The Texas attorney general is asking multiple North Texas school districts to turn over documents regarding their policies on transgender student athletes.
Credit: AP
RICHARDSON, Texas — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is broadening his investigation into school districts’ policies regarding transgender student-athletes to include Richardson ISD and Hutto ISD.
Paxton’s requests for documents from these districts follow similar requests made last week to Dallas ISD and Irving ISD.
The new requests also come after the conservative advocacy group Accuracy In Media released videos showing staff members from Richardson ISD, Irving ISD, Dallas ISD, and Hutto ISD without their knowledge.
Accuracy In Media describes itself as using “investigative journalism and cultural activism” to expose corruption and hold public policy makers accountable. The group has reportedly met with educators across Texas, pretending to be parents considering a move to Texas from other states, raising concerns about issues such as Texas’ ban on transgender athletes and diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
One video showed a person, who identified themselves as an “undercover journalist,” asking a Richardson ISD staff member about the district’s policies on transgender students. The person asked if their transgender daughter would be allowed to travel and stay overnight with the female students on a school trip.
“If there was travel, would the trans—would my transgender daughter be able to travel and stay with the rest of the girls, or is that something you’d have to figure out case by case?” the person asked in the video.
The Richardson ISD staff member responded, “I think it’s case by case. I think that there’s been times when that has been worked out, but the student—and I’m just going on the cases I know about—the other students who were in the room, they were all friends and so they knew, and the parents were OK with it.”
Richardson ISD stated in a message to WFAA that the district would comply with Paxton’s records request and “closely follows Texas law.”
“RISD has received the public information request from the AG’s Office. We will comply with responding to the records request in accordance with the Texas Public Information Act,” the statement read. “RISD closely follows Texas law, including the UIL requirement that student athletes must compete according to the gender on their original birth certificate. The district is not aware of any instance whatsoever where this requirement was not followed in RISD. If any entity has information about a suspected violation of Texas or federal law, they are strongly encouraged to share information with RISD for evaluation and next steps.”
In Irving ISD, an administrator resigned after a hidden camera video seemed to show the administrator discussing whether transgender students could participate in sports teams aligned with their gender identity, despite Texas law. Following the video’s release, Gov. Greg Abbott called for the administrator’s firing and for an investigation into the school district, which prompted Paxton’s inquiry.
Last year, the state health department blocked transgender individuals from changing the sex listed on their birth certificates.
Paxton’s announcement of new information requests also coincides with the signing of an executive order by President Donald Trump that bars transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports.