Billionaire Donors, Legal Challenges, And The Future Of ‘Woke’ Education In Texas

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched legal proceedings against Austin Independent School District (AISD), intensifying state scrutiny over how race-related topics are addressed in public education. The move stems from an ongoing investigation into whether the district is informally promoting content associated with critical race theory (CRT) and the 1619 Project, both of which are banned in Texas classrooms under a 2021 law.

The state law prohibits public schools from incorporating CRT, a decades-old academic framework that explores how systemic racism shapes American institutions, alongside materials from the 1619 Project, a journalistic initiative by The New York Times Magazine that re-centers U.S. history around the legacy of slavery.

In a statement released Monday, Paxton’s office said the investigation was triggered by remarks allegedly made by AISD staff members suggesting they use instructional materials tied to the 1619 Project and have discussed ways to “get around” the state restrictions. The statement also claimed the district’s board and superintendent play an active role in setting these curricular approaches, as reported by the Austin American-Statesman.

“It’s outrageous that Austin ISD officials think they can ignore state law to put woke indoctrination in Texas classrooms,” Paxton said in a statement.

The scrutiny over “woke” ideologies has garnered attention from a broad range of individuals. Over the past year, a group of prominent conservative billionaires, including Jeff Yass, Harlan Crow, and Len Blavatnik, has donated millions to the University of Austin (UATX). With $200 million raised and 92 students enrolled, UATX gained significant momentum following student protests over the Israel-Hamas conflict. The university’s strong opposition to what its donors perceive as the rejection of Western values in higher education has been a key factor in attracting their support.

“Our commitment to the pursuit of truth arises from our confidence that the nature of reality can be discerned, albeit incompletely, by those who seek to understand it, and from our belief that the quest to know, though unending, is an ennobling, liberating, and productive endeavor,” states the description of the University’s values on its website.

The term “woke” has taken on varying interpretations in recent debates. For example, Senator Ted Cruz has sought to halt a scientific study on mint plant genetics, branding it as part of a “woke” agenda driven by “Neo-Marxist theories.” Cruz’s team compiled a database of over 3,400 National Science Foundation (NSF) grants, accusing many of these projects of advancing left-wing political goals rather than scientific progress. One study on plant diversity was flagged for using terms like “diversify” and “female,” which Cruz and others labeled as “woke.”

Paxton’s case against Austin ISD cites a 2023 undercover video in which former equity officer Stephanie Hawley refers to a literacy database meant to sidestep state policy, a comment recorded without her knowledge and later used in political debates over classroom content. This move is part of Paxton’s wider campaign targeting Texas school districts over topics like transgender student sports participation, book selections, and equity training.The investigation also comes amid a legislative push to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in K-12 schools. Senate Bill 12, currently under debate, seeks to prohibit school-sponsored clubs centered on sexual orientation or gender identity and follows a previous DEI ban at Texas public universities.