  We test the parallaxes reported in the Gaia first data release using the
sample of eclipsing binaries with accurate, empirical distances from Stassun \&
Torres (2016). We find an average offset of $-$0.25$\pm$0.05 mas in the sense
of the Gaia parallaxes being too small (i.e., the distances too long). The
offset does not depend strongly on obvious parameters such as color or
brightness. However, we find with high confidence that the offset may depend on
ecliptic latitude: the mean offset is $-$0.38$\pm$0.06 mas in the ecliptic
north and $-$0.05$\pm$0.09 mas in the ecliptic south. The ecliptic latitude
dependence may also be represented by the linear relation, $\Delta\pi \approx
-0.22(\pm0.05) -0.003(\pm0.001)\times\beta$ mas ($\beta$ in degrees). Finally,
there is a possible dependence of the parallax offset on distance, with the
offset becoming negligible for $\pi\lesssim 1$ mas; we discuss whether this
could be caused by a systematic error in the eclipsing binary distance scale,
and reject this interpretation as unlikely.
