Coppell ISD sued by Attorney General Ken Paxton for teaching 'woke and hateful critical race theory'

COPPELL - Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against Coppell Independent School District officials for allegedly illegally teaching critical race theory (CRT). 

Lawsuit filed against Coppell ISD

The lawsuit was filed after a video was published showing a Coppell ISD official discussing how the district had "gotten around" prohibitions on the use of CRT in state policies and curricula "by saying we’re not teaching [CRT]." 

The video was uploaded to social media on Feb. 25, 2025, by the group Accuracy In Media. According to the lawsuit, the video showed an undercover conversation between one of their employees and the Coppell ISD official.

In the released video the official is seen saying that "despite what our state standards say," Coppell ISD does "what’s right." When asked if a teacher can just close the door and teach "what’s right," the administrator said, "Shh, that’s what we do." 

According to the lawsuit, the official was also on video saying Coppell continues to use "Next General Science Standards-ish" curriculum, which has never been approved by the State Board of Education, and textbooks with similar approaches to "environmental education" have been rejected. 

The state of Texas is not seeking monetary relief or attorney's fees. They are seeking injunctive relief prohibiting the future teaching of CRT. 

They are seeking a temporary restraining order and a permanent injunction prohibiting the defendants, their employees, and agents from teaching CRT or using state or local funds or other resources of the district to develop or distribute CRT materials.

Several Coppell ISD officials are listed as defendants in this case.

What they're saying:

"Liberal administrators who want to ignore state law and unlawfully push divisive and racist CRT curriculum in classrooms will be held responsible for their actions," said Attorney General Paxton. "Texas children deserve to receive the best education in the world, not have woke ideology forced upon them. My lawsuit aims to put an immediate end to this illegal and hateful curriculum and immediately stop the blatant refusal to follow state law by certain officials at Coppell ISD." 

What Is Critical Race Theory?

Critical Race Theory (CRT) is essentially an academic response to the notion that American society and institutions are "colorblind." It recognizes that racism is embedded in laws, policies and institutions that uphold and reproduce racial inequalities, according to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund.

Texas Law

Teaching CRT violates a Texas law (SB 3 passed in 2021) that prohibits educators from kindergarten through 12th grade from teaching that "one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex" or that "an individual, by virtue of the individual's race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive."

The law also states "a teacher may not be compelled to discuss a widely debated and currently controversial issue of public policy or social affairs." If the topic is discussed, it should be explored "objectively and in a manner free from political bias."

Statement from Coppell ISD

FOX 4 News has reached out to Coppell ISD for comment.