Attorneys general from 20 mostly Republican-run states are suing the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), seeking to stop the enforcement of what they say is an “erroneous interpretation” of Title IX, the federal law that bans sex-based discrimination in schools. The states, led by Tennessee, asked the court to block a guidance (pdf) issued this June by the Education Department. In a “Fact Sheet” attached to the guidance letter, the Department warns that it may launch a Title IX investigation if a school prevents a student from joining a sports team or using the restroom or locker room that aligns with the student’s gender identity. The expanded interpretation of Title IX, according to the Education Department, stems from the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County, which focused on Title VII, the federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in the workplace. The Department said it applied Bostock’s Title VII …