts around the country regarding implementing its Title IX rule changes, which are scheduled to take effect Thursday, Aug. 1.
The deadline is complicated by court orders preventing the Biden administration from pursuing the implementation of the rule in 21 states and thousands of schools and institutions of higher learning based on lawsuits filed by states, organizations and individuals opposed to the rules.
The new rules add “gender identity” protections to the law, including ensuring students have access to bathrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity.
The Department of Education responded to requests for comment about its implementation of the rule by pointing to a resource email the agency’s Office of Civil Rights sent to schools last week with resources and guidance ahead of the deadline.
“In issuing these Regulations, the Department aims to fulfill Title IX’s promise that no person experiences sex discrimination in federally funded education,” the OCR’s email to schools reads. “Today’s resources bring us even closer to realizing Title IX’s nondiscrimination promise in our nation’s schools.”
The Department of Education told schools about their legal requirements under the new rules, which include selecting a Title IX coordinator and updating the school’s policies and trainings to be in line with the new rules.
The resources clearly acknowledge that as of July 19, the Biden administration is prohibited from enforcing the rule in 15 states. A federal court order added another six states to the list last week, bringing the total number to 21.
The Biden administration cannot enforce the rule in Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota because of lawsuits.
The lawsuits claim the updated rule expanding the definition of the over 50-year-old federal antidiscrimination statute is unconstitutional and would violate the rights of individuals and organization members. The new rules add gender identity and pregnancy protections to the law.
The guidance says schools not affected by court orders would have to ensure their policies do not violate the updated rule.
“For example, if a school maintains sex-separate restroom facilities, it must not prevent students from accessing the restroom consistent with their gender identity because doing so causes them more than de minimis harm,” the letter to schools says.
Courts have blocked the implementation of the rule in the 21 states as well as thousands of schools where students of members of Moms for Liberty attend citing questions about the department’s ability to change the law, the violation of school employee’s First Amendment rights, and changing the clear intent of Title IX.
Some school districts, like Wake County Public School System in North Carolina, have updated their policy to reflect the changes to Title IX despite an injunction preventing the Biden administration from enforcing the rule at a middle school in the district.
During a board meeting in the last several weeks, the school’s attorney said that the district could pass a revised policy without running afoul of the court order. Others on staff at Wake County Public School System said it was doing so because of the administrative changes.
Ultimately, the Department of Education can withhold federal funding from schools that refuse to comply with the new rules where there is no court-ordered prohibition from the agency’s implementation. In Wake County, over $100 million was at stake.
On the same day Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski railed against vice presidential candidate JD Vance for his 2021 comments about Democrat cat ladies, Sen. Dan Sullivan and several other Republican senators sent a letter to International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach in response to a vulgar depiction of the Last Supper that took place during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Senators James Lankford (R-Okl.), Marco Rubio (R-Fl.), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Barrasso (R-Wy.), Katie Britt (R-Al.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okl.), and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) also signed the letter.
“We write in response to the vulgar mockery of the Christian faith on display at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024. The Games should unite people of every country, race, and creed. There is no place for anti-Christian bigotry at an event designed to bring the world together. The Games should celebrate the athletes, not denigrate anyone’s faith. We urge you to take immediate action by amending Rule 55 of the Olympic Charter to ensure that no faiths are the subject of mockery as part of the opening or closing ceremonies ever again,” the senators said.
“The International Olympic Committee (IOC) should formally condemn the mockery that occurred in Paris of one of the most sacred moments of the Christian faith. Then, the IOC should make formal changes to ensure this kind of divisive display is not repeated to ensure that Coubertin’s vision for the Games may continue to thrive. Every person, from every nation and every faith, should be encouraged to enjoy the Olympics without being belittled or mocked. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” the letter said.
The full text of the letter can be read at this link.
