Sherman ISD superintendent suspended amid 'Oklahoma!' investigation

KERA | By Megan Cardona

Published March 8, 2024 at 3:52 PM CST

Sherman ISD Board of Trustees unanimously voted to suspend superintendent Tyson Bennett during a special called meeting Friday, March 8, 2024. Bennett is pictured third from the right.

Sherman ISD Superintendent Tyson Bennett has been suspended with pay amid a third-party investigation into why a transgender student was stripped from his role in "Oklahoma!".

The Sherman ISD Board of Trustees unanimously voted to suspend Bennett during its special called board meeting Friday. Deputy Superintendent Thomas O'Neal was named acting superintendent effective immediately.

Prior to his suspension, the Sherman ISD Board of Trustees voted to remove Bennett from fine arts supervision in November, days after the board reversed a policy change that prevented transgender high school student Max Hightower from playing a male role in the play "Oklahoma!”

During the meeting that removed Bennett from fine arts supervision, the board also voted in favor of a third party investigation into allegations of wrongdoing by district staff related to theater policy changes.

Board members gave no additional comment on Friday.

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