Tyler ISD Superintendent Marty Crawford has embraced ‘civil disobedience’ because of the Biden administration’s changes to Title IX.
In a letter to the Texas Association of School Boards, Crawford called for the organization to create new policies to protect school districts from the effects of the changes to Title IX.
“While I speak on behalf of Tyler ISD in East Texas, I suspect much of your membership’s communities across the State of Texas will embrace such opportunity at civil disobedience regarding the topic,” reads the letter.
“As for Tyler ISD, this correspondence confirms that we will be following the Governor’s edict. In turn, we expect our policies crafted by the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), whether LEGAL or LOCAL, to reflect and adhere to Governor Abbott’s instructions that ignore this constitutionally overreaching and illegal edict that is so offensive to our daughters, wives, and mothers. We believe in protecting girls’ and women’s rights in the purest biological form in our schools, in athletic competition, in the use of facilities such as locker rooms and restrooms, and as well, the protection of our teachers and staff in the mindless game of misappropriating pronouns,” the letter continues.
The Biden administration’s revisions to Title IX will take effect in August. They will expand protections for the LGBTQ community by mandating that sex discrimination be redefined to include discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
“Every student should be able to have the full experience of attending school in America, including participating in athletics, free from discrimination,” Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a statement, reported USA Today.
Gov. Greg Abbott ordered officials in Texas to ignore the new changes to Title IX, as reported by The Dallas Express.
“Congress wrote Title IX to protect women. Biden, with no authority to do so, rewrote Title IX to protect men who identify as women,” Abbott posted on X in April. “This tramples Texas laws that prohibit men in women’s sports. I am instructing the Texas Education Agency to ignore Biden’s illegal dictate.”
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, several school districts, such as Carroll ISD and Mansfield ISD, have passed resolutions condemning the recent changes to Title IX.
Residents in Tyler ISD have shown support for the superintendent and other educational leaders.
“I am so proud of Dr. Marty Crawford, President Wade Washmon, and the Board of Trustees. Indeed, THIS is how it’s done. THIS is how a superintendent leads,” said Christin Bentley, a Republican activist and mother of a Tyler ISD student, reported Texas Scorecard.
Not everyone supported Crawford’s decision, however.
Bethany Clark commented on X, “Smoke and mirrors. TISD has a [gender and sexuality alliance (GSA)] club. @TrueTexasTea @TexasScorecard let’s expose the real truth about TISD. Let’s not forget to mention … the furry fetish problem.”
Clark posted an image from the Texas GSA Network website indicating that Tyler ISD has a GSA club.