Texas sues Coppell ISD after Accuracy in Media exposes illegal CRT teaching

Texas is taking legal action against Coppell Independent School District after an Accuracy in Media undercover investigation revealed school officials openly defying state law banning Critical Race Theory in classrooms.

The investigation, which captured Coppell ISD Director of Curriculum and Instruction Evan Whitfield admitting the district was circumventing state rules, has now led to a lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

“Accuracy in Media released a video of a Texas school administrator — this one from Coppell ISD — defying the state law against teaching Critical Race Theory. The administrator, Evan Whitfield, serves as the district’s director of curriculum and instruction.”

Whitfield was caught on camera admitting that the district ignores state standards and continues to push its own agenda.

“Despite what our state standards say,” Whitfield said in the undercover footage, “we do what’s right for kids.”

When asked whether the district could face consequences for violating state law, Whitfield bragged about how they “gotten around it” by pretending not to teach CRT. He then confirmed that teachers simply close their doors and continue teaching CRT anyway.

Texas has responded with legal action.

“The State of Texas, led by Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, a vocal Trump ally, is suing a school district just northwest of Dallas for allegedly illegally continuing to teach Critical Race Theory (CRT) in its classrooms.”

Paxton’s lawsuit directly cites AIM’s video as evidence.

“On February 25, 2025, a video was uploaded to social media by Accuracy in Media showing an interview between one of their undercover journalists and Evan Whitfield, Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Coppell Independent School District.

In the video, Defendant Whitfield assured the undercover journalist that ‘despite what our state standards say,’ Coppell Independent School District does ‘what’s right for kids’ in teaching its own chosen curricula. When asked if the district would be in trouble for violating the Governor’s recent orders, the most recent of which includes prohibitions on use of CRT in state rules, policies, and curricula, Defendant Whitfield stated, ‘we’ve gotten around it by saying we’re not teaching it [(CRT)].’ When asked if the teacher can just close the door and teach what’s right, Defendant Whitfield responded, ‘Shh, that’s what we do, and I think that’s what I told you before.'”

This lawsuit proves why investigative journalism matters. Accuracy in Media has repeatedly exposed how school districts violate state laws and mislead parents about what is being taught in classrooms. Now, thanks to our work, Texas is taking action.

Holding schools accountable isn’t easy, but it’s possible. AIM will continue to investigate, expose, and demand action—because the future of education depends on it.