Yesterday, a federal judge in San Antonio issued an injunction against the implementation of Senate Bill 10 in select Texas school districts. SB 10 is Texas’s Ten Commandments law, which requires a 16”x20” copy of the religious doctrine to be displayed in every public school classroom in the state. In the ruling, the judge notes that SB 10 “impermissibly takes sides” on religious questions, is “by design, and on its face,” not neutral with respect to religion, and “crosses the line from exposure to coercion.” view article

A Marfa ISD teacher was arrested Aug. 21 on a felony charge of having an improper relationship with a student. According to the Presidio County Sheriff’s Office, 25-year-old Rebecca Ontiveros, was taken into custody at Marfa ISD by the Texas Rangers. She was booked into the Presidio County Jail and released the following day after posting a $75,000 surety bond. Ontiveros was charged with improper relationship between educator and student, a second-degree felony. view article

Maribel Gardea, a local advocate, was arrested at an Edgewood Independent School District board meeting last week but has since had all charges dropped. Gardea was taken into custody after speaking past her allotted time at the podium during a meeting where she was advocating for transparency, safety, and accountability from the district. view article

Attorney General Ken Paxton issued the following statement directing all Texas Independent School Districts (ISDs) not enjoined by ongoing litigation to display copies of the Ten Commandments once Senate Bill 10 takes effect on September 1, 2025. “From the beginning, the Ten Commandments have been irrevocably intertwined with America’s legal, moral, and historical heritage,” said Attorney General Paxton. “Schools not enjoined by ongoing litigation must abide by S.B. 10 and display the Ten Commandments. The woke radicals seeking to erase our nation’s history will be defeated. I will not back down from defending the virtues and values that built this country.”  view article

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A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked 11 public school districts in Texas’ largest metropolitan areas from displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms as required by a new state law set to take effect Sept. 1.  Two days after the conclusion of a court hearing in San Antonio, U.S. Judge Fred Biery ruled that Senate Bill 10 "likely violates both the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment" to the U.S. Constitution.  view article

A federal judge on Wednesday temporarily blocked 11 public school districts in Texas’ largest metropolitan areas from displaying the Ten Commandments in classrooms as required by a new state law set to take effect Sept. 1. Two days after the conclusion of a court hearing in San Antonio, U.S. Judge Fred Biery ruled that Senate Bill 10 "likely violates both the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment" to the U.S. Constitution. He added that "even though the Ten Commandments would not be affirmatively taught, the captive audience of students likely would have questions, which teachers would feel compelled to answer." view article

A routine school board meeting in Edgewood turned into a tense confrontation Tuesday night when a mother of two was handcuffed and escorted out of the district conference center after exceeding her speaking time. Maribel Gardea, 42, was addressing the board on student safety when her microphone was cut. The Edgewood ISD board president had announced at the start of the meeting that with 11 people signed up for public comment, each speaker would have two minutes. view article

Video shows the moment Edgewood Independent School District police officers removed a San Antonio woman from a school board meeting Tuesday night in handcuffs. Maribel Gardea was arrested on three charges: criminal trespass, resisting arrest and disrupting a meeting. Now, the nonprofit she represents is calling for action from the Edgewood ISD Board of Trustees. view article

A North Texas high school football player died Wednesday morning after suffering a "medical emergency" at practice two days prior, Lancaster Independent School District officials said. The player, 15-year-old Preston Malone, was a sophomore student at Lancaster Early College High School, according to officials. view article

The Independence School District announced that one of its employees has been placed on administrative leave pending a criminal investigation. ISD did not specify who the employee is or what role they serve in the district. Specific allegations are not known at this time, but the district said it takes the charges seriously and is working with law enforcement. view article

A woman who was escorted out of an Edgewood Independent School District board meeting is facing three charges related to trespassing and disrupting a meeting, records with the Bexar County jail show. Maribel Gardea, 42, was taken out of the meeting in handcuffs on Tuesday evening after speaking past her allotted time during public comments, according to footage from the meeting posted on the district’s YouTube channel. view article

The two-year legal battle over a Barbers Hill ISD student's hair is now over. On July 24, a federal judge dismissed the case, ruling in favor of the district. The case is now closed permanently, preventing Darryl George from filing the same lawsuit in the future. Barbers Hill ISD said the length of George's hair violated the dress code. view article

A civil lawsuit filed in 2023 against Lorena ISD and Lorena Primary School Principal April Jewell will proceed after a federal appeals court rejected efforts to dismiss the case. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday denied a motion to give Jewell and the district qualified immunity — a legal shield that often protects officials from liability in federal civil actions. The unanimous ruling paves the way for the lawsuit to move into the discovery phase. view article

ACLU and the state’s attorneys ended oral arguments Monday after sparring over freedom of religion protections and historical influence of the biblical directives.  A Texas federal judge will decide before Sept. 1 whether to block from taking effect a new state law requiring public schools to display donated posters of the Ten Commandments in classrooms.  Oral arguments in the case, Rabbi Nathan v. Alamo Heights Independent School District, concluded on Monday, several weeks after 16 parents of various religious backgrounds, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and other religious freedom organizations, sued the state over what their lawyers called "catastrophically unconstitutional” legislation. view article

Although the law is set to go into effect Sept. 1, Pleasant Grove ISD leaders decided to post the displays at the start of the school year. view article

The Fifth Circuit denied Lorena Primary School Principal April Jewell’s motion to dismiss, clearing the way for the lawsuit against Jewell and the district to proceed.  An appeals court rejected a Lorena Primary School principal’s claim that she is immune from liability in a civil lawsuit for failing to protect a pre-K student from a teacher’s sexual abuse.  On Friday, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals denied Principal April Jewell’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit on the basis of “qualified immunity.”  Such immunity shields school officials from federal civil liability unless their conduct violates a clearly established constitutional right to an extent that “shocks the conscience.”  The decision is a win for local families seeking justice for a victim identified in court records as “Jane Doe.” view article

ACLU and the state’s attorneys ended oral arguments Monday after sparring over freedom of religion protections and historical influence of the biblical directives.  A Texas federal judge will decide before Sept. 1 whether to block from taking effect a new state law requiring public schools to display donated posters of the Ten Commandments in classrooms.  Oral arguments in the case, Rabbi Nathan v. Alamo Heights Independent School District, concluded on Monday, several weeks after 16 parents of various religious backgrounds, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and other religious freedom organizations, sued the state over what their lawyers called "catastrophically unconstitutional” legislation. view article

The State Senate unanimously approved a House measure to hold school districts accountable for protecting students from sexual predators. view article

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.

Gov. Greg Abbott wants the Supreme Court of Texas to declare Gene Wu’s seat vacant.   The Supreme Court of Texas has announced a briefing schedule in Gov. Greg Abbott’s bid to remove the House Democrat Caucus chairman, Gene Wu of Houston, from the legislature. It combined that with the case brought by Attorney General Ken Paxton against Wu and a dozen other quorum-busting lawmakers.  The Court requires briefing papers to be filed from Wednesday, August 20, through Thursday, Sept. 14. view article

Attorney General Paxton is calling out “Big Pharma” for compromising medical decision-making view article

KERR COUNTY — Lavonda Koons gripped the back of the driver’s seat, watching as the Guadalupe River rose quickly around her stalled school bus. Through the rearview mirror, she saw a van behind them sinking into the floodwaters.  She locked eyes with her husband who was driving the bus. It was still raining and the sky was dim with the early light of dawn. About five car lengths away, they could see dry land. They needed to get the kids to safety.  With water creeping higher, her husband told the children to go. The group stepped out of the bus into the cold, murky flood. They linked arms forming a human chain.  The roar of rushing water made it impossible to hear each other. The current swept past Koons’ chest. view article

Far from destroying democracy, mid-decade redistricting reflects processes that are messy, political, and entirely accountable to voters.  Texas finds itself once again embroiled in a familiar political storm. Republicans control both chambers of the legislature and the governor’s office and are considering revising the state’s congressional map before the next census.  Democrats and their allies in the press are portraying the move as a threat to democracy. “Mid-decade redistricting!” they cry. “Republican partisans drawing Republican seats is an outrage!”  But Republicans are simply engaging in the same political hardball Democrats themselves played for decades when they were in charge, and the courts have repeatedly stated that the practice is perfectly legal. view article

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:

Spring break is right around the corner! While schools welcome a much-needed break, they must also be ready to welcome possible new transfer students upon return. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) imposes certain requirements regarding the provision of special education services to students who transfer from one public agency to another. See 34 C.F.R. § 300.323(e)-(g). Within the past year, the Commissioner revised the administrative rules governing how Texas districts must respond when a special education student transfer into their district from another public school district (in-state or out-of-state). The following is a brief overview of those obligations for mid-year transfer students.

While “tangible” property has always been a consideration in school district management, the rise of the importance of “intellectual” property (IP) has introduced a new realm of assets that require thorough and thoughtful safekeeping. From educational material and district branding to the fast-developing sphere of artificial intelligence (AI) and name, image, and likeness (NIL), IP is now a major cornerstone of scholastic and operational success for most school districts.

As the college and professional football seasons come to an end, many fans- myself included- are reminded of this truth: not every hire can be a touchdown. A seemingly great candidate joins your team and suddenly they’re not hitting the mark. It could be due to disciplinary issues, ineffective work, or a number of other problems. Many administrators have dealt with difficult employees and have at times been required to make the decision to terminate their employment. When those employees happen to be at-will or probationary employees, some assume they can safely terminate their employment without developing the usual documentation. This, in fact, may not be a safe assumption.

When a school district analyzes locations for construction of potential facilities, water supply is often a key component of that evaluation. At times a location does offer easy access to an established and affordable municipal water supplier to whom a district can simply “hook up.” With an existing system, a school district will hope to pay a reasonable rate for water of a quality and quantity sufficient to meet its needs. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. A school district may need to examine obtaining an alternative water supply in order to meet the demand for its project or explore options to supplement its primary supply due to water quality, quantity, or cost concerns.

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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