Austin ISD leaders say they will protect students and give staff legal guidance amid changing state rules
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Summary
At convocation Superintendent Matias Segura responded to questions about support for LGBTQ+ students and staff guidance, saying the district will prioritize safety and health while coordinating with general counsel and awaiting legal developments where necessary.
When asked how the district will support LGBTQ+ students and ensure staff feel empowered, Superintendent Matias Segura said Austin ISD will “embrace inclusivity” and that “the way that we show love is to protect our students, period.” He told the convocation audience the district is balancing immediate protections with compliance amid state-level changes.
Segura explained the district has worked closely with its general counsel’s office to categorize areas that require immediate action, areas where the district will be proactive and areas where the district will wait for court rulings and injunctions. He named policy staff and counsel as resources for principals and teachers and said the district intends to align legal compliance with district values.
The nut graf: District leaders said they will prioritize student safety and staff support while using legal guidance to determine when to roll out changes, citing the cell-phone policy as an example of taking a proactive, values-aligned approach before state guidance was finalized.
Segura said the district has made plans to be responsive to recent state legislative changes, noting some responses must await clarifying rules or court action. He pointed to scheduled meetings with principals to review guidance and said the general counsel’s office — referenced by name during the convocation — will help schools interpret new rules.
On cell phones, Segura said the district introduced a policy aligned with local values to limit classroom access but allow emergency use. He emphasized that protecting students’ safety and health remains the district priority: “our priority is safety and health. We exist to educate.”
Leaders also acknowledged staff concerns about workload and wellbeing and said counseling and response teams are positioned to support staff after significant events; district leadership called for more sustained, non-crisis supports for educator wellbeing going forward.