Attorney General Ken Paxton has informed the Austin Independent School District that its “Pride Week” program is in violation of state law.
As Texas Scorecard previously reported, Austin school officials are dedicating this week to promoting hazardous sexual behaviors and gender confusion to children—and instructing them to keep quiet about some of the activities.
Late yesterday, Paxton sent a letter to the district explaining that their program violated state law.
“The Texas Legislature has made it clear that when it comes to sex education, parents – not school districts – are in charge,” wrote Paxton to Austin ISD Superintendent Stephanie S. Elizalde. He explained that the state’s Education Code requires that “[b]efore a student may be provided with human sexuality instruction, a school district must obtain the written consent of the student’s parent.”
Paxton continued: “By hosting ‘Pride Week,’ your district has, at best, undertaken a week-long instructional effort in human sexuality without parental consent. Or, worse, your district is cynically pushing a week-long indoctrination of your students that not only fails to obtain parental consent, but subtly cuts parents out of the loop. Either way, you are breaking state law.”
Under the education code, parents can file grievances against the district with the Texas Education Agency.
Today, I sent a letter to @AustinISD for their curriculum and lesson plans that constitute “human sexuality instruction” governed by state law.
The Texas Legislature has made it clear that when it comes to sex education, parents—not school districts—are in charge. pic.twitter.com/pVZ4Sj8GMF
— Texas Attorney General (@TXAG) March 22, 2022
