Federal judge temporarily blocks White House transgender bathroom guidelines

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Obama administration from enforcing national guidelines that would require public schools to allow transgender students to use restrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity. A Texas-led coalition of 13 states protested that the White House was overreaching with the directive, arguing, "These new mandates, putting the federal government in the unprecedented position of policing public school property and facilities ... run roughshod over clear lines of authority, local policies, and unambiguous federal law."

Supporters of the guidelines had hoped to create "a safe, welcoming, and supportive learning environment for every student," the civil rights heads at the Department of Justice and Department of Education said.

States and localities are required to follow laws preventing the discrimination of the sexes in educational institutions in order to receive federal funding. But "because Congress did not provide clear notice that funds subject to Title IX were linked to an 'all comers' restroom and intimate areas policy — and in fact allowed separate-sex facilities — the Joint Letter is unconstitutional," the attorneys general for the states said in the motion.

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