A Texas school district has implemented new policies prohibiting students from using bathrooms and pronouns that don't align with their biological sex, following advocacy from parent groups and the conservative organization Citizens Defending Freedom (CDF). The new rules stipulate that school staff cannot encourage the use of pronouns inconsistent with a student's biological sex and mandate bathroom usage based on sex assigned at birth.

The CDF celebrated the policy change, highlighting their collaboration with True Texas Project and local community members in achieving this outcome in the Keller Independent School District (ISD). They quoted Tarrant County CDF Executive Director Kenya Alu, who emphasized that ISD employees are now barred from promoting or requiring pronoun usage that deviates from an individual's birth certificate.

The rationale behind these policies centers on safety concerns surrounding bathroom usage. The ISD school board voted 5-0 in favor of the changes on June 28th. The district, which serves roughly 34,000 students, has faced both support and criticism for the decision. ISD board president Charles Randklev framed the measures as protective for students and educators, while opponents have labeled them discriminatory.

The ACLU of Texas publicly condemned the policies, arguing they will negatively impact LGBTQIA+ students and foster a hostile school environment. In a letter, the ACLU further asserted that referring to transgender or non-binary students by their birth name and sex assigned at birth not only violates the law but also inflicts significant emotional harm and potentially encourages bullying. This issue continues to fuel public discourse, with both sides claiming their stance prioritizes children's well-being.