Texas school board votes unanimously to re-instate Max Hightower, a transgender boy who lost lead role in ‘Oklahoma’ when district ruled students must play characters in line with their birth sex

• Max Hightower, 17, was removed as an actor from Sherman High School’s upcoming production of Oklahoma! earlier this month
• It caused an uproar that culminated with a school board meeting on Monday
• After a great deal of deliberation, the board voted to reverse their verdict by a vote of 7-0

A Texas school board has apologized and reversed a decision that pulled a transgender high school student from a lead part in a play.

Max Hightower, a 17-year-old transgender male, was removed as an actor from Sherman High School’s upcoming production of Oklahoma! – causing an uproar that culminated with a crowded school board meeting Monday. 

At the packed meeting, more than 60 attendees took to the podium to show their support for Max, questioning a district decision also made last month that ruled students must portray characters that align with their sex assigned at birth.

With Hightower seated and seen tearing up in the crowd, students and parents alike criticized the board for singling out the boy, removing him from a role he rightfully earned.

Dozens stationed outside also took issue with the decision, waving Pride flags and donning shirts that read, ‘I stand with Max.’ Chants of ‘Let them sing’ were also rife, and the Sherman auditorium was packed to the brim.

Eventually, after a great deal of deliberation, the seven-person board voted to reverse their verdict – doing so unanimously by a vote of 7-0. 

Max Hightower, a 17-year-old transgender male seen at center, was removed as an actor from Sherman High School’s upcoming production of Oklahoma! last month

The decision – stemming from a new district rule that prohibits students playing a part of the opposite sex – caused an uproar that culminated with a school board meeting this week

Afterward, an emotional Hightower thanked those who spoke up for him, telling a mass of local outlets that had gathered how the display was a win for transgender people. 

‘It was really emotional and empowering,’ the teen said. ‘It feels like we’re on even sides now, and [that] we can actually win this fight.’

The assertion seemed to refer to how the district, after deciding to do away with different sex roles, also called off the original production of Oklahoma! – seeking to produce a more ‘age-appropriate version of the [Rodgers and Hammerstein] play’.

A musical with no LGBTQ-related themes, it tells the story of a farm girl and her courtship by two rival suitors, and a wealthy peddler who was almost played by Groucho Marx. After Monday, in the school version, he will be played by Hightower.

The high school senior told the Washington Post after the vote: ‘I worked so hard to get [the part] back.

‘And I got it now.’

Dozens of people from his community – a small city just north of Dallas – had the same stance, including those of the Sherman Independent School District board, who initially upheld the guidance that got the teen pulled in the first place.

Eventually, after a great deal of deliberation, the seven-person board voted to reverse their verdict – doing so unanimously, by a vote of 7-0.

At the packed meeting, more than 60 attendees took the podium to show their support for Max, questioning a district decision also made last month that ruled that students must portray characters that align with their sex assigned at birth

With Hightower seated and seen tearing up in the crowd, students and parents alike criticized the board for singling out the boy, removing him from a role he rightfully earned

Dozens of people from his community – a small city just north of Dallas – had the same stance, eventually swaying the Sherman Independent School District board who upheld the guidance that got the teen pulled in the first place

Dozens stationed outside also took issue with the initial decision, waving Pride flags and donning shirts that read, ‘I stand with Max’

Chants of ‘Let them sing’ were also rife, with people seen standing shoulder to shoulder Monday as board members arrived

Cops were stationed to keep a handle on the event, which remained peaceful despite the contentious subject being discussed

‘We want to apologize to our students, parents and our community regarding the circumstances that they have had to go through to this date,’ Board President Brad Morgan said after he and others voted to reverse the dismissal.

The board also reversed its bid to air the new ‘youth edition’ of Oklahoma! – one without the themes deemed too ‘mature’ by the district, including a scene where a male and female character kiss and scenes that could be construed as suggestive. 

Last week, the district revealed in a statement that it would be reviewing ‘all aspects’ of the school’s version of the 1931 classic, including staging and casting, to ensure the performance was ‘appropriate for a high school stage.’

Days before, Max and his parents were told by staffers at Sherman High that he was out of the part, and that he would need be recast as a female to remain in the production.

The move proceeded to garner national attention, with the Hightower family telling the Washington Post: ‘[We] had only seen stuff like this on the news.

‘[We] didn’t think it would happen in our school because nothing had happened before.’

Afterward, an emotional Hightower thanked those who spoke up for him, telling a mass of local outlets that had gathered how the display was a win for transgender people

A musical, it tells the story of farm girl and her courtship by two rival suitors and a wealthy peddler, who, after Monday, will be played by Hightower (seen here in a different school production)

The board also reversed its bid to air the new ‘youth edition’ of Oklahoma! – one without the themes deemed too ‘mature’ by the district, including a scene where a male and female character kiss and scenes that could be construed as suggestive

Last week, the district revealed in a statement that it would be reviewing ‘all aspects’ of the school’s version 1931 classic, including staging and casting, to ensure the performance was ‘appropriate for a high school stage.’

The move proceeded to garner national attention, with the Hightower family telling the Washinton Post: ‘[We] had only seen stuff like this on the news’

On Tuesday, with both his part and the original script were re-instated, Hightower and his castmates reportedly traveled to a costume shop to build up his wardrobe for upcoming shows, now slated for January

‘It was fully, like, my “I finally got this back” moment,’ the teen – seen second from right – told the paper

 On Tuesday, after both his part and the original script were re-instated, Hightower and his castmates reportedly traveled to a costume shop to build up his wardrobe for upcoming shows, now slated for January. 

The experience, he told the Post, was almost surreal. 

‘It was fully, like, my “I finally got this back” moment,’ he told the paper.

Taking the trip with a reporte, the teenager tried on one ensemble – a plaid jacket, a gray bowler hat and a polka-dot tie.

The new digs inspired him to say that he could already see himself as the character -and soon, others will too.  

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