Author: Katharine Frey
-
Federal judge blocks Biden administration guidance on transgender students
A federal judge from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee on July 15, 2022, struck down a Department of Education order that aims to protect transgender students and workers from discrimination. The Biden administration released the challenged guidance in response to recent legislation passed by states that aim to bar…
-
Ninth Circuit greenlights Arizona challenge to federal tax mandate (2022)
A three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on May 19, 2022, ruled 3-0 that Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich (R) has standing to challenge the constitutionality of the federal tax mandate under the American Rescue Plan Act.. Brnovich filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of the Treasury…
-
South Carolina governor signs bill barring transgender youth from participating in public school and collegiate women’s sports
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster (R) signed a bill into law on May 16, 2022, that prohibits transgender students from participating in women’s sports at public schools and colleges in the state. The new law requires students to play on sports teams that match the gender assigned on their birth certificates. The South Carolina House…
-
New Oklahoma law governs bathroom use in public schools
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt (R) on May 25, 2022, signed a bill into law requiring transgender students to use the restroom that matches their sex assigned at birth. Senate Bill 615 passed the House with a vote of 69-14 and the Senate by a vote of 38-7. The law governs the use of multiple-occupancy restrooms…
-
North Carolina legislature proposes LGBTQ curriculum ban in grades K-3
A North Carolina Senate proposed bill was amended on May 24, 2022, to prohibit public schools from teaching LGBTQ curriculum in kindergarten through third grade. The bill, titled the Parents’ Bill of Rights, requires K-12 public schools and local school boards to adopt procedures that notify parents of a change in their child’s mental or…
-
Mellen School District votes to prohibit race from being discussed during American history lessons
The Mellon School Board in Wisconsin voted on April 20, 2022, to adopt a new policy to prohibit race from being discussed during American history lessons. This decision follows a vote in March that barred subjects such as critical race theory, religion, sexual orientation, privilege, empathy, and political orientation from being taught in classrooms. The…
-
Tennessee legislature passes bill to prohibit teaching certain divisive concepts in higher education
The Tennessee legislature on March 30 passed a bill that aims to prohibit an individual’s views on critical race theory from influencing decisions about hiring, tenure, promotion, or graduation in the state’s higher education institutions. House Bill 2670 would “prohibit a public institution of higher education from taking certain actions with regard to divisive concepts…
-
Minnesota lawmakers vote on Parental Bill of Rights education bills
The Minnesota State Senate March passed three education bills promoted by Republican state senators as part of what is described as the Parental Bill of Rights. The bills aim to increase parental access to instructional materials in public schools and prevent what is characterized as harassment of parents who testify at school board meetings. One…
-
Indiana lawmakers forgo bill restricting school library materials
The Indiana State Legislature struck down a bill on March 9 that would have prevented students from accessing materials containing what the bill’s proponents deemed controversial topics in school libraries. House Bill 1369, authored by state Rep. Bob Morris (R), originally aimed to modify current sentencing guidelines for inmates. The school libraries provision was eventually…