Filed Date: April 30, 2024
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
This is a case about LGBTQ+ discrimination protections in schools. On April 19, 2024, the Biden administration announced its final rule interpreting Title IX, to go into effect on August 1, 2024. The rule gives LGBTQ+ students and others explicit protection from sex discrimination “based on sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, and gender identity.” In response, the Rapides Parish School Board in Louisiana filed this lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana on April 30, 2024. Represented by the Alliance Defending Freedom, the school board sued the US Department of Education (DOE) and Department of Justice (DOJ) under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), alleging that the rule was contrary to Title IX, arbitrary and capricious, and promulgated without proper procedures. The School Board also alleged that DOE's interpretation of Title IX would cause the statute to violate the Constitution's Spending Clause. Finally, the School Board alleged that DOE's rule violated the nondelegation doctrine, which prevents Congress from giving its legislative powers to the executive branch. The School Board argued that Title IX warrants and at times demands differential (but non-discriminatory) treatment based on sex, and thus DOE's interpretation created inconsistencies and fundamentally misread the statute. The School Board sought a declaratory judgment, vacatur of DOE's rule, preliminary and permanent injunctions, and attorneys' fees.
The case was assigned to Judge Terry A Doughty. On May 15, 2024, the case was consolidated with Louisiana v. U S Dept of Education (3:24-cv-00563), which became the lead case. See that case entry for further developments.
Summary Authors
Ted Molina (12/30/2024)
State of Louisiana v. U.S. Dept of Education, Western District of Louisiana (2024)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68484681/parties/school-board-rapides-parish-v-education/
Aguinaga, Jorge Benjamin (Louisiana)
Aguinaga, J Benjamin (Louisiana)
Astor, Martha Angelique (Louisiana)
Attorney, Jonathan Andrew (Louisiana)
Amunson, Jessica Ring (Louisiana)
Aguinaga, Jorge Benjamin (Louisiana)
Aguinaga, J Benjamin (Louisiana)
Astor, Martha Angelique (Louisiana)
Attorney, Jonathan Andrew (Louisiana)
Blake, Julie Marie (Louisiana)
Corrigan, Christian B (Louisiana)
Counsel, Julie Marie (Louisiana)
Daugherty, Donald Albert (Louisiana)
Johnson, Michael T (Louisiana)
Patterson, Autumn Hamit (Louisiana)
Amunson, Jessica Ring (Louisiana)
Attorney, Deborah Jane (Louisiana)
Bock, William Bock (Louisiana)
Bone, Lauren Adams (Louisiana)
Brewer, Cory Jennifer (Louisiana)
Bronni, Nicholas J. (Louisiana)
DeClark, Kory James (Louisiana)
Driesen, Lauren E. (Louisiana)
Esenberg, Richard M. (Louisiana)
Esq., William Jeffrey (Louisiana)
Flowers, Benjamin Michael (Louisiana)
Hartley, Katherine I (Louisiana)
Mailman, Sylvia May (Louisiana)
Miller, Ronald Lee (Louisiana)
Mills, Christopher Ernest (Louisiana)
Morejon, Amanda I. (Louisiana)
Morenoff, Daniel I. (Louisiana)
Niles-Weed, Robert (Louisiana)
Nugent, Victoria S. (Louisiana)
Sternberg, Jonathan Theodore (Louisiana)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/68484681/school-board-rapides-parish-v-education/
Last updated Jan. 29, 2025, 11:52 p.m.
State / Territory: Louisiana
Case Type(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: April 30, 2024
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
A Louisiana school board.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Attorney Organizations:
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
United States Department of Education (- United States (national) -), Federal
United States Department of Justice (- United States (national) -), Federal
Defendant Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. §§ 551 et seq.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. §§ 1681 et seq.
Constitutional Clause(s):
Available Documents:
Injunctive (or Injunctive-like) Relief
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff
Nature of Relief:
Preliminary injunction / Temp. restraining order
Source of Relief:
Content of Injunction:
Order Duration: 2024 - None
Issues
LGBTQ+: