Fort Worth, TX – On June 1, 2016, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) confirmed that it is investigating a formal complaint by Stand for Fort Worth alleging at least seven different violations of school law. The allegations include, among other things, a violation of the Open Meetings Act at the April 26, 2016 Fort Worth ISD Board meeting for failure to give notice of the subject of the meeting when Superintendent Kent Scribner imposed the new transgender policy by unilateral executive action. The complaint also alleges Superintendent Scribner violated Texas Education Code Section 11.201(d)(8) when he adopted the new transgender policy without Board approval. The Fort Worth ISD has described the new transgender policy as an “administrative regulation”. But the TEA complaint also alleges that even if the transgender policy is construed as an “administrative regulation,” FWISD BP(Local) policy states, “administrative regulations are subject to Board review.” Stand for Fort Worth possesses emails from at least one FWISD Board Trustee who said they did not review the transgender policy. Therefore, the policy is invalid. The complaint lists numerous other allegations including a violation of Texas Education Code Section 26 regarding parental rights.
Zeb Pent, spokesman for Stand for Fort Worth, said, “We understand Superintendent Scribner is new to town, but we assumed he had at least been briefed on Texas education law upon arriving. Superintendent Scribner’s belligerent defense of his unlawful transgender policy is wasting precious human and financial resources that instead should be dedicated to improving the 40% of Fort Worth ISD schools that are failing academically. We hope that any investigation and penalties imposed by the TEA will not harm students, parents and taxpayers more than what Superintendent Scribner has already done.”