Sherman High School and neighboring Denison High School have had a long-standing football rivalry dating back to 1901. Each year, the schools play for "The Battle of the Ax" in which an engraved axe is awarded to the winner. This is the longest continuous rivalry among all high schools in the state of Texas.[7]
In November 2023, the Sherman Independent School District affected a production of Oklahoma! at the school when its principal told parents that it would cast only students “born as females in female roles and students born as males in male roles,” stating publicly that it took issue with the profane and sexual content in the musical. Multiple students, including cisgender girls cast in male roles, lost their roles in the production.[8] In particular, trans boy Max Hightower was forced to relinquish the lead role.[8][9][10][11][12] The set for the musical was demolished as a result.[8]
Students and parents organised to protest the decision. In an attempted compromise, the board suggested recasting the students in a version of the musical intended for middle schoolers or younger,[8] a version which would have cut Hightower's solo in the performance.[13]
On 13 November, the school board voted 7-0 to reverse the decision and apologised. Before the vote, 65 people spoke, and The New York Times reported that『only a handful voiced support for the district’s restrictions.』After the vote, the board announced that they would announce a special meeting for 17 November to open an investigation and consider action against the district superintendent, Tyson Bennett, which may include “possible administrative leave.”[8][13]
