Students make friendship bracelets during pride week in the library at Lamar Middle School Thursday, March 27, 2025. The district is preparing to celebrate its 12th Pride Week later in March.
Mikala Compton/American-Statesman
The Austin Independent School District will celebrate Pride Week for the 12th year in a row after several laws passed last year that limited the spaces where LGBTQ students can gather. The celebratory week also comes as a conservative State Board of Education member — and frequent critic of Austin ISD’s Pride Week — has called for an investigation into district resources devoted to the week.
The district will mark the week from March 23-27 to celebrate inclusion, which district officials say is an important value to Austin ISD families.
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Austin ISD made significant revisions to its Pride celebrations last year, when it stopped using district funds for any events and halted curriculum that taught students about inclusion, different family structures and terms for different gender identities.
The district used to host a Saturday event that came at the end of Pride Week and brought in community organizations. The district stopped hosting it last year, in part because of the district’s budget deficit, officials said at the time. This year, the district also wanted to avoid hosting an event with a large crowd, said Ali Ghilarducci, executive director of communications and community engagement.
The district made these changes as lawmakers discussed Senate Bill 12, which was passed later that year. The law banned diversity, equity and inclusion in hiring practices and training at K-12 public schools. The legislation also prohibited student clubs “based on sexual orientation or gender identity” and stopped teachers from using students’ preferred names and pronouns.
The law has effectively banned Gender Sexuality Alliance clubs on campuses, which have historically been spaces for students — whether they’re LGBTQ or not — to gather in a safe environment.
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Austin ISD’s Pride Week is similar to a spirit week, Ghilarducci said.
“We as an organization really pride ourselves in making sure every single person can show up as who they are and be accepted,” Ghilarducci said. “We know kids learn better when they feel safe and secure.”
The district’s materials on Pride encourage themed days like “Differences are beYOUtiful,” which students mark by wearing whacky socks. Last year, students made friendship bracelets, organized their own panel discussions and had ice cream socials.
Any events are up to campus discretion and must be held outside instructional hours.
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New this year is a district policy that photos of Pride Week events cannot identify students or a school. The change comes from heightened attention to student safety, Ghilarducci said. Last year, a photo of a child at a Pride event circulated online and drew hateful and threatening comments, she said.
“We recognize that once a photo is out on socials, we lose control of how it’s used,” she said.
Austin ISD is one of few districts in Texas that celebrate a Pride Week during the school year. Typically, LGBTQ communities mark Pride during August with parades, concerts or festivals. Other districts often share statements or social media posts during August acknowledging Pride and inclusion. Inclusion of all communities is a value held by Austin ISD families and one of the reasons families choose the district, Ghilarducci said.
State law changes
Pushback to Austin ISD’s Pride Week isn’t new. State Board of Education Member Brandon Hall, R-Aledo, wrote on social media last week, calling for an investigation into Austin ISD’s superintendent over the tradition.
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Hall has previously been a vocal critic of the celebration online, both before and after he was elected to the state education board in 2024. His state board district encompasses Parker, Hood and Somervell counties and parts of Tarrant and Johnson counties. He does not represent the area including Austin ISD.
“My constituents are also tired of seeing their tax revenue go to state funding that you know is ultimately funding things that run contrary to the law in Austin ISD,” Hall said.
No district funding is going toward the Pride events, Ghilarducci said. The Austin Council of Parent-Teacher Associations sponsors some of the activities.
Hall’s post last week was the first time he called for an investigation. The Texas Education Agency didn’t respond to an inquiry about whether it was investigating the district.
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For Crystal Brothwell Hernandez, president of the district-wide PTA, the district’s Pride Week is about a student having pride in their culture and who they are.
“If we take Pride Week away, we’re excluding an entire student base,” Brothwell Hernandez said. “We don’t want to do that.”
It can be difficult for school districts to navigate the intricacies of laws like SB 12 and support students, she said.
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“We want to be super, super supportive but we also don’t want to lose what we have,” Brothwell Hernandez said. “For me, personally, the school district I see as one giant family. We’re all AISD. We all have the same thing in common. We’re all a part of this district.”