Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) has filed a lawsuit against Coppell Independent School District (ISD), alleging that district officials are illegally teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT) in violation of state law. The lawsuit follows the release of a video in which a Coppell ISD administrator appears to admit that the district has found ways to circumvent state prohibitions on CRT.
The video in question features Evan Whitfield, the district’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction, discussing how Coppell ISD has been able to continue teaching material that Attorney General Paxton deems “woke” and “hateful” despite state restrictions. Whitfield is heard saying that the district has “gotten around” the prohibitions by claiming they do not explicitly teach CRT. He also acknowledges that, despite Texas state standards, the district follows what it believes to be “right.”
BREAKING:
Liberal administrators who want to ignore state law and unlawfully push divisive and racist CRT curriculum in classrooms will be held responsible for their actions. Texas children deserve to receive the best education in the world, not have woke ideology forced upon… pic.twitter.com/6LlGxspf9K
— Attorney General Ken Paxton (@KenPaxtonTX) March 19, 2025
When asked if teachers can still teach this material behind closed doors, Whitfield reportedly responded, “Shh, that’s what we do.” He also referenced the use of the Next Generation Science Standards curriculum, which has not been approved by the Texas State Board of Education.
Attorney General Paxton, a vocal critic of CRT and “woke” ideology in schools, condemned the district’s actions.
“Liberal administrators who want to ignore state law and unlawfully push divisive and racist CRT curriculum in classrooms will be held responsible for their actions,” Attorney General Paxton stated.
“Texas children deserve to receive the best education in the world, not have woke ideology forced upon them,” he added. “My lawsuit aims to put an immediate end to this illegal and hateful curriculum and immediately stop the blatant refusal to follow state law by certain officials at Coppell ISD.”
Texas law prohibits the teaching of CRT in public schools, arguing that it promotes racial division and political bias.
