Female student sues on Title IX grounds after being banned from playing male lead in school musical
When she declined to take a different role, the district canceled the entire production. A female student who was banned from playing the male lead role in her high school musical filed a lawsuit against the school district on Monday, alleging she was discriminated against based on Title IX. Ana Mota, a 17-year-old senior at South Grand Prairie High School, was initially cast as Seymour in her school’s student production of Little Shop of Horrors following days of what she described as tough auditions. The starring role, Mota told local ABC affiliate WFAA earlier this month, was supposed to be one of her final performances before graduating next spring. But a week into rehearsals, Mota says officials with Grand Prairie Independent School District told her the role would have to be recast. Officials said a female student could not play a male part without risk of violating SB 12, a state…