Texas School Official Resigns After Video on Transgender Sports Policy

Reny Lizardo, the executive director of campus operations for the Irving Independent School District in Texas, resigned after an undercover video surfaced showing him suggesting ways to circumvent state laws regarding transgender athletes. In the video, produced by Accuracy in Media, Lizardo said that altering a child's birth certificate to allow them to compete in girls' sports was acceptable as long as they didn't get caught, indicating that plausible deniability could protect the school from legal repercussions. Texas Governor Greg Abbott called for criminal and civil investigations into the district following the video's release. The Irving ISD stated that Lizardo's comments did not reflect the district’s values and that they are cooperating with ongoing investigations. This incident comes in the wake of the Save Women’s Sports Act, enacted in June 2023, which prohibits transgender athletes from competing in girls' sports based on their biological sex. The district's assurance of compliance with state law contrasts with the troubling implications of Lizardo's remarks.