Carroll ISD's 2024 legal challenge to Biden-era Title IX rules earned the Southlake district a formal proclamation from Tarrant County commissioners on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, linking the district's courtroom fight to the U.S. Supreme Court's recent ruling on transgender athletes in girls' sports.
The commissioners voted 3-1 along party lines to approve the recognition. Commissioner Matt Krause, whose precinct includes Carroll ISD, proposed the proclamation and praised the district for standing up "virtually on their own."
"Sometimes, administrations make some decisions that do not align with common sense and those values that we hold dear, and it takes somebody with courage, it takes somebody with resolve to stand up and say, 'We're not going to allow that here.' Carroll ISD did that," Krause said at the meeting.
County Judge Tim O'Hare and Commissioner Manny Ramirez joined Krause in voting yes. Democratic Commissioner Roderick Miles voted no. Commissioner Alisa Simmons was absent for personal reasons.
Carroll's lawsuit and the path to the Supreme Court
In 2024, the Alliance Defending Freedom sued the U.S. Department of Education on behalf of Carroll ISD, arguing the Biden administration exceeded its authority by rewriting Title IX to include protections for gender identity and sexual orientation.
The district contended those changes undermined the 1972 law's original intent to guarantee equal access for women in federally funded education programs.
A district court sided with Carroll ISD in early 2025. The Biden administration appealed, but the Trump-era Education Department agreed in May 2026 to dismiss that appeal, leaving the lower court's ruling intact.
Carroll's case reached the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals but was not taken up by the Supreme Court. Instead, the justices consolidated two similar cases, West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox, and ruled 6-3 on June 30 that state bans on transgender girls competing on girls' sports teams do not violate the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause.
All nine justices agreed the bans do not violate Title IX. Twenty-seven states already enforce such bans, according to FindLaw's analysis of the decision.
The Tarrant County proclamation claims Carroll ISD's legal arguments "informed much of the opinion" in those consolidated cases. The Supreme Court's majority opinion, written by Justice Brett Kavanaugh, does not cite Carroll's lawsuit by name.
Public comment split
Tarrant County residents spoke on both sides during public comment. Two residents thanked commissioners and Carroll ISD officials for their efforts.
Two others pushed back. Fort Worth resident Reed Bilz, who has spoken publicly about her transgender son's relocation from Tarrant County to California for gender-affirming care, called the proclamation an "obvious organized political stunt." Resident Deborah Kratky said the recognition is "politically divisive" and puts a target on transgender people's backs.
Several Carroll ISD trustees and the district superintendent attended the meeting. Board President Cameron Bryan said he is proud of the board and superintendent for standing up for what is right and striving for excellence.
What it means for Carroll ISD families
The Supreme Court's June 30 ruling did not impose a nationwide ban on transgender athletes or address whether states with inclusive policies are violating Title IX. Carroll ISD's existing athletic policies remain in place.
Commissioners also recognized Carroll ISD at the same meeting for receiving the 2026 Texas Cup from the Texas High School Athletic Directors Association, the inaugural Class 6A award for the state's top overall athletic program.
