Northwest ISD trustees adopt resolution affirming compliance with Senate Bill 12 after public pleas over pronoun use

Northwest Independent School District trustees on Monday approved a resolution to align district policy with Senate Bill 12, voting 6-0 to adopt a measure the administration said “tracks the language of the statute.” The vote followed public comments from a student and a parent-therapist who said misinterpretation of the law has led staff to avoid using students’ chosen names and pronouns.

The resolution affirms the district’s intent to comply with the statutory provisions of Senate Bill 12. District staff characterized the document as implementing the law’s contours and told the board it was intended to provide guidance for campuses and employees.

Supporters in public comment asked the board to clarify how the law applies in day-to-day interactions. Kyler Dugan, a student at James M. Steele Early College, told trustees that after the law took effect, “my teachers, under the fear that they'll lose their jobs, have to misgender me,” and that this treatment makes it “impossible to focus in school.” April Grimes, a Northwest ISD parent and mental-health therapist, asked the board to distribute a staff memo explaining that, in her reading, SB 12 prohibits assisting with social-transition procedures but does not require staff to refuse to use a student’s affirming name or pronouns in ordinary interactions. Grimes urged training so staff apply the law accurately.

Administrators said the proposed resolution mirrors the statute and is meant to reduce confusion on campuses. Trustee Michael Schluter made the motion to approve the resolution; Dr. Rausch seconded it. The motion carried on a 6-0 voice vote.

The board’s action was limited to adopting the resolution as presented; trustees did not approve additional explanatory memos or a staff directive at the meeting. Administrators said they intend to continue advising campuses on implementation and follow up with training and communications as needed.

The public comments occurred during the meeting’s public testimony period and the administration presented the resolution as a discussion-action item later on the agenda. The board took formal action only on the resolution; no separate administrative directive was voted on during the session.

Trustees did not cite any ancillary legal authority beyond the text of Senate Bill 12 when the resolution was introduced. The administration and public commenters discussed potential conflicts with federal nondiscrimination protections in general terms, but the board did not adopt findings about federal law at Monday’s meeting.