LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders was joined by former swimmer Riley Gaines to voice their opposition to revisions to Title IX by the Education Department, which removes rules put in effect under the Trump administration.
Sanders held a press conference on May 2 along with Gaines and Jacob Oliva, Arkansas's education secretary to denounce the proposed Title IX changes with an executive order.
That order reaffirms several Arkansas laws as well as instruct educational institutions in the state to follow state law. It also proclaims that a student or employee "may not be forced to use false pronouns."
"If President Biden threatens our state with loss of educational funding because we refuse to go along with his election year pandering, Arkansas will take the federal government to court," Sanders said. "That's because this issue goes far beyond a single locker room or missed scholarship."
The new changes to the federal rule includes reversing protections for someone accused of sexual misconduct that was created under former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. The new regulations also provides a larger definition of sexual harassment that is "so severe or pervasive that it limits or denies a person's ability" to receive an education.
While live hearings were a key rules under DeVos, those hearings will now be optional and provide remote attendance and schools can prohibit "unclear or harassing" questions. In lieu of live hearings, school officials can interview people separately.
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said the change to Title IX helps ensure "everyone can access schools that are safe, welcoming and that respect their rights."
While the Biden administration initially looked at adding a policy that would bar schools from transgender athlete bans, the new rule changes to Title IX do not mention transgender athletes.
Another change to the rule would protect students and employees "from all sex discrimination" including discrimination based on "sex stereotypes, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics."
Sanders labeled the changes as a "reinterpretation" of the original 1972 law and that the document "should scare every woman and man in America."
Sanders also claimed that "if the weak men running the White House had half the courage of Riley, our country would be in a much better place."
During the press conference, Gaines alleged again that Lia Thomas, the transgender swimmer that tied fifth with Gaines in 2022, changed in the same locker room with them with no prior warning. Gaines also repeated her claim that Thomas was allowed to stand on the fifth place podium while she was relegated to the sixth place spot.
The ACLU of Arkansas said Sanders' executive order and press conference was the governor being "more invested in divisive politics and fueling culture wars than addressing the urgent needs of Arkansas."
"We call on Gov. Sanders to cease these draconian measures and redirect her focus towards improving the lives of Arkansans," the group said on social media. "True leaders foster unity and address the actual needs of people, not divide, bully, and exclude."
The final regulations will go into effect on Aug. 1, 2024.