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Texas parents have launched a federal lawsuit against Houston Independent School District after discovering school staff secretly used male pronouns and a masculine name for their biological daughter for two years, directly violating their explicit instructions.
Key Takeaways
- Sarah and Terry Osborn are suing Houston Independent School District after staff secretly used a masculine name and male pronouns for their biological daughter for two years despite their explicit objections.
- The lawsuit claims the school violated the parents’ First and Fourteenth Amendment rights by implementing an alleged policy of treating students as the opposite sex without parental consent.
- The transition began in ninth grade when a theater teacher implemented a system asking for students’ preferred names and pronouns.
- Alliance Defending Freedom is representing the parents and seeking a court injunction to ensure the district respects their parental authority.
- Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered the Texas Education Agency to investigate the allegations, stating “no school should be involved in ‘transitioning’ a child.”
Parents Discover School’s Secret Gender Transition
The legal battle began when Sarah and Terry Osborn discovered in December 2023 that Bellaire High School staff had been using a masculine name on their daughter’s schoolwork. According to court documents, this unauthorized gender transition had been ongoing for approximately two years, beginning when their daughter was in ninth grade. The situation started when a theater teacher implemented a system asking students for their “names and pronouns,” despite the mother having explicitly requested the use of her daughter’s legal name and female pronouns throughout her education.
Upon discovering this breach of parental authority, the Osborns immediately requested that the school cease using the masculine name and pronouns. Despite receiving assurances from teachers that their wishes would be respected, the practice reportedly continued. The situation escalated when the parents met with Principal Michael Niggli in September 2024, who surprisingly suggested finding a “middle ground” rather than simply complying with the parents’ directives regarding their own child.
Legal Action and Constitutional Claims
The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a faith-based legal organization, is representing the Osborns in their lawsuit against the Houston Independent School District (HISD), Superintendent Mike Miles, Principal Michael Niggli, school counselor Sarah Ray, and several teachers. The legal filing claims that HISD has an unofficial policy of treating students as the opposite sex without parental notice or consent, which they argue violates the parents’ First and Fourteenth Amendment rights to direct their child’s upbringing.
“Parents have the right to direct the upbringing, education, and health care of their children without fear of government interference. Schools should never hide vital information from parents, let alone go against their express instructions related to the well-being of their children. School officials should support parents, not replace them, and we are urging the court to make sure HISD updates its policy to respect these parents’ constitutional rights,” said ADF senior counsel Kate Anderson.
Prior to filing the lawsuit, ADF sent a demand letter to HISD with a March 21 deadline, requesting assurances of compliance with the parents’ instructions and documentation related to the district’s gender identity policies and practices. Vincent Wagner of ADF indicated that litigation was a possibility if the district failed to provide satisfactory answers. When questioned about the pending legal action, HISD responded only that they were “unable to discuss any aspect of this incident” due to the litigation.
Political Response and Broader Implications
The case has attracted attention from state leadership, with Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordering the Texas Education Agency to investigate the allegations. Abbott publicly supported the parents, stating: “No parent should have to endure this. Another reason why parents deserve school choice. No school should be involved in ‘transitioning’ a child.”
The lawsuit has intensified the ongoing national debate about parental rights versus school authority in matters of gender identity. Conservative commentator Sara Gonzales of BlazeTV criticized the situation, suggesting teachers are inappropriately influencing vulnerable children. “Texas parents are suing in federal court after their daughter’s high school socially transitioned her in secret and against their explicit wishes,” Gonzales noted, emphasizing the need to help children navigate complex feelings rather than pushing them toward specific gender identities.
The Osborns are seeking both preliminary and permanent injunctions to ensure the district respects their parental wishes moving forward. This case joins a growing number of similar lawsuits nationwide where parents are challenging schools that implement social gender transitions without parental knowledge or consent, highlighting the intensifying clash between traditional parental authority and progressive educational approaches to gender identity issues.