Former President Trump has pledged to roll back transgender student protections implemented by the Biden administration if he is reelected in November.
The protections, enacted last month, are part of changes to Title IX, a federal civil rights law prohibiting sex discrimination in schools receiving government funding. These changes cover discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Trump criticized these protections during an appearance on a conservative talk radio show, stating that they were enacted through executive order and would be changed on day one of his presidency if he were reelected.
Trump Pledges to Restore Previous Title IX Policy, Potentially Impacting Transgender Students
He has also promised to implement other policies targeting transgender rights, including a nationwide ban on transgender student-athletes competing in alignment with their gender identity and a federal law recognizing only two genders.
Several Republican governors, attorneys general, and education officials have vowed to reject the expanded protections for transgender students, with some instructing school districts in their states to ignore them.
Lawsuits filed by Republican-led states allege that the new regulations undermine federal nondiscrimination protections and misapply the reasoning of a 2020 Supreme Court ruling to Title IX.
The Biden administration has not yet finalized a separate rule governing athletics eligibility, which would prevent schools from enacting policies that ban transgender student-athletes from participating in sports teams that match their gender identity.
