Austin ISD To Offer Homosexual Benefits, Support HB 1568 to Protect Marriage and Taxpayers

Austin ISD, under the direction of Superintendent Meria Carstarphen, has announced that the district would join Pflugerville ISD in beginning to offer same-sex domestic partnership benefits.

Late last year, Pflugerville ISD became the first school district in Texas to approve same-sex benefits for school district employees by creating a “domestic partnership” status. This was done despite outrage by local residents at multiple Board of Trustee meetings.  Homosexual advocates have been clear that they seek to encourage more school districts in Texas to do the same, using Pflugerville ISD and now Austin ISD, as an example.

State Rep. Drew Springer (R-Muenster) filed legislation that would further protect traditional family values and tax-payers from schools districts like Pflugerville ISD and Austin ISD that seek to approve same-sex domestic partnership benefits. Specifically, HB 1568 would essentially eliminate the healthcare funding for any school district that seeks to offer insurance or any other benefits to a person that is not a school district employee or a spouse or child of a district employee. The bill is scheduled to be heard in the House Public Education committee on Tuesday, April 9^th upon final adjournment.

We have argued in detail, including in a brief filed with Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, that the creation and recognition of “domestic partnerships” by any governmental entity in Texas is a clear violation of the Texas Constitution. Texas voters amended the Texas Constitution in 2005 to affirm marriage as one man and one woman and to ensure that “[t]his state, or a political subdivision of this state, may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage.”

Action Alert: If you are a parent or taxpayer and can attend the hearing, especially from Austin or Pflugerville, please contact us. If you can’t attend in person, please contact the members of the Texas House Committee on Public Education and express your support for HB 1568.

Texas House Committee on Public Education

Chair, Rep. Jimmy Don Aycock (R)
Phone: 512-463-0684 | Email: jimmie.aycock@house.state.tx.us