Austin, TX – February 17, 2026: A parent of a high school student in Austin ISD has filed a formal complaint, with the help of Texas Values, after an Austin high school broke the Texas Women’s Privacy Act and failed to resolve the issue. The parent in Austin ISD notified the high school, in January, that a male student was using the female restroom. The parent did not receive any response from the school that the Texas Women’s Privacy Act would be followed. The parent emailed the school again in February notifying them that the male student continues to use the female bathroom and she sent them a letter from Texas Values explaining how Senate Bill 8, the Texas Women’s Privacy Act should be followed. The parent did not receive a response or a message that the school was willing to “cure” the incident within the 3-day period required by law. Now, the parent is taking the next steps and filing a complaint with the Texas Attorney General. You can read the complaint here. 

Mary Elizabeth Castle, Director of Government Relations, said: 

“The law is clear: public school students must use the restrooms and locker rooms according to their biological sex. The parent and her daughter clearly identify this individual as a male who should not have access to female private spaces at the public school. I hope that the parent and her daughter can find some relief and put a stop to this or else the school must face consequences for not following the Texas Women’s Privacy Act.” 

The Texas Women’s Privacy Act was passed in September in 2025 and has been in effect since December 4, 2025. The law ensures that men and women use the private facilities based on their biological sex. The law applies to government buildings, which by definition includes public schools. Texas Values sent a letter to all public universities and colleges and nearly all public-school districts explaining the Texas Women’s Privacy Act.

In December, Austin City Council voted on a resolution to accept the new law, SB 8, The Texas Women’s Privacy Act. 

To learn more about the Texas Women’s Privacy Act, visit https://protectwomensprivacytexas.com/.

Members of Texas Values law and policy team are available for comment. Contact Ashley at media@txvalues.org or 737-314-2450 (m) to schedule an interview. 

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About Texas Values

Texas Values is the largest statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to standing for faith, family, and freedom in Texas. More information is available at txvalues.org.