More internal communications have been released showing that Dallas Independent School District organized “LGBT” trainings for teachers at schools around the district.

The Dallas Express obtained internal communications from an open records request revealing that Dallas ISD organized the training events in collaboration with an employee of a local transgender clinic. 

Mahoganie Gaston, Dallas ISD’s coordinator of support services for LGBTQ youth, coordinated with Leslie McMurray, the transgender education and advocacy associate with the Resource Center, to schedule a series of trainings for teachers on “Supporting LGBTQ Youth” at elementary, middle, and high schools in 2022.

The Resource Center is a Dallas-based clinic that offers cross-sex hormones and reference letters for gender-mutilative surgeries, as well as legal assistance for changing gender markers on government documents. 

“I hate I missed the training at [Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School] but I heard how awesome it was,” Gaston emailed McMurray. “That being said, can we offer that this semester? I have some training dates already set up that we can look at.”

“Of course, we would love to present the Rangel training to other schools or staff from the district,” McMurray responded. “The group at Rangel was fabulous. I loved their engagement and the questions they asked. I think we had around 30 in the room. If you have some dates in mind, please send them our way and I’ll check the calendar (I already have trainings being booked in April!).”

Gaston replied to McMurray’s email with a schedule of planned trainings, half being for elementary schools. 

“Let me know if any of these work. There have been lots of questions on working with families, transgender youth and rights of LGBTQ students and staff. I think we can be creative and really give staff a full picture of what Resource Center offers as well as the Out for Safe Schools training,” wrote Gaston. 

McMurray replied, sharing her concern about trainings for elementary staff and saying, “It’s scheduled for a week from today, and at present, we have not written a curriculum designed for that age group. That is possible — but I kind of need to know from you what that looks like. What is the starting point for them? What kinds of things are they looking for? The Whole segment on GSA’s is irrelevant — but maybe more time on terminology and the effects of bullying? We can provide a lot of information, but the State of Texas will determine how much can be taught.

“Same with working with parents — if they are supportive, then you are in good shape. If not, you can’t override the wishes of those parents,” McMurray continued. “I’m happy to design something — just point me in the right direction.”

Gaston responded 10 days later in a typo-filled email, saying, “I am so sorry. I don’t know how I missed the email. So they one that was reschudeled [sic] for.” The rest of the email obtained in the records request had been cut off.

After the typo-filled email from Gaston, the email exchange ended. 

Last week, another set of emails between Gaston and McMurray revealed that Dallas ISD sought advice from the Resource Center on how to help gender-confused students “transition.”

Additionally, earlier this year it was reported that Dallas ISD published a resource guide advising children on how to change genders. The document recommended various “transgender” clinics; gave resources on how to socially, legally, and medically transition; and listed books for elementary students about gender-confused children. The document was said to be only available to adults who requested it, but it was found to be shared publicly through the social media platform X.

The document has since been locked and is only available through a request. 

Brady Gray, president of Texas Family Project, told Texas Scorecard, “DISD has sadly become but the latest in a long line of districts that are abandoning traditional academics and opting instead for a curriculum founded in Queer Theory. No K-12 student in Texas schools should be discussing LGBT matters.

“Parents must protect their children from these perverse doctrines and people. They must demand more from entities funded by their tax dollars. And legislators must ensure that this perverse evil comes to an end in Texas. We need legislation to prohibit all discussion of sexuality and gender identity (or anything else related to Queer Theory) in our schools,” added Gray. 

Dallas ISD has not responded to a request for comment. 

Emily Medeiros

Emily graduated from the University of Oklahoma majoring in Journalism. She is excited to use her research and writing skills to report on important issues around Texas.

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