The Texas attorney general says his office has reached an agreement with Dallas ISD to enforce a state law requiring kids to participate in sports according to the gender listed on their birth certificate. Earlier this year, the group, Accuracy in Media, posted video of an administrator telling someone she could find ways for a transgender child to play girls' sports.
"They said, 'birth certificate,' but they didn't say original or other," Mahoganie Gaston, Dallas ISD's LGBT youth program coordinator said. "They're finding loopholes in everything."
Texas does not allow changes to the gender listed on a person's birth certificate, but other states do.
Last month, Ken Paxton filed a petition to interview Gaston, Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde and school board trustees.
"We are cooperating with the Attorney General’s office to provide information that confirms Dallas ISD’s ongoing compliance with federal and state laws. The district is committed to continue following both the spirit and intent of the law," Dallas ISD wrote in a statement at the time.
Friday, Paxton's office said it had reached an agreement "to ensure that the District is not violating Texas law by permitting biological males to participate in girls’ sports."
According to court documents, Elizalde has 14 business days to send district-wide communication laying out state law, reminding employees they are required to follow the law, they are prohibited from counseling parents or students "on efforts to circumvent this statute," and any employees with questions should contact a designated person in Dallas ISD's administration.
"I urge all other school districts to fulfill their legal obligations to protect girls’ sports and end any attempts to circumvent Texas law. Biological males have no place in girls’ sports, and any Texas public schools doing otherwise will be held accountable," Paxton wrote in a statement.
Friday afternoon, Dallas ISD had not responded to requests for comment.