The Department of Education confirmed the latest set of investigations began last month.
FRISCO, TX, May 22, 2023—Following controversy early this year when Frisco ISD Trustee Marvin Lowe was accused of violating a transgender student at a professional conference, the district is facing additional scrutiny through several federal civil rights investigations.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights confirmed there are now 13 open investigations into the district.
“Six investigations are open under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, four are open under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, two are open under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and one is open under The Age Discrimination Act of 1975,” the Office’s website reads.
Six of the complaints allege disability discrimination, four detail gender discrimination, two allege racial discrimination, and one details discrimination based on age. The open investigations are able to be viewed on the Department’s website.
Last time Frisco ISD was in the spotlight in February 2023 when Trustee Lowe tried to expand the district’s current critical race theory policy by adding pages of revisions that would have erased the identities of Black, Brown, and LGBTQIA+ people in school curricula, books, and classroom discussions and severely limit students’ access to information essential for college and career readiness.
“The increasing number of open federal investigations combined with the recent actions and statements by members of the board of trustees towards the LGBTQIA+ community reveal a troubling pattern of hostility and indifference toward some of the most vulnerable students in our district. These are children who experience high rates of suicide, harassment, and discrimination. These children deserve a fair chance to succeed just like everyone else, and they are counting on the adults to keep them safe. Unfortunately, it appears we are failing them.” —Jon Culpepper, Pride Frisco Board Member
The district, meanwhile, has seen a significant increase in retirements and resignations and plans to host a job fair on May 30 at Lebanon Trail High School to fill over 100 current vacancies.
ABOUT PRIDE FRISCO
Founded in 2021, Pride Frisco is the first and only public charity supporting LGBTQIA+ individuals in Frisco and the North Texas area through family-friendly, inclusive, affirming social and educational events, professional resources, and strategic partnerships with supportive organizations. Pride Frisco also serves the community by connecting individuals and families to supportive and affirming resources and by awarding two scholarships annually through the Frisco Education Foundation.