Thread by @stevanzetti

NOW: Protesters have gathered outside ahead of the GCISD school board meeting tonight where the board will consider a policy banning all discussion of "Gender Fluidity." The policy would effectively ban the word "trans" at the district. Follow along this thread for updates.

1/

Nearly 200 people have signed up to speak tonight at the GCISD board meering. In the parking lot, a group of conservatives groups are holding a tailgate where they were mingling with a member of a far right website.

2/

A smorgasbord of "Culture War" policies are being considered tonight. I broke the news about the agenda in a Twitter thread on Friday.

Read through the thread to learn more.

https://twitter.com/stevanzetti/status/1560752006024814592?t=BbkrJgcJzhzCMZ4H9AosEw&s=19

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Still waiting to get to the part of tonight's GCISD meeting when the policy will be discussed. As a presenter answers questions from the board, a man in a "Patriot Mobile" shirt listens right behind her. Patriot Mobile poured thousands into the district race.

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Per @Mike_Hixenbaugh, Patriot Mobile has spent hundreds of thousands across the state on school board races. They've worked in parallel with other groups like True Texas Project to take over places like my home town school district, GCISD.

5/

https://twitter.com/Mike_Hixenbaugh/status/1559348540417130496?t=RGebmA8SuqgcMeeb-UhdMw&s=19

There's no standing room at the school board meeting. I'm sitting underneath a table.

6/

To clarify, the man in the shirt is actually opposed to Patriot Mobile. As noted by @Mike_Hixenbaugh, GCISD is crossed out, and replaced with Patriot Mobile Action ISD.

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https://twitter.com/Mike_Hixenbaugh/status/1561866735015313410?t=QOTObAzzCeqUuw4Leo7uJw&s=19

The primary session is about to start at the GCISD school board meeting. Some familiar faces in attendance, including a notorious anti-trans activist and the publisher of a far right site whose contributors have shared neo-Nazi memes.

8/

After the pledges of allegiance — because we also pledge to the Texas flag — the GCISD board gives a warning about disruption and public comment, saying only one warning will be given before people are escorted out by police.

9/

Public comment has now begun. There are 197 speakers signed up for the public comment period tonight at the GCISD school board meeting, where the board is considering a policy that would amount to a "Don't Say Trans" ban in this suburban district in north Texas.

10/

A man in a True Texas Project shirt who does not live in the district spoke in favor of the policies proposed by GCISD tonight. True Texas Project rallied for speakers to show up tonight. They're a far right group with a profile by @splcenter.

11/

Several speakers in favor of the policy have framed it as a matter of "following the law" and complying with state and federal laws.

12/

My internet service is spotty and I screwed up my thread but I have already seen one person get escorted out by the police.

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https://twitter.com/stevanzetti/status/1561884048288583680?t=2h7xfGu0V3Xxbq3QTpvqfg&s=19

An LGBT student who says they transferred from GCISD due to the increasingly hostile climate asks the board, "What are you afraid of?"

14/

There are still over 150 speakers left during the public comment period here at the GCISD school board meeting. This father has a grown child who is trans and is disturbed by these new policies that would effectively ban the word "transgender" at the district.

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A mother who described herself as a conservative veteran and bibliophile made a compelling argument. "We believe in gun rights here in Texas. Owning a gun doesn't necessarily mean it'll be used irresponsibly. The same goes for books. And they certainly won't make them gay."

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A policy that has gotten less attention but is also being considered would amend the rules for school board elections so that the winning candidate needs only to win a plurality of the vote. One speaker is concerned this would allow wealthy interests to dilute elections.

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Rosalie Escobedo, cofounder of the John Birch Society Fort Worth chapter, just spoke at the GCISD school board meeting in favor of the anti-trans policy and other items proposed by the conservative majority.

18/

A policy being considered by the GCISD school board would impose some of the strictest rules on what books are allowed in libraries/classrooms, proposes vague wording around "prevailing values." Some teachers are scared to have any books. One student doesn't like that.

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NOW: I just got a copy of an email acquired via a records request that shows recently elected GCISD school board member Tammy Nakamura specifically asked to see the HR file of fired principal @DrJamesWhit. In July, she bragged about accessing that file at a Republican forum.

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A high school junior notes that the school board appears to have used the terms "gender" and "sex" interchangeably in their policy about gender fluidity, says it reflects the ignorance of the GCISD board members who drafted it.

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The 87th speaker at the GCISD school board meeting is Julie McCarty, the CEO of True Texas Project. She says thousands of people like who her "aren't fringe" support policies like the anti-trans one. True Texas Project has been designated an extremist group by @splcenter.

22/

We finally cracked 100 speakers at this heated GCISD school board meeting.

23/

Some parents who spoke in support of the "Don't Say Trans" policy at GCISD wore little American flags during the meeting, but don't seem to show a lot of respect for the little flags.

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I'm not sure exactly how this guy who supports the anti-trans policy at GCISD thinks this speech is going to make him look.

25/

A speaker at the GCISD school board meeting claimed her son was indoctrinated by teachers pushing "gender fluidity" who said she rejected her son's identity.

"I lost my son," she says.

I think this demonstrates the real motivation behind the "Don't Say Trans" policy.

26/

A speaker in opposition to the anti-trans policy does the math on how many LGBT kids in GCISD highschools are at risk of suicide.

"This policy will kill kids," he says.

27/

Regarding the woman who told the story about "losing her son," this story by @Mike_Hixenbaugh helps flesh out the tense inter-generational conflict that is a key driver of the anti-trans panic.

https://twitter.com/Mike_Hixenbaugh/status/1557705015069925376?t=-qeEzc4n_Wl0bVGyfIoBdA&s=19

28/

In addition to trying to ban discussion of "gender fluidity," the GCISD school board is cutting some funding to the Gifted & Talented Program, which is a program for high performing students. I was in that program when I attended GCISD.

29/

Kelly Neidert, the self identified Christian Fascist founder of the anti-trans group "Protect Texas Kids" who has been banned from Twitter after posting that everyone who attends an LGBTQ Pride Parade should be "rounded" up, just spoke in favor of the proposed policies.

30/

Powerful speech at the GCISD school board meeting from a United Methodist pastor who describes the agenda being considered tonight as "fascist agenda" and says the conservative majority's behavior is not Christian.

31/

An alumnus from GCISD who went to school with the board president relates a story of a gay student who was outed and then beaten up in a bathroom, making them afraid to come to school for a year.

"This is why we expose kids to LGBTQ viewpoints, not to indoctrinate them."

32/

The conservative majority of the GCISD board just voted to suspend the rules and limit all trustee debate on this item to 3 minutes each. They may only speak once.

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GCISD school board trustee Becky St. John tears into the proposal, and is scolded by the conservative board president. Part 1.

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GCISD school board trustee Becky St. John tears into the proposal, and is scolded by the conservative board president. Part 2.

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Hard right GCISD board trustee Tammy Nakamura, who made waves and may have broken district policy by discussing an HR file at a Republican conference, makes her case for the bill. She derides "politicization" in the classroom, later says she supports free market capitalism.

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BREAKING: the GCISD school board in north Texas has officially passed the policies discussed tonight, effectively banning the word "transgender" in the district, among other new restrictions on books. Vote was along the same lines as the vote to limit debate on the policies.

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The debate limits around school policies were also placed on discussion of a policy to amend the election so trustees can win with a plurality, not a majority. One trustee asked about whether the lawyer advised on the limits. The president let time run out, didn't answer.

48/

Another party line vote in support of the change. Patriot Mobile, their funders and their collaborators have officially taken over this school district.

I'm getting out of here.

49/

Something trustee St. John mentioned: GCISD hired a firm for legal advice. Same firm gave services to a right wing school board PAC in nearby Keller. Allegedly, theyve also worked for the largest donor to Ford, conservative political operative Aaron Harris who donated $15k

50/

The law firm in question, Cantey Hanger, features Tim Davis, who happens to be the chief counsel for the Tarrant County GOP. Both GCISD and KISD are in Tarrant County.

51/

Here's a breakdown from @TexasBipartisan which spells out how Aaron Harris and wealthy hotelier Monty Bennett — who happens to be suing me for libel for an article about his newspaper that is factual — have formed an organization together and spent of money on these races.

52/

Back to Cantey Hanger: excuse me what

53/

https://twitter.com/HendricksonEsq/status/1561963980293283840?t=yHknq0e-pfEEOLSYzfs3ZQ&s=19

In summary, my hometown school district which is being advised by a law firm whose cofounder was a Grand Cyclops in the Ft. Worth KKK just banned the word "transgender" after a hard right majority was elected with the help of a wealthy guy who is suing me. Can't make it up.

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