HOUSTON – The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas (ACLU of Texas) and Students Engaged in Advancing Texas (SEAT) announced Monday that they will sue over Senate Bill 12, a bill that prohibits programs and discussions involving race, gender, identity and sexual orientation in K-12 public schools in Texas, including charter schools.
Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 12 into law Friday taking effect on Sept. 1 for the 2025-2026 school year.
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The bill also bans Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs), inhibits teachers’ ability to support transgender students, and stops students from receiving information about gender identity or sexual orientation in every grade level from kindergarten through 12th grade, according to a release.
The prohibitions also apply to after-school programs, field trips, and informal guidance provided by parents, volunteers, and school employees.
Cameron Samuels, executive director for SEAT, released the following statement:
“S.B. 12 seeks to erase students’ identities and make it impossible for teachers, parents, and volunteers to tell the truth about the history and diversity of our state. State leaders have been in the business of manufacturing problems that don’t exist – such as stoking fear against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – to ignore the solutions that students need and deserve.
“And barring student organizations and teachers from supporting LGBTQIA+ young people, particularly trans and nonbinary students, is inflicting even more harm and making our schools unsafe and unjust.
“As students, Texas must not exclude us from the narrative or decision-making in curricula. We are here to ensure that inclusive public education is a cornerstone to our state’s pluralistic and multicultural democracy.”