SHARE

UPDATE 2:20 P.M.

The Times Record News reporter Christopher Collins is following the hearing and tweeted this afternoon that no ruling will be made today in federal transgender bathroom case.

ORIGINAL STORY

(Via TimesRecordNews.com)

A North Texas federal judge is expected to make a ruling Friday that could shape school district bathroom policies for transgender students nationwide.

The state of Texas and 14 co-plaintiffs are suing the federal government over guidance the Obama administration issued to districts in May, directing them to make bathrooms available to students based on their gender identities, regardless of their biological sex. The guidance appeared to imply that non-compliant school districts would be at risk of losing federal funding.

In their lawsuit, plaintiffs have argued that the Obama administration skirted statutory rules of lawmaking by issuing the guidance, and that school districts would be put under undue stress in reaching compliance. One key plaintiff in the case is Harrold Independent School District in Wilbarger County.

The defendants, which include the U.S. departments of Education and Justice, retorted by saying they never threatened to stop funding schools that don't make bathroom accommodations for transgender students.

Plaintiffs have filed a motion for an injunction against the federal government — if the motion is granted on Friday, Texas and other states will be freed from having to comply with the federal guidance. The decision also would set a precedent for a similar legal battle being fought in Ohio.

Friday's hearing is set for 10:30 a.m. in downtown Fort Worth. The presiding judge is Reed C. O'Connor.

Follow staff writer Christopher Collins on Twitter at @ChrisCollinsTRN for real-time developments in the case. This story will be updated throughout the day.