In his 2025 State of the State address, Texas Governor Greg Abbott called for the firing of educators for respecting the gender identity of their students. As quoted by the The Texas Tribune, “Any educator who tells students that boys can be girls should be fired on the spot.”
This statement comes on the heels of President Donald Trump’s slate of anti-trans executive orders, which purport to define “biological reality” as including only two immutable sexes, male and female. While various organizations across the country are bringing legal challenges to the executive orders, Governor Abbott’s threats hit closer to home to the 320,000+ teachers and 80,000+ school staff serving students across Texas.
Opponents to inclusive education have often argued that teachers have a free speech right in refusing to use a student’s “preferred” pronouns or name, and some courts have agreed with this argument. What Abbott calls for, however, is a reversal of that logic: you may have a free speech right to refuse to use one set of pronouns, but you can be fired if you use a different set of pronouns. Abbott’s threats are clearly intended to chill certain types of inclusive speech, and by putting educators in the crosshairs he wants to ensure that transgender students will not receive any support at schools.
Above and beyond potential first amendment / free speech protections, however, Texas educators are protected by law and by school district policies. Any firing that violates those legal protections will open the school district to grievances, appeals to the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
If you’re an educator who is concerned about your rights and those of your students, or if you’re a family trying to navigate the rapidly-changing legal landscape, Soliz Coleman, PLLC wants to help. Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation.
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