This morning (6/15/21) Texas Attorney General Paxton issued an opinion that Social Workers can’t be punished by their governing board for discrimination against people with disabilities. He said that the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners (TSBSWE) may not establish a Code of Conduct that prohibits discrimination based on disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. The Board had previously said it was ok for social workers to discriminate, but thanks to a huge outcry from the disability community, Texas Social Workers and others, the Board reversed it’s earlier position and said it was NOT OK to discriminate.  

Paxton today (in a luckily non-binding opinion) issued an opinion that the board had no right to take such a position.  Apparently, however, Paxton was cool with the board taking the original anti-disability position.  Paxton, protecting the rights of Texans — unless you fall in the wrong categories.  Texas, where the state will do all it can to prevent anyone from stopping social workers from discrimination — even in 2021.  There’s Texas Friendly for ya, according to Ken Paxton!

The opinion goes on and on and on about sexual orientation and gender identity and religious freedoms. 

On disability, just so you know how the TX AG thinks of your rights, it goes like this: if the state legislature doesn’t specifically say you can’t discriminate based on disability in a specific practices, service or whatever, other folks can’t prevent that discrimination.  What good are rights without enforcement?  That’s what he seems to be counting on.

To read the full opinion click here.