The Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, has announced an agreement with the Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD) centered on the district's compliance with state laws regarding gender-specific sports participation. Following an investigation sparked by evidence of a potential unwritten policy that allowed biological males to compete in female sports, Paxton's office and Dallas ISD reached an understanding to rectify the situation.
In a statement from Attorney General's Office, the Attorney General asserted, "Biological males have no place in girls' sports, and any Texas public schools doing otherwise will be held accountable." The agreement follows Paxton's February request for Dallas ISD records after a video surfaced, which indicated that school officials assisted male students in altering birth certificates to play in girls' sports. This controversy led to Paxton pursuing depositions of Dallas ISD officials, a path that culminated in the recently established agreed order.
Dallas ISD's course change coincides with the resignation of the district's LGBT Youth Program Coordinator, Mahoganie Gaston. Gaston, as part of the attorney general's investigation, was recorded explaining to a parent how a male student could join a girls' sports team—suggesting the district actively sought "loopholes" in regulations. The District “finds the loopholes in everything,” Gaston mentioned in the video that raised red flags with state officials, according to the Attorney General's Office.
Paxton's office has made it clear that adherence to existing state laws regarding sports participation will be a priority, signaling that similar actions could be expected for other school districts in Texas. The move has reaffirmed the state's position on gender classification in public school sports, and maintained the stance that laws are not to be navigated through exploitable administrative strategies.
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