Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says his office is investigating Austin ISD for allegedly violating a state law that requires people in certain facilities, including public schools, to use the bathroom that matches the biological sex on their birth certificate.
In a press release sent out Friday, Paxton said his office received a citizen complaint regarding violations of Senate Bill 8, also known as the Texas Women’s Privacy Act. The law requires people in city- and state-owned facilities, public schools, universities and jails to use the bathroom that matches the biological sex on their birth certificate.
According to the release, the complaint alleges that both Austin ISD and Austin High School have been made aware that “a biological male has been using girls’ restrooms and locker rooms,” in violation of the law. The district has reportedly been advised that, under SB 8, there will be a $5,000 penalty per day going forward if the alleged violation continues and “boys are allowed to continue to put female students at risk by invading their spaces.”
The notice is a statutory prerequisite for the attorney general’s office to file a lawsuit, and the office said Austin ISD now has 15 days to “cure” the alleged violations.
“I will work tirelessly to hold Austin ISD accountable if it does not stop its unlawful, woke policy of allowing men to invade women’s spaces,” Paxton said in the release. “The law is clear that political subdivisions in Texas must not allow biological men to use girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms, yet Austin ISD has intentionally chosen to do that in violation of S.B. 8. I will explore every legal avenue to protect our students and ensure that women’s spaces are protected from mentally ill men who want to pretend they’re girls.”
The announcement from the AG’s office comes a little over two weeks after KVUE reported that an Austin ISD had filed a complaint against the district claiming that a male student had been using the women’s restroom.
KVUE has reached out to Austin ISD regarding the attorney general’s investigation. This article will be updated if we receive a response.