AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Attorney General’s Office has filed multiple lawsuits against public school districts across the state, leading to significant legal expenses for the districts. Among the cases is a lawsuit involving Austin Independent School District (AISD), which recently settled a months-long legal battle in September 2026 over allegations of teaching Critical Race Theory — a claim that AISD denied. Legal records show the district spent over $22,000 in legal fees while also grappling with a growing budget deficit and considering school closures.
The situation took another turn when AISD received a letter from the attorney general’s office regarding a complaint from a parent at Austin High School. The complaint concerned a transgender student using the girls’ bathroom, alleging a violation of the Women’s Privacy Act. The letter threatened a $5,000 per day penalty if the district did not resolve the issue. AISD responded by confirming that it had complied with the law after discussions with the affected family and student.
Across Texas, public school districts have spent tens of thousands of dollars fighting lawsuits filed by the state, ranging from electioneering violations to disputes over religious displays. Notably, the Attorney General’s Office sued districts like Round Rock ISD, Galveston ISD, and Leander ISD for not posting the Ten Commandments in classrooms, in violation of a new state law.
Legal costs for these cases have been significant. For example, Round Rock ISD spent over $3,000 on legal fees, while Galveston ISD has accumulated more than $18,000 in legal expenses. The district reported that donors had covered the costs. Leander ISD spent more than $1,600 before resolving the lawsuit.
The lawsuits focus largely on cultural issues, such as school district compliance with laws regarding political advocacy (electioneering) and the display of religious texts, such as the Ten Commandments. According to University of Texas School of Law professor Scott Schneider, this wave of litigation from the Attorney General’s Office is unprecedented, particularly because the issues involved are not central to school funding or other traditional educational concerns.
In addition to these disputes, the Attorney General’s Office has filed lawsuits accusing districts of electioneering, with some districts spending as much as $67,000 on legal fees. Frisco ISD, for example, spent nearly $67,000 on a lawsuit regarding electioneering related to social media posts about redistricting and school funding. Meanwhile, Huffman ISD spent $5,000 on a case that was resolved through an injunction.
As the 2024 elections approach, the issue of legal actions against school districts is likely to continue to be a point of contention, with candidates for Attorney General offering differing views on the necessity and impact of such lawsuits.
Republican candidate State Sen. Mayes Middleton has expressed strong support for enforcing the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, even posting on social media about donating posters to local districts. He emphasized that districts should simply follow the law to avoid legal costs.
Democratic candidate Joe Jaworski, on the other hand, criticized the lawsuits as a burden on school districts with limited budgets. He pledged to end lawsuits over issues like book bans and religious displays if elected, stating that these lawsuits were unfairly taxing financially strained schools.
The future of these legal actions, and how they may affect school districts’ finances and operations, remains uncertain as the state continues its ongoing legal battles over education and cultural issues.
