Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti and Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman urged a federal judge in Lexington, Kentucky to block the Department of Education’s radical new Title IX rule that would harm Tennessee students, families, and schools. The motion for a preliminary injunction was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Of the 26 states that have sued to stop the Administration’s overhaul of Title IX, the Tennessee and Kentucky-led coalition is the first to be heard in federal court.

“We’re working to end the administration’s new Title IX rule for good, but today’s hearing was about stopping the rule from going into effect on August 1,” said Tennessee Attorney General Skrmetti in a statement. “We don’t want our schools and universities wasting money preparing to enforce a rule that may well be struck down. While we fight over the rule’s constitutionality, the money that would be spent on retraining and compliance to implement radical gender ideology could instead go toward educating our kids.”

In April, Attorneys General Skrmetti and Coleman, along with four other AGs, challenged the U.S. Department of Education’s Title IX overhaul that changes the definition of sex discrimination and harassment to now include “gender identity” and “sex characteristics.” The new rules require K-12 schools, colleges, and universities to allow males identifying as females access to women’s sports, bathrooms, and locker rooms.

“Today, we are in court to protect Kentucky women and girls and their opportunities to succeed,” said Attorney General Coleman. “The Biden Administration’s assault on Title IX would end 50 years of protections and fairness. Kentucky and Tennessee are leading the national effort in urging the court to block this rule that violates the Constitution and common sense.”

Any school failing to comply with the new Biden Administration rule – even if it follows state law – could lose federal education funding, including access to programs designed to help at-risk and needy youth. In addition to dismantling equal opportunities for women, the U.S. Department of Education rule upends existing parental rights, repeals free speech protections, and undermines due process.

Tennessee and Kentucky were joined in their challenge in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky by Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia.