Texas Gov. Abbott proposes ban on gender-nonconforming behavior in public school classrooms

DALLAS, Texas -- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott championed conservative policies at a convention in Dallas over the weekend, including his push for school vouchers. His comments took aim at transgender people, which may run afoul of the Constitution.

Steven Monacelli with The Observer attended the Young Conservatives of Texas Convention. He recorded audio of the governor referencing the suspension of a male teacher in Lewisville, Texas, who showed up to work in a dress.

"This person, a man dressing as a woman in a public high school in the state of Texas, they're trying to normalize the concept that this type of behavior is OK. This type of behavior is not OK. This is the type of behavior we want to make sure we end in the state of Texas," the governor said in the recording.

The governor added that the example illustrates why Texas parents need school choice.

It's important to note that the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2020 that LGBTQ people are protected from employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity under the 1964 Civil Rights Act. So, a ban on gender-nonconforming teachers in public school classrooms would be unconstitutional. However, that hasn't stopped other conservatives from endorsing Abbott's idea on social media, like State Rep. Briscoe Cain, R-Deer Park, and Texas GOP Chairman Matt Rinaldi.

The governor's office didn't respond to an inquiry from Eyewitness News asking for clarification on his plan or policy to "end" what he called "this type of behavior."

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