Grand Prairie ISD faces lawsuit alleging Title IX violations over canceled play

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Grand Prairie ISD has been sued by the parents of a female after the district attempted to remove her from a traditionally male role in a production of ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ before canceling the musical altogether.

What we know:

The parents of Ana Mota, a female student at South Grand Prairie High School, have sued Grand Prairie ISD and GPISD Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo.

The suit alleges the district applied Texas Senate Bill 12, which restricts how districts teach about gender identity, too broadly in canceling the school's planned performance of ‘Little Shop of Horrors.'

Mota was set to play Seymour in the play, a role which is traditionally held by a male actor. She told FOX 4 the district attempted to recast her five days after she was awarded the part before canceling the musical entirely.

Grand Prairie ISD said in a statement the decision to cancel the play "was made in light of the District’s ongoing effort to ensure its programs remain consistent with Senate Bill 12 and all applicable law."

The lawsuit alleges the district violated Title IX by excluding her from the role. Mota told FOX 4 she has played traditionally male roles in past productions at the school.

"GPISD’s cancellation of the production did not cure its sex-based exclusion of Ana. Ana remained excluded from the role for which she was selected, GPISD offered no equivalent educational opportunity, and the cast was transitioned to a different production," the lawsuit reads.

What they're saying:

"I think there’s a time in which we need to stand up for the freedoms granted by the Constitution and for us, this was our time to act. These laws are created with ambiguity to keep us afraid and limited and end up being un-American by limiting our freedom of expression. Even though the alternative of inertia is more attractive and safe than the idea of speaking up, freedom was not carved from silence," Nancy Jiminez, Mota's mother, said in a statement to FOX 4.

The other side:

Grand Prairie ISD says it has no comment on the lawsuit at this time.

What's next:

The suit is asking the court to issue a restraining order against GPISD to put Mota back in the role of Seymour and restore the school's production of 'Little Shop of Horrors."

South Grand Prairie High School has pivoted to a production of ‘Frozen’ in wake of the cancellation of its ‘Little Shop of Horrors’ show. Mota says the audition process will likely take place in January.