05-05-2025
‘Undercover interview' leads to Texas AG investigation into Austin ISD
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is taking legal action against the Austin Independent School District after his office said it was made aware of a claim that top officials 'implemented an unwritten policy of developing and teaching curricula in the (district) in violation of state law prohibiting instruction on critical race theory (CRT) and related topics,' a court document said.
Texas Legislature bans critical race theory from classrooms
Critical race theory is a concept that looks at how race relations have shaped the current social, cultural and legal world in the present time. It was banned from being taught in Texas classrooms in 2021.
Paxton's office is accusing AISD's school board of breaking state law, and he wants to depose each trustee as part of the investigation.
AISD said it does not comment on pending litigation.
A press release from the AG's office accuses an AISD official of teaching with material from the 'banned' 1619 Project.
'Additionally, another employee stated that there were 'ways to get around' the state's ban on CRT and discussed that the district's board and superintendent are heavily involved in evaluating and setting policy for the district,' the release said.
According to a court document, Accuracy in Media, a conservative nonprofit media group, filmed an 'undercover interview' in April 2022 with AISD's former Equity Officer, Dr. Stephanie Hawley.
Texas educators worry bill limiting the teaching of historic racism, current events would 'whitewash history
'Dr. Hawley explained that the District used Newsela to introduce different viewpoints into the classroom and that 'progressive' teachers use Newsela and other resources to educate Kindergarten through third grade students,' a court document said. 'Dr. Hawley stated that Newsela 'lets us stay out of trouble with the Legislature' because it offers different perspectives.'
The Attorney General's office added in its court filing that the instructional tool Newslea is linked to the 1619 Project, which has been banned in Texas. The 1619 Project, an initiative of the New York Times, looks to 'reframe the country's history by placing consequences of slavery and the the contributions of Black Americans at the very center of our national narrative.'
Newslea, which launched in 2013, said it aims to provide what it calls meaningful classroom learning for all students.
This story will be updated by Jala Washington.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
