One of the state's top teachers unions filed a lawsuit on Tuesday to block the Texas Education Agency's investigation into public educators who commented negatively about Charlie Kirk after his assassination, saying the probe has “unleashed a wave of retaliation and disciplinary actions against teachers” by their local school districts.   “Texas AFT members have been placed on administrative leave, reprimanded, and even in some cases terminated for expressing their views about Mr. Kirk and other matters of public concern in social media posts made on their own time,” the filing states.   The lawsuit, filed in federal court by the American Federation of Teachers’ Texas chapter, alleges  the TEA investigations infringe on educators’ First Amendment rights and exercise of free speech on social media, including on their private accounts. The group represents roughly 66,000 educators in the state. The state agency launched the inquiry last fall and has yet to dole out any disciplinary action. view article

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against Arlington ISD over a resident’s complaints about the district’s grievance process and transparency. Plaintiff David Jarvis, a retired attorney, said he doesn’t plan to appeal the ruling, but he would use the outcome to push for Texas lawmakers to change state law about how school districts handle grievances. view article

An 18-year-old Odem-Edroy ISD student has been arrested following an investigation into an alleged sexual assault that occurred aboard a district school bus returning from a basketball game in Hebbronville. view article

Three former employees at Watts Elementary School in the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City Independent School District were arrested and charged with felonies on Dec. 29 in connection with a misconduct investigation. Jessica Longo and Veronica Guerra-Ulrich were charged with unlawful restraint, a state jail felony. Julia Cantu was charged with injury to a child, a first-degree felony. view article

Azle ISD is hoping to get a lawsuit against them dismissed as a former student seeks damages for alleged sexual abuse by a district coach. The attorney for the victim told FOX 4 he believes the evidence in the case will be enough for a judge to deny the motions made by Azle ISD and other officials, and allow the case to move forward to trial. view article

CORPUS CHRISTI — The trial of a former Uvalde school district police officer accused of child endangerment in the Robb Elementary shooting took an unexpected turn Tuesday after testimony from a teacher prompted defense objections and halted proceedings for the day.  The shooting on May 24, 2022 killed 19 children and two teachers.  Stephanie Hale, a former teacher at the school, testified that she saw the gunman on the south side of the campus — the same area where former Uvalde CISD officer Adrian Gonzales was located. Defense attorneys immediately objected, arguing Hale’s testimony differed from statements she gave to a Texas Ranger during a 2022 legislative investigation.  The jury was dismissed until Thursday while attorneys prepare arguments on motions related to the testimony. Judge Sid Harle is scheduled to hear those arguments Wednesday, without the jury present. The defense has raised the possibility of a mistrial. view article

One of the state's top teachers unions filed a lawsuit on Tuesday to block the Texas Education Agency's investigation into public educators who commented negatively about Charlie Kirk after his assassination.  The union said the probe has "unleashed a wave of retaliation and disciplinary actions against teachers" by their local school districts. view article

In a letter sent Monday to the Texas Workforce Commission and the Health and Human Services Commission, Abbott ordered the agencies to expand anti-fraud efforts and launch investigations into any misuse of taxpayer funds within the state’s Child Care Services program.   “Recently, the Trump Administration and independent journalists have discovered potential systematic fraud in subsidized childcare systems of other states,” Abbott wrote, adding that such conduct “will never be tolerated in Texas.”  view article

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wants state agencies to implement new “strong anti-fraud measures” to a program designed to help low-income families pay for child care.  The call for increased scrutiny follows the Trump administration’s decision to freeze federal funding to Child Care Services programs due to a viral video claiming widespread fraud in Minnesota.  In a letter sent Monday to the heads of the Texas Workforce Commission and Health and Human Services Commission, Abbott directs the agencies to identify “high-risk providers” participating in the program and conduct additional site visits  “Texas’ percentage of improper payment rates is 0.43 percent, compared to Minnesota’s approximately 11 percent according to the most recently available federal data,” Abbott wrote in the letter. “However, more can be done to protect Texas children and taxpayers.” view article

Federal prosecutors in South Texas closed out the year with another heavy round of border enforcement cases, underscoring how repeat illegal entry and criminal reentry remain a major strain on the region’s courts and communities.  From Dec. 19 through Jan. 2, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas filed 399 cases tied to border enforcement. view article

An 18-year-old Odem ISD student is charged with indecency with a child after police say a juvenile was assaulted on a school bus returning from Hebbronville. view article

The impacts of the latest fight over Texas’ political maps are still reverberating around the state, but there are other debates on the horizon.  Future political representation could hinge on President Donald Trump’s renewed push to exclude at least some noncitizens from the population counts that help determine how political power is distributed in the U.S.  In Texas, where Republicans pushed through a rare midcycle redistricting this year to try to maintain their advantage in Congress after the 2026 midterm elections, experts say that excluding noncitizens when drawing districts could open another way for the GOP to tighten its grip on the state Legislature and congressional delegation. view article

SCOTUS could still take up the issue after related cases are decided.  The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a case about the Llano County library’s removal of explicit books, preserving a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that upheld the library’s action.  Llano County had been sued for removing 17 books from the county library due to their treatment of racial and sexual themes. All of the books were tailored to children. view article

As part of a settlement agreement filed Friday in court, the district will direct staff at Bellaire High School to use pronouns that align with a student’s sex at birth until the student turns 18 years old. view article

A substitute teacher won't be allowed to return to Almeta Crawford High School after assaulting a 14-year-old student on Wednesday afternoon, officials said. Cell phone video shows the teacher picking up the boy and slamming him into a countertop as other students attempt to intervene. view article

In the ongoing situation regarding a former Celina ISD coach accused of improper conduct with middle school students, a disagreement over evidence is now taking place. https://www.fox4news.com/news/celina-isd-investigation-police-vs-attorneys view article

My favorite article that I have written over the years is one on official state holidays and recognitions. I find it fascinating to see which lobbyists succeed in recognitions for their cause. I look at this calendar and wonder why Monarch butterflies and veterinarian technicians get their own week, Lung Cancers Awareness gets only one day, Gold Star mothers get a day but not fathers, and there are no recognition days in December? Did you know that the 11 th day of each month is a recognition “day?”

In case you are running low on things to worry about this semester, never fear. This article is dedicated to the False Claims Act (FCA), another tool the federal government appears happy to point in the direction of public schools.

Governments rely on private contractors, or vendors. Many times, using a vendor is either more efficient, less expensive, or gives the government access to expertise that it does not have. Given the ubiquitous nature of contracts with the private sector, devoting some time and attention to your vendor contracts is important.

During the 89th Regular Legislative Session, HB 6 made a number of changes to Chapter 37 of the Texas Education Code and the content of the 2025-2026 Student Code of Conduct. Many of these changes will likely be welcomed by Texas public schools, such as the ability to have more discretion in the determination of appropriate behavioral consequences for a student found in possession of a VAPE device.

If you’re one of the many Texas school districts operating under a District of Innovation (DOI) Plan, you’ve already embraced flexibility and local control. But with each legislative session, it becomes increasingly important to reevaluate whether your plan still fits within the legal boundaries.

During the 87th (2021) legislative session, the Legislature quietly expanded the authority of the Commissioner to investigate complaints against public schools and intervene beyond accreditation matters. These legislative revisions to Chapter 39 of the Texas Education Code (TEC) are resulting in a new wave of investigations into locally controlled policies and procedures like school district discipline procedures, bullying and harassment policies, and even student record keeping—previously considered the domain of local school officials and beyond the reach of officials in Austin. As a result, filing a complaint with TEA’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) has become the weapon of choice for anyone disgruntled with the actions of a public school.

Congratulations on passing your bond. It’s time to get to work. Let’s, for just a few minutes, set aside the beautiful architectural renderings and the excitement of the benefits that your construction program will bring to you community, and talk about ways to minimize the risk inherent in such a large undertaking.

Receiving a subpoena to testify for the first time can be daunting for most educators and school administrators. Preparation will ensure your testimony is clear and accurate. Whether the case involves student welfare, special education disputes, personnel matters, or other legal issues, below are key steps for teachers and administrators to prepare to testify under subpoena:

A Garland ISD employee is on administrative leave after allegedly taking photos of a female elementary school student while she was in the restroom. The incident reportedly took place during the week of March 29 at Abbett Elementary, according to an email sent to parents on Thursday, April 1. view article

Pursuant to subsection 38.001(f) of the Education Code, the Legislature provided that a student who has not received the immunizations required by law “for reasons of conscience, including because of the person’s religious beliefs, may be excluded from school in times of emergency or epidemic declared by the commissioner of public health.” Read in context, a court likely would conclude that this exception does not permit exclusion of students who lack vaccinations unrelated to an existing "epidemic" contemplated by subsection 38.001(f). view article

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On May 4, 2020, the Department of Education (“DOE”) issued new Title IX regulations, which direct how educational institutions receiving federal funds must address reports of sexual harassment and sexual assault involving both students and employees. view article

At SL&A, we offer a full array of legal services for our school law clients throughout Texas. We strive to deliver a high-level of client service through teamwork, calling upon our attorneys’ decades of public and private experience to provide practical solutions and advice for all school needs. view article

Officers with the Hudson ISD Police Department arrested a former math teacher for the school district on Monday in connection to allegations that he had an improper relationship with a high school student that included sexual contact. view article

On Friday, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) officially filed a grievance against the Wimberley Independent School District, according to our partners at the Austin-American Statesman. The grievance is the result of an email Superintendent Dwain York sent to some parents in December 2019 regarding the altering of the district's logo to include the colors of the gay pride flag, according to the Statesman. view article

A former student has filed a lawsuit against Dallas ISD after he lost his status as his high school’s salutatorian a day before graduation due to a last minute change in rankings. In June, the district apologized after class rankings at Woodrow Wilson High School were changed right before graduation because of a calculation error. Now a former student is suing Dallas ISD, claiming that the change will affect his applications to universities and employers. view article

Terry Burchett, 69, was arrested in South Carolina on February 18 on charges of child pornography. He was found to be in possession of over 9,800 sexually explicit images of children according to the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office. view article

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed against Irving ISD and the city of Irving by Ahmed Mohamed's family, according to Dallas Morning News. Ahmed made headlines when he was 14 years old and made a clock in school that was mistaken for a bomb in 2015. His family stated that his civil rights were violated when he was arrested at MacArthur High School and charged with making a "hoax bomb." The charge was later dropped, but he was still suspended. view article

A Lockhart High School science teacher has been arrested for having an improper relationship with a 17-year-old male student. Sarah Fowlkes started at the district in October 2014. On March 10, 2017 a school administrator reached out to Lockhart Police after receiving a "concerning report." LPD launched an investigation and determined Fowlkes was engaged in sexual contact with the student. view article