The US Department of Education is making it legal for biological boys to occupy the private spaces of biological girls. With the changes to Title IX, biological boys will be allowed to use girls’ bathrooms, locker rooms, and shower rooms, as well as share their hotel rooms during long distance sporting events. Boys also will be allowed to compete in girls’ sports and pursue scholarships exclusively meant for girls.

Those who fight against this ruling may be accused of sex discrimination, which—according to the new version of Title IX—now includes gender identity.

Title IX has been around since 1972. It’s a civil rights law that protects students, school employees, and others from sex discrimination at federally funded public schools, colleges, and universities. It was designed to give women equal opportunities and protect them from discrimination.

On April 19, 2024, the US Department of Education revised Title IX. Included in the changes is a broader scope of what falls under the term “sex discrimination.” The revision defines sex discrimination as “discrimination based on sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, pregnancy or related conditions, sexual orientation, and gender identity…”

According to the Christian law firm Alliance Defending Freedom, “This radical redefinition of ‘sex’ threatens the fundamental rights of every American, especially women and children. From privacy to sports to health care, our laws should recognize and respect that women and men are biologically different—and that these differences matter.”

On August 1, 2024, the updates to Title IX were to be implemented into school policies across the country. However, 26 Republican attorneys general have brought the matter to court and so far have been successful in safeguarding their states from the changes.

Michigan is not one of the 26 states. Not only is Michigan not one of the 26, but Michigan’s governor fortified the intentions of Title IX even further. On May 17, 2023, Gretchen Witmer signed an amendment to the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act. The amendment reaffirms legal protections for sexual orientation and expands coverage to include gender identity and expression.

Moms for Liberty, the national organization known for fighting for parental rights, has filed a lawsuit that parents in Michigan school districts are joining.

Across Michigan there are local chapters of Moms for Liberty helping parents become involved. As of this writing, Ottawa County does not yet have a chapter. Even so, parents in counties without a local chapter still can register and protect their school. Those without a local chapter can join the national group until/instead of forming their own.

Once parents join the national (or local) organization, their school is added to the lawsuit. If a district has multiple schools (for example, an elementary school, a middle school, etc.), each school must be registered by a parent with a student enrolled in that building. Once a school is listed, there is a customizable letter available to inform the district school board.

The Great Education Initiative (GEI) is a Michigan-based organization also seeking an injunction on Title IX. Interested parents are being advised to join both organizations—Moms for Liberty and GEI.

If a school board already voted to implement the revisions to Title IX (as Jenison Public Schools has done), it’s not too late. There was an amendment to the Moms for Liberty original injunction. The injunction now covers not only schools that were registered previously, but also the schools of future members of Moms for Liberty. There is a list of schools at the bottom of the lawsuit, showing what schools already have been registered. The school list is updated every two weeks.