Southlake

Beautiful Southlake, Texas, seemed too good to be true—until a video emerged of white high school students chanting the N-word. But it was the school district's plan to confront racism that really sent residents on the warpath. Hosted by reporter Mike Hixenbaugh and correspondent Antonia Hylton, Southlake is a six-part series about belonging—and backlash—in an American suburb. Coming August 30. 

Southlake, Texas, is an immaculate, largely white suburb 30 minutes from Dallas. It's a magnet for well-off parents looking for public schools that will get their kids into top-tier universities — and it doesn't hurt that the town's Carroll High School Dragons routinely compete for the state football championship. Frank and Robin Cornish, a Black couple, moved to Southlake in the 1990s after Frank fell in love with the place, and he soon recruited fellow Dallas Cowboys to join them. But then the Cornish family suffered a tragedy, and gradually they began to see a different side of their town. In 2018, a viral video of students yelling the N-word brought their concerns to the surface — and exposed racism in Southlake's schools. The whole town seemed to get behind a plan to confront it...at first.

Southlake's leaders try to bring the community together in the weeks after the viral N-word video. But inside the halls of Carroll High, Black students aren't feeling heard. In the midst of the turmoil, 17-year-old Raven Rolle secretly records her emotional showdown in the principal's office with a white student who insists that anyone should be able to say the N-word. Meanwhile, the school district is forging ahead with a plan to address racist bullying, but before officials can release it, a pandemic and a national racial reckoning throws everything off track. A friend of Raven's, Nikki Olaleye, organizes a Black Lives Matter rally in town square—and fear takes hold in Southlake.CORRECTION (Sept. 2, 2021, 04:30 p.m. ET): A previous version of this episode misstated the hotel where the 2018 homecoming dance was held. It was a Hilton hotel, not a Westin.

Facing a wave of backlash to its proposed Cultural Competence Action Plan, Southlake's school board tries to find middle ground — but winds up angering everyone. The school board meeting room turns into a battleground, as scores of conservative parents line up to explain their objections to any changes to the curriculum or disciplinary measures designed to protect students of color. Behind the scenes, with the help of powerful figures like Texas GOP Chairman Allen West, a new political action committee begins work to stop what supporters say is a “liberal takeover” of their school district. They sue to put the diversity plan on hold, and their efforts catch the attention of conservatives outside Southlake.You can read the text of Carroll ISD's draft diversity plan here. 

Parents in Southlake discover a new label for what's been bothering them about all this diversity, equity and inclusion talk: critical race theory. A new fixation on the academic concept muddies the debate, drowning out the voices of students who'd come forward with stories about racism. Kimberlé Crenshaw, one of the founding scholars of CRT, sheds light on the national battle over the theory, warning of dire consequences. And Tucker Carlson, Dana Loesch, and even Demi Lovato all put a spotlight on Southlake, where the local fight has grown even more divisive — and more personal.

The election to fill two school board seats takes center stage—and becomes a referendum on the school district's diversity plan. At a secretly recorded meeting, members of Southlake Families PAC grill a prospective candidate about conservative political causes, from opposition to Black Lives Matter to abortion. As school board candidates debate whether Carroll's code of conduct is enough to protect students, a queer 16-year-old takes a complaint of harassment to Carroll Senior High School's principal — and the response leaves her feeling even less safe at school. In the final days before the election, candidates knock on doors, and outgoing Mayor Laura Hill gives a speech calling opponents of the diversity plan to action.

It's Election Day in Southlake, Texas — time to see if all the fighting over the school district's Cultural Competence Action Plan translates into votes. A handful of candidates and supporters who want to see new diversity programs rally in Town Square, across from a much larger, rowdier crowd of those backing the conservative slate. “It's a great town,” one voter shouts over her shoulder. “We want to keep it that way.” After the votes are counted, Southlake becomes a national poster child in the movement to redefine and root out critical race theory. Stuck in the middle is Lane Ledbetter, Carroll's new school superintendent, who is tasked with bringing the community together — but in a rare interview, he struggles to answer questions about racism in Southlake. On graduation day, Nikki Olaleye says she hopes Southlake's future doesn't mirror its past.

Five months after the high-stakes local election in Southlake, the city is gearing up for yet another contentious vote. One of the school board members who supported the diversity plan, retired Air Force Col. Dave Almand, is stepping down, and the battle over diversity programs is at the center of the fight to replace him. But he's far from the only leader to leave a role in public schools this year following attacks from parents opposed to what they see as the quiet creep critical race theory. For this special bonus episode, we sit down with a panel of four educators from across the country who've come under fire, including James Whitfield, the first Black principal at a high school a town over from Southlake, whose school board has begun a formal process that could lead to his termination. The educators discuss how the anti-CRT movement is driving them out of their careers—and away from their students.

As a bonus for you, we're sharing a special preview of The Thing About Helen & Olga, a new podcast from Dateline NBC and Keith Morrison. Helen and Olga are kindly old ladies who open their hearts and wallets to down-and-out men in Los Angeles. In a city named for angels, the two women seem heaven-sent. After one of the men is killed by a hit-and-run driver -- and then another suffers the same fate -- investigators uncover a horrifying and twisted plot that stuns even the most seasoned detectives.Listen to all six episodes of The Thing About Helen & Olga now: https://link.chtbl.com/helenolga_feed

In this special preview, Mike Hixenbaugh tells you why you can't miss MSNBC's newest podcast, “American Radical.” In this five-part original series, host Ayman Mohyeldin explores the story of Rosanne Boyland, a woman from his own hometown who became a foot soldier in one of the most dangerous movements in America. Listen to the first episode and follow or subscribe to the series: https://link.chtbl.com/americanradical_feed

Jerry Craft wrote New Kid based on his life as a Black man in America. Then it got banned. On this bonus episode of Southlake, we're bringing you a preview of ‘Take a Look, it's in a (Banned) Book,' a recent episode of the MSNBC original podcast Into America. Host Trymaine Lee speaks with Craft, and nine-year-old reader Nola Lee, about what happens when books get pulled from the shelves. You can listen to the full episode here.  

 The fight over diversity in Southlake's Carroll Independent School District is back in the headlines and has a new focus — books. Teachers are worried about a new Texas law that limits instruction on contentious topics, and one of them secretly records a meeting in which a Carroll administrator offers an unexpected piece of advice: If teachers share books about the Holocaust with students, the administrator says, then they should also offer books on “opposing perspectives.” Teachers are incredulous, and the recording sets off an international backlash. In this special bonus episode, we speak with a former librarian at Carroll Senior High School, who retired early instead of continuing to navigate the battle over books, as well as a 12-year-old student whose mother pulled him out of the district after he faced severe bullying over his sexuality. And we have new details on what could be a game-changing development in Southlake: a federal civil rights investigation into students' complaints of discrimination.If you or someone in your life is in distress, you can always call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The toll-free number, 800-273-8255, connects you to a certified crisis center nearby. For more resources, click here.

As a bonus for Southlake listeners, we're sharing a special preview of Truthers: Tiffany Dover Is Dead*, a new original podcast from NBC News about misinformation and conspiracy theories. Follow now to get the first two episodes on Monday, April 18: https://link.chtbl.com/ttdis_feeddrop

As a bonus for Southlake listeners, we're sharing a special preview of In Their Court, a new podcast series from NBC News and NBC Sports about the impact of Title IX in women's basketball and beyond. Follow now and listen to the first two episodes: https://link.chtbl.com/itc_feeddrops

We're sharing a sneak peak of Born to Rule: When Charles is King, a new original podcast from TODAY which asks (and answers) the burning questions about Prince Charles and what he might be like as King. Listen to the first two episodes and follow now: https://link.chtbl.com/BTR_LW

As a bonus for you, we're sharing a special preview of The Seduction, a new podcast from Dateline NBC and Keith Morrison.  It's a twisted love story that unspools like a film noir, where lust and obsession lead to murder and a classic double cross. This original series takes us into the troubled mind of a young man, and the cold heart of a woman who needed her husband dead. If only she could find someone “man enough” to do the deed...  Follow The Seduction and listen now: https://link.chtbl.com/ts_fdlw

As a bonus for you, we're sharing the trailer of Dateline: Missing in America, an all-new original podcast series from Dateline. Are you the key to solving a mystery? In this podcast, correspondents Josh Mankiewicz and Andrea Canning report on perplexing missing person cases brought to Dateline's attention by our social media followers. Each episode will focus on one person's story, as told by those left behind. Listen carefully to the details, descriptions and clues offered by family, friends and investigators. Something you hear might jog a memory that could help authorities crack a case. Follow Dateline: Missing in America and listen now: https://link.chtbl.com/mia_fdtw

With this year's midterms more critical than ever, MSNBC correspondent Trymaine Lee is taking his podcast, Into America, to some of the country's most prominent Historically Black Colleges and Universities in a special series “Into America: The Power of the Black Vote” to learn how the next generation of Black thinkers and doers are harnessing the power of Democracy to shape America's future. Listen a preview of the first episode: “Taking Back the Classroom.” And head over to the Into America feed to follow and download the full series. https://link.chtbl.com/ia_tpotbvfd

As a bonus for you, we're sharing the trailer of Internal Affairs, an all-new original podcast series from Dateline.    A sudden moment of terror launches a frantic search for a costumed killer. Reported by Josh Mankiewicz, Internal Affairs is a story about bad choices, a fatal attraction and people who proudly wore badges at work -- while living lies at home.   Listen to the first 2 episodes now, or subscribe to Dateline Premium on Apple Podcasts to get early access to new episodes: https://link.chtbl.com/ia_fdlw

Rachel Maddow gives a special preview of her new podcast, “Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra.” In this eight-part original series, Rachel tells an all-but-forgotten true story of American extremism getting supercharged, connecting the dots between sitting members of Congress aiding and abetting a plot to overthrow the government and the lengths they would go to in order to cover their tracks. Listen to the first two episodes now and follow the series: https://link.chtbl.com/rmpu_fdlw

Steve Kornacki gives a special preview of his new podcast, “The Revolution with Steve Kornacki.” In this six-part original series, Kornacki steps back from the Big Board to tell the origin story of the 1994 Republican “revolution,” the midterm election when the GOP took the House majority for the first time in four decades. Listen to all six episodes now and follow the series: https://link.chtbl.com/trwsk_fdlw

As a bonus for you, we're sharing the trailer for Murder & Magnolias, an all-new original podcast series from Dateline and Keith Morrison.  The story starts with a picture-perfect couple in the land of Spanish moss and sweet magnolias. But when a hit man targets one of them, a plot driven by betrayal and murderous intent unfolds. Listen to the first 2 episodes now for free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium on Apple Podcasts. Subscribers get early access to new episodes and can listen to all Dateline podcasts ad-free: https://link.chtbl.com/mm_lwfd

As a bonus for Southlake listeners, we're sharing a special preview of Letters from Sing Sing, a new original podcast from NBC News Studios. Letters from Sing Sing tells the story of a man convicted of murder, his fight for justice, and how the letters he sent NBC News producer Dan Slepian sparked a 20-year investigation that changed both of their lives. Listen to the first two episodes now: https://link.chtbl.com/lfss_fdlw

As a bonus for you, we're sharing the trailer for The Girl in the Blue Mustang, an all-new original podcast series from Dateline and Keith Morrison. When 18-year-old Michelle O'Keefe is found murdered in her shiny new blue Mustang in a California park and ride, investigators encounter a confusing crime scene and a witness who seems to know too much. In Dateline's latest original podcast series, Keith Morrison takes us to the High Desert outside Los Angeles for a story featuring twists, turns and a sharp-eyed Dateline viewer who steers the case in an entirely new direction. Get the first two episodes for free on Tuesday, March 14, or subscribe to Dateline Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to episodes 1 and 2 now.  Listen to the first 2 episodes now for free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium on Apple Podcasts. Subscribers get early access to new episodes and can listen to all Dateline podcasts ad-free: https://link.chtbl.com/tgitbm_fdlw

As a preview for Southlake listeners, here's a sneak peek from a special new episode of Truthers: Tiffany Dover Is Dead*, an NBC News podcast about misinformation and conspiracy theories. Nine months after the series ended without landing an on-the-record interview with its subject, Tiffany Dover speaks out for the first time. In this clip, she shares her side of the story and why we haven't heard from her until now. Follow the podcast to listen to this episode or catch up on the whole story: https://link.chtbl.com/ttdisbe_fd

As a bonus for you, we're sharing the trailer for Season 2 of Dateline: Missing in America. The chart-topping podcast series is back with a brand-new season and brand-new cases.   Are you the key to solving a mystery? Correspondents Josh Mankiewicz, Andrea Canning and Keith Morrison report on perplexing missing person cases brought to Dateline's attention by our social media followers. Each episode focuses on one person's story, as told by those left behind. Listen carefully to the details, descriptions and clues offered by family, friends and investigators. Something you hear might jog a memory that could help authorities crack a case.  You can listen to the first two episodes of Dateline: Missing in America season 2 here: https://link.chtbl.com/mias2_fdlw

As a bonus for listeners, we're sharing a special preview of “Rachel Maddow Presents: Déjà News,” a new original podcast series from MSNBC. In each episode, Rachel Maddow and co-host Isaac-Davy Aronson seek a deeper understanding of a story in today's headlines by asking: Has anything like this ever happened before? Would knowing that help us grapple with what's happening now… and what might happen next? Listen to the first episode now and follow the series: https://link.chtbl.com/rmpdn_fdlw

Two years after conservative activists in Southlake, Texas, turned critical race theory into a right-wing rallying cry, the political fight has shifted. Now, the team behind the Peabody Award-winning podcast Southlake tells the story of one family broken apart in the midst of a new anti-LGBTQ culture war, and the high school English teacher caught in the middle. Listen to a special preview of Grapevine, a new six-part podcast series from NBC News Studios, and follow now to get the first two episodes on Wednesday, October 4: https://link.chtbl.com/grapevine_fdlw

Two years after conservative activists in Southlake, Texas, turned critical race theory into a right-wing rallying cry, the political fight has shifted. Now, the team behind the Peabody Award-winning podcast Southlake tells the story of one family broken apart in the midst of a new anti-LGBTQ culture war, and the high school English teacher caught in the middle. This is a special preview of episode 1 of Grapevine, a new six-part podcast series from NBC News Studios. To listen to the first two episodes, follow now: https://link.chtbl.com/grapevine_alw_

The team behind Southlake is back with the story of a neighboring north Texas school district, where a parent has accused a teacher of convincing her child to change genders. Hosts Antonia Hylton and Mike Hixenbaugh show how these types of allegations against teachers are tied to a national movement to impose conservative Christian morality in public schools. This is a special excerpt of episode 3 of Grapevine, a new six-part podcast series from NBC News Studios. To hear the show, follow now: https://link.chtbl.com/grapevine_alw_

A mother named Sharla publicly accuses a high school teacher in Grapevine, Texas, of using a graphic novel called “The Prince and the Dressmaker” to convince her child to change genders. Reporters Mike Hixenbaugh and Antonia Hylton set out to investigate the allegation. Sharla's child, Ren, and Ren's English teacher, Em Ramser, tell them a different story.

Conservatives are gaining power in Grapevine, fueled by a once-fringe movement that calls on evangelicals to control the seven key “mountains” of American society — including education. A cellphone company with a Christian nationalist agenda heeds that call and sets its sights on winning school board seats in Grapevine, following an example set a year earlier in the neighboring city of Southlake.CORRECTION (Oct. 4, 2023, 08:40 p.m. ET): A previous version of this episode misstated the amount of money Patriot Mobile Action spent in school board elections in North Texas in spring 2022. It was nearly $500,000, not $600,000. 

Amid a growing anti-trans backlash, Ren devises a plan to get out of Texas — and away from her mother. In Grapevine, Sharla's claim that teacher Em Ramser “infected” her child with lies about gender triggers online attacks, leading Ramser to consider leaving the profession.

Weston Brown, 28, sees a video of his homeschooling mother calling for dozens of books on sexuality and gender to be banned from public schools in another Texas school district. To counter her political activism, Weston publicly shares his story of growing up gay in a fundamentalist Christian family. Feeling pressured by parents and school officials, Em Ramser removes LGBTQ symbols from her classroom and no longer recognizes the teacher she's become.

Evangelical activists open a new front in their campaign to impose their version of biblical morality in public schools — at the Texas statehouse. While legislators debate bills requiring the Ten Commandments and banning mention of gender identity in classrooms, three nonbinary students share the trauma they've endured at Grapevine High. Meanwhile, a coalition of progressive parents and disillusioned conservatives pledge to retake control of their school system.

Grapevine goes to the polls in a contentious school board election driven by the fight over the role of religion and LGBTQ inclusion in public schools. As the dust settles, Ren reflects on the impact of her mother's allegations. And, after months of feeling as if she's had to erase herself, Em Ramser reclaims her voice.

On Into America presents: Uncounted Millions: The Power of Reparations, award-winning MSNBC correspondent Trymaine Lee dives into one of today's most pressing debates: reparations. Months ago, Trymaine discovered the little-known story of Gabriel Coakley and it blew his mind. In the midst of the Civil War, Coakley was among a handful of Black people who found a way to get compensated for slavery by the US government. On Uncounted Millions, Trymaine talks to Coakley's descendants about how reparations forever changed their family's trajectory. And as more cities and states consider the issue at a policy level, he imagines how reparations might shape the whole of Black America.  Listen to this special preview now. And follow the show: https://link.chtbl.com/iapum_fdlw

In an exclusive audio excerpt from Chapter 1 of “They Came for the Schools: One Town's Fight Over Race and Identity, and the New War for America's Classrooms,” author Mike Hixenbaugh uncovers Southlake's history, demonstrating how policies meant to protect the town from outside development a half-century ago helped plant the seeds for conflicts over diversity, equity and inclusion—conflicts that are now tearing apart suburbs across the nation.For more details and to purchase the book, on sale May 14, 2024, follow this link: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/they-came-for-the-schools-mike-hixenbaugh?variant=41284682088482