Texas school board accepts separation agreement with superintendent

SHERMAN (AP) — A school board in Texas has accepted a voluntary separation agreement with its superintendent who was suspended after removing a transgender student from a role in the musical “Oklahoma!”

The school board said in a statement that it voted Wednesday “to accept a voluntary separation agreement with Superintendent Dr. Tyson Bennett,” who was suspended in March after the board opened an investigation into the decision to remove the student.

“ The school district will continue to operate as normal in the best interest of students, staff and families,” according to the statement.

Terms of the settlement were not revealed.

The school board in November apologized and reinstated 17-year-old Max Hightower and the remainder of the original cast after a public outcry in the city near the Oklahoma border and about 65 miles (105 kilometers) north of Dallas.

Hightower’s father, Phillip Hightower, said at the time that a school official told them the reason for removing his son and some girls from the production was a new school policy that only males play males and females play females.