PRINCETON, Texas — The ACLU of Texas is accusing Princeton ISD of discriminating against two pro-LGBTQ groups seeking to hold a Pride event on school district property.
In a complaint filed June 3, the ACLU of Texas alleges that Princeton ISD discriminated against local nonprofit Color Splash Out and its founder, Rev. Yadi Martinez-Reyna.
In a statement, Princeton ISD said it is aware of the grievance and denied the claims made by the ACLU.
"However, since this is a pending grievance, the grievant will be provided due process and a formal decision regarding the grievance will not be made before consideration by the Board of Trustees," the statement from the district reads.
The district later upheld its decision to ban the organizations at a June 12 school board meeting, according to the ACLU.
In a press release, the ACLU alleged that the district canceled the Color Splash Out's scheduled 2024 Pride event the same day the ACLU filed a separate complaint related to retaliation against PTX Diverse, a group that held a Pride event on district property in 2023.
Princeton Pride 2024 was scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 29, from noon to 4 p.m. at Lovelady High School. Color Splash Out's application to hold the event at the high school was approved by the district and the organization paid to reserve a place, the complaint said.
On May 20, the district sent a letter to Martinez-Reyna canceling the organization's reservation and banning the organization and its leaders from renting Princeton ISD facilities in the future. A copy of the letter is included in the complaint.
The letter signed by district superintendent Donald McIntyre goes on to allege that Color Splash Out violated the district's policies by allowing vendors to sell "adult/18+" items.
"This solicitation or allowance of adult items is vulgar and obscene and not allowable," the letter states.
In its complaint, the ACLU says language included in a vendor application allowing "adult/18+ items for sale" if they are "covered/hidden from plain view and labeled with an adult/18+ sign" was a typo caused by copying over language from another vendor application used for a different event.
"Instead of contacting Color Splash Out to address any confusion, ambiguity, or concerns about the vendor application, the district made an abrupt, arbitrary, and irrational decision that squelches the free speech rights of Rev. Martínez-Reyna and Color Splash Out," the complaint reads.
The district also alleged that the group is working with individuals who are banned from using district facilities. The ACLU said this is a reference to PTX Diverse, another local group supportive of the LGBTQ community. The ACLU filed a separate complaint on May 20 alleging that the District previously retaliated against PTX Diverse by banning the group from holding events on district property.
According to a press release from the ACLU, the district banned the group after it held a Pride celebration on district property in 2023. The district said PTX Diverse violated its policies by not stating the district did not sponsor the event on promotional materials, which the group denies. The group was banned from renting district property after allegedly distributing banned books at a charity event, according to the release.
“Banning PTX Diverse from hosting or participating in events on campus because they distributed ‘banned books’ — when no books are actually banned by Princeton ISD — is an arbitrary abuse of government power," Brian Klosterboer, ACLU of Texas attorney, said in a release.
Color Splash Out denies that PTX Diverse is involved in the planning or execution of Princeton Pride 2024, the release states.
The district's legal counsel is working to schedule a meeting with ACLU representatives, Princeton ISD said.
