(The Center Square) \u2013 The Office of the Texas Attorney General launched an investigation Wednesday into two public school districts over plans to host an Islamic Games event sponsored in part by an Islamic group the governor designated as a foreign terrorist organization.<\/p>\n
Attorney General Ken Paxton said<\/a> his office is demanding information from Cypress-Fairbanks and Grapevine-Colleyville independent school districts for their alleged involvement with the Islamic Games of North America.<\/p>\n The IGNA claims to be<\/a> \u201cthe premier Muslim sports and athletic event in North America, dedicated to promoting physical excellence, unity, and community development.\u201d It says more than 10,000 athletes from more than 900 teams are expected to participate at events in six states this year. Attendance is expected to exceed 50,000 nationwide.<\/p>\n The Dallas Islamic Games were scheduled at Colleyville Heritage High School in Grapevine-Colleyville ISD; the Houston Islamic Games were scheduled at Bridgeland High School in Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District.<\/p>\n IGNA listed 100 sponsors on its website for the events, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations-NJ chapter.<\/p>\n Last November, Gov. Greg Abbott designated CAIR as an FTO and subsequently called for investigations into it<\/a> and other Islamic groups, The Center Square reported. CAIR denies the allegations and has sued.<\/p>\n The OAG has requested the school districts provide it with communications, contracts and related documents related to IGNA, CAIR or affiliated chapters.<\/p>\n \u201cThe spread of radical Islam in Texas must be stopped, and if school districts are continuing to promote or partner with an organization tied to an FTL, that ends now,\u201d Paxton said. He made the statement after GCISD already canceled its planned event and after Abbott already directed CFISD to comply with his order and to retain all documents.<\/p>\n After being informed of Abbott\u2019s FTO order, GCISD canceled hosting the event nearly immediately after state lawmakers and State Board of Education member expressed opposition and raised concerns, The Center Square reported.<\/a> The district said, \u201cTexas Government Code \u00a7 2252.152 states that, \u2018[a] governmental entity may not enter into a governmental contract with a company identified as a foreign terrorist organization.\u2019 Thus, GCISD provided notice that it is severing the negotiations for the use of District properties for the 2026 Islamic Games.\u201d<\/p>\n Days later, CFISD had yet to cancel hosting the games and Abbott demanded that it do so, also chastising public schools for entertaining the idea. If it doesn\u2019t comply, Abbott threatened legal action.<\/p>\n \u201cYou cannot invite such dangers through the front doors of our schools. In fact, state law requires public schools to prohibit illegal activities from taking place on school property. It is obvious, then, that you may not use taxpayer-funded public facilities to host events sponsored by a designated terror organization. To do so would violate your duty to taxpayers and the safety of students,\u201d Abbott warned, The Center Square reported.<\/a><\/p>\n Paxton also said he \u201cwill ensure that taxpayers\u2019 dollars are not materially supporting activities by Islamist terrorists in violation of Texas law,\u201d roughly two hours after Abbott called on him to take action against CAIR in another matter.<\/p>\n On Wednesday morning, Abbott demanded that Paxton strip CAIR of its nonprofit status, arguing he has the legal tools to do so but hasn\u2019t, The Center Square reported.<\/a><\/p>\n