From attempts to ban furries in schools to restricting books on gender identity, Texas schools have long been influenced by conservative school board members. However, that era came to an end when James Cross defeated board president Victor Perez. Unlike Perez, whose aggressive stance on controversial gender policies sparked division, Cross promises a fresh approach. He pledges to remove political agendas from the board and focus on serving every family in the district. Cross has criticized Perez for making decisions based on political ideology rather than what benefits the entire district. Frustrated with Perez’s approach, many voters rallied behind Cross, who secured 58% of the vote and is now the new president of the Katy ISD school board.
Despite his loss, Perez is determined to stay involved with the new school board and hold its members accountable. Although his decisions were widely criticized, he still believes he was right. He claims to have been an agent of change, aiming to improve Katy ISD by advocating for parents and protecting children.
As school board president, the man seemed strongly opposed to transgender issues and fully supported the gender fluidity policy. The policy required district administrators to inform parents if their children identified as transgender or requested pronouns different from their assigned sex at birth.
Perez argued that the policy supported parental authority. However, many, including student activist Cameron Samuels, strongly opposed it. Upon hearing that James Cross had defeated Perez, Samuels expressed satisfaction, saying it was a clear sign the community rejected bigotry.
With Cross now in office, one of his first moves is to reconsider the gender fluidity policy. He emphasized that the school board’s top priority is to protect children. Given the tense relationships some students may have with their parents, Cross believes removing the policy could be justified to ensure the safety and well-being of students.
Many internet users expressed their excitement over Cross’s victory over Perez in Texas. “Well done, KATY!!!” one Reddit user cheered. Others hoped that what happened in Katy ISD would inspire similar change in other areas, encouraging more voters to get involved and support school board members who prioritize students over politics. “We need this energy in all local and small elections. The Spring Branch ISD board was overtaken by complete morons due to low voter turnout. Hopefully, we can keep this momentum going,” another user commented.
