Parents claim district policy ‘goes against our Christian faith’
Attorneys are seeking answers from a Texas school district over an alleged attempt by school officials to repeatedly identify a teenage girl by using a masculine name and male pronouns against the parents’ wishes.
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), a legal nonprofit specializing in religious freedom cases, fired off a letter on March 17 to the Houston Independent School District (HISD) General Counsel Catosha Woods demanding documents related to the situation, which ADF calls a violation of parental rights.
According to ADF, the trouble began in December 2023 when the Houston parents spotted a masculine name on their daughter’s schoolwork. They soon learned that staff at Bellaire High School had been using a male name and pronouns for her for months without their knowledge or consent. The parents told teachers to stop immediately, and while staff promised to comply, the family later discovered the behavior persisted.
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Attorneys say tensions escalated during a Sept. 23, 2024, meeting with Bellaire Principal Michael Niggli, when the parents asked for a firm commitment that their daughter would be called by her given name and female pronouns. Instead, the ADF letter states, “Principal Niggli told them they should explore a ‘middle ground’ solution around what name she would be called at school.” In a follow-up email, Niggli added, “there will be no emails with directives to call [your daughter] by any particular name,” leaving the family uncertain about the school’s intentions.
“Parents have the right to direct the upbringing, education, and health care of their children without fear of government interference,” said ADF Senior Counsel Kate Anderson, director of ADF’s Center for Parental Rights. “Schools should never hide vital information from parents, let alone go against their express wishes for their children. School officials should support parents, not replace them, which is why we’re insisting that the school confirm they are respecting these parents’ constitutional rights.”
The parents’ attempts to get answers through public records requests only deepened their distrust. One HISD response claimed over 18,000 documents were relevant, but a month later, the district backtracked, saying no responsive documents existed and closed the request.
Despite the principal’s claim that a counselor had informed teachers of the parents’ instructions, the family remains skeptical and has turned to ADF for support.
The letter, addressed to Woods at HISD’s headquarters, concludes with a clear demand: “Given the pattern of failure and the existing ambiguity, we ask that HISD promptly assure us and our clients that HISD employees will refer to their daughter only by her given name and female pronouns.” It also requests copies of all correspondence instructing staff on the matter, signaling a potential legal showdown if the district doesn’t comply.
Last month, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) said the panel was “reviewing” a claim that teachers at Bellaire High School were “socially transitioning” a student against the will of their parents.
Gov. Greg Abbott sent a letter to TEA calling for the state agency to investigate HISD based on comments made during a school board meeting by Denise Bell, chair of the Harris County chapter of Moms for Liberty, a national conservative Christian group which champions parental rights and traditional American values in public schools.
Bell, speaking on behalf of an anonymous parent, claimed the district’s actions went against both her family’s faith and professional guidance. “This goes against our Christian faith, the advice of [the student’s] therapist, and quite frankly, common sense,” she said. “We met with her teachers, counselors, and the principal to no avail. HISD is purposely and secretively transitioning minors.”
While there is no state law regarding Texas school officials using different names or pronouns for students, other area school districts like Katy ISD have implemented policies that require teachers and staff to notify parents if a student requests to be identified by another name or pronoun.
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