Morath Sends Parent’s “Critical Race Theory” Complaint Back to Austin ISD

Ruling: A school board must conduct further proceedings before the education commissioner can issue a potentially precedent setting ruling on a parental complaint that certain reading materials violated state law by negatively portraying White people.

• Parent A/N/F Student v. Austin ISD, No. 022-R10-11-2024 ($), Signed May 12, 2026, by Education Commissioner Mike Morath.
  

Background

In May 2024, a father filed a grievance against Austin ISD (AISD) after his child’s SY 2023-24 sixth-grade English class used two novels (Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes and New Kid by Jerry Craft) and a KUT public radio news report about school segregation in Travis County.

• Note: Both books deal with racial discrimination and police violence against Black people, and the KUT article discusses how historical housing and economic policies created and reinforced school segregation.