A North Texas high school senior has filed a federal lawsuit against her school district after administrators removed her from a campus theater role she earned, citing state restrictions on diversity and equity practices.
District Administrators Bar Student from Male Role
Ana Mota, a 17-year-old senior at Grand Prairie Independent School District, auditioned and was selected by theater faculty to portray the male lead, Seymour, in the upcoming campus production of “Little Shop of Horrors.” One week into rehearsals, district administrators intervened, notifying faculty that the teenager could not play the part because she is female, as reported by ksat.com.
District officials publicly attributed the decision to Senate Bill 12, a sweeping Texas law passed last year that bans diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, instructions on sexual orientation or gender identity, and LGBTQ+ student clubs in public schools. The legislation has created widespread uncertainty among school employees trying to determine which campus activities comply with the statute.
Following her removal, Mota was offered a reassignment to another role that she would have had to share with a co-star and for which she had never auditioned. After she declined the alternative placement, school officials canceled the entire production, which was originally scheduled for December 10.
Family Files Federal Lawsuit over Role Exclusion
The lawsuit, filed in federal court, asks a judge to prohibit Grand Prairie ISD leadership from discriminating against Mota and to order the production restored. Mota and her parents, Nancy Jimenez-Mota and Rafael Mota, argue that the district violated federal Title IX protections, which forbid schools from excluding students from educational programs on the basis of sex.
According to the legal complaint, the district’s actions constituted a sex-based exclusion rather than a legitimate curricular judgment. The filing notes that none of the key provisions in Senate Bill 12 prevent a female student from portraying a fictional male character. The complaint further alleges that administrators undermined parental authority by overriding the family’s full support for Mota’s participation in the role.
The lawsuit states that Mota’s parents attempted to contact district officials to request clarification on which specific provisions of Senate Bill 12 the casting choice supposedly violated, but administrators never responded.
What Comes Next for the Campus Theater Program
Grand Prairie officials declined to comment on the pending litigation. Meanwhile, students at the school have shifted their focus away from the horror-comedy musical—which features a man raising a human-eating plant and a romantic storyline between Seymour and Audrey—and will instead perform the musical “Frozen.”
The federal court has not yet scheduled a hearing date to consider Mota’s request for an injunction.
