Austin ISD, Attorney General's Office reach agreement in 'critical race theory' lawsuit

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Independent School District Superintendent Matias Segura will now direct the ISD's teachers to not teach from materials that Texas deemed to be "critical race theory," or CRT, according to an agreement between the district's attorneys and the state's Attorney General's Office.

The agreement, which was signed by both parties and filed on Sept. 11, put an end to a lawsuit from the AG's Office that started earlier this year. The lawsuit began after a right-wing group produced "undercover" video filmed in April 2022. Citing that video, the AG's Office claimed that the district used teaching materials that were banned from Texas curricula, such as those made by the 1619 Project.

AISD staff are now also prohibited from "explaining to parents or students on how to circumvent this statute" to access the banned teaching materials.

Texas Attorney General Paxton announced the agreement on Monday as a win. However, the agreement states that it isn't an admission of wrongdoing or liability by Segura or other defendants named in the lawsuit.

“Critical race theory is anti-American propaganda and in no world will I allow the woke indoctrination of Texas children,” Paxton said. “While this order is an important step forward, I want to make clear to any school district considering any breach of this law: we will be watching. My office stands ready to defend Texas law and the rights of parents against any unlawful implementation of CRT.”

KXAN reached out to AISD for additional comment on the case.