Texas Parents Sue Houston School District Over Secret Transition of Daughter
Parents in Texas, Sarah and Terry Osborn, have filed a lawsuit against the Houston Independent School District (HISD) for addressing their daughter as a boy against their explicit instructions. The lawsuit highlights the parents’ claims that school staff continued to use male pronouns and names for their daughter for at least two years without their knowledge or consent. This case has gained significant attention, with several states supporting the parents in their legal fight for constitutional rights.
The Osborns allege that school officials in HISD failed to honor their request to refer to their daughter only as a girl. According to the filing, the parents discovered that their daughter was being referred to as a boy after finding schoolwork that used a masculine name. The complaint details that the parents had instructed the theater teacher to use female pronouns during their daughter’s freshman year at Bellaire High School, and they believed that was the end of the issue. However, the parents report that school staff continued to address their daughter as a boy during the school day, despite their explicit objections.
The legal action alleges that the school principal, district superintendent, and its counsel did not respond to the parents’ request for documentation explaining the district’s gender policy and whether it included a parental notification requirement. The Osborns argue that HISD has a widespread practice of treating students, including their daughter, as the opposite sex without parental notification or consent, which they claim violates the parents’ First and Fourteenth Amendment rights. The case has drawn support from several states, which have expressed solidarity with the Osborns in their fight against what they describe as government interference in parental rights.
The Osborns are seeking a preliminary and permanent injunction to demand the district honor their wishes to not refer to their daughter as male. The case is being represented by the faith-based legal group Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which is also naming the Bellaire High School counselor and principal as defendants. ADF senior counsel Kate Anderson stated that parents should have the right to direct the upbringing, education, and healthcare of their children without fear of government interference. The school district, meanwhile, has stated that it is unable to comment on the pending litigation.