The Sherman ISD board of trustees have approved a voluntary separation agreement with Superintendent Tyson Bennett, inset, in the wake of controversy ignited by Bennett’s efforts to keep trans student Max Hightower, center, from playing a male role in a Sherman High School production of “Oklahoma!”
The board of trustees for the Sherman Independent School District have approved a “voluntary separation agreement” with Superintendent Tyson Bennett. The move comes in the wake of controversy over Bennett’s efforts last fall to keep a transgender senior at Sherman High School, Max Hightower, from playing a lead male role in the school’s planned production of Oklahoma!
Bennett, who became superintendent two years ago, has been suspended with pay since early March as trustees debated what action to take.
The trustees voted without debate to approve the separation agreement earlier today (Wednesday, May 1) following a lengthy closed session. Details of the agreement were not immediately made public, according to Dallas Morning News.
“I’m thrilled that our district put the students first, ALL students,” said Phillip Hightower, Max Hightower’s father who has been a steadfast advocate for his son since the controversy began. “I’m proud of our community. I’m proud of Max’s courage. If even just one kid feels a little safer, a little more accepted, then we have truly accomplished something.
“To anyone else that wants their kids to be seen, loved, and valued, my advice is to get loud and stay loud. This the fight,” Phillip Hightower added.
Morgan D., mother of a transgender student at one of SISD’s two middle schools who has endured repeated harassment, including actual physical assault, over the course of the current school year, today applauded the vote separating Bennett, but said the district still has a lot of work to do.
“The action taken by the board of trustees is a great start. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of work to do,” she said. “There are still members on the board that have victimized minority students — LGBTQ+ and otherwise. There are also staff members in all of the schools that continue the homophobic and bigoted narrative.
“Our kids still aren’t safe.”
The controversy leading to Bennett leaving the district started last fall when Max Hightower was cast as Ali Hakim in the Sherman High production of Oklahoma! (At least two female students were also cast in male roles.) After the casting was announced, Bennett stepped in and cancelled the production, instructing that the show be recast and that only cisgender male students could be cast in male roles and cisgender females in female roles.
Max’s family and others then notified the media, initiating national attention and widespread condemnation of the decision, prompting the district’s board of trustees to step in and reverse Bennett’s directive. The show was initially staged in January with the originally-selected cast, including Max as Ali.
— Tammye Nash
