Same Sex Marriage Ban Struck Down, Family Trees, and Houston Rap: Houston Matters for Thursday, February 27, 2014

Couples Cleopatra De Leon and Nicole Dimetman and Victor Holmes and Mark Phariss speak with reporters outside the U.S. Federal Courthouse in San Antonio earlier this month. The judge in their case ruled Texas’ ban on gay marriage unconstitutional Wednesday. (Eric Gay/AP)

A federal judge in San Antonio Wednesday struck down the same sex marriage ban here in Texas. U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia ruled the ban unconstitutional, saying it deprives citizens equal protection under the law. But he also elected to delay the effect of his ruling while the state of Texas appeals.

On this edition of Houston Matters, we’ll discuss the legal ramifications of Wednesday’s ruling, other similar cases that may follow, and what it all means for the ongoing legal battle over same sex marriage.

Also: we’ll welcome your questions for a genealogist about how to start your own family tree project.

We’ll check in with Houston Public Media News 88.7 education reporter Laura Isensee about Wednesday’s State of the Schools address from HISD Superintendent Terry Grier, and the latest developments over proposed closures of five HISD schools.

Houston Matters’ Michael Hagerty will tell us about a call for statues to be built and installed at City Hall.

And we’ll talk with Lance Scott Walker, author of a book about Houston rap.