We can’t risk electing more Patriot Mobile PAC Trustees to GCISD!
Summary: All year, our experienced trustees were shut down by the Patriot Mobile PAC-backed Majority, and forbidden to comment on issues in their public meetings. We can’t risk having new Patriot Mobile PAC-backed trustees to continue what GCISD Board President Casey Ford started.
“The Chair does not recognize you” (21 seconds)
“Please refrain from asking other board members questions” (27 seconds)
Patriot Mobile PAC-backed Board ignores student voice (27 seconds)
“All four of you had prepared statements of less than 3 minutes; how did the attorney advise y’all?” (27 seconds)
“You’re out of order” (24 seconds)
Examples from the Board Minutes when the Patriot Mobile PAC-backed trustees limited discussion by suspending Robert’s Rules of order
The pink boxes give context to what is described in the Board Minutes.
The blue highlighter indicates when New Board Majority President Ford suspended Robert’s Rules of Order to limit discussion of each trustee.
The yellow highlighter indicates times when the vote was split 4 (Ford, Spradley, Braun, Nakamura) to 3 (Rodriguez, Canter, St. John).
May 23, 2022: First, the board voted 4-3 to elect the inexperienced trustee Shannon Braun as its vice president, over longtime trustee Becky St. John. Then, they voted 4-3 to nominate brand-new trustee Tammy Nakamura to run for a position on the statewide Texas Association of School Boards. To no one’s surprise, Mrs. Nakamura only received ONE VOTE for the TASB position — from another Patriot Mobile takeover district, of course. The TASB seat long-held by GCISD went to HEB ISD. Less than one month into their terms, the politics game played by Mrs. Braun and Mrs. Nakamura cost GCISD influence and connections on the state level.
June 20, 2022: The board voted 4-3 to adjust salaries and to pass the budget. Dissent from the 3 was because the budget did not reflect all contracted expenditures, including salaries. The 4 Majority henceforth incorrectly told the community that the budget was balanced; it was not. In addition, trustee St. John asked for a re-do of the vote for TASB nominee because it was done incorrectly last month.
July 25, 2022: The board voted 4-3 to contract legal services with Cantey-Hanger law firm. The Board President Casey Ford limited discussion about this contract (see video). The taxpayers still do not know how much GCISD has paid this lawyer; we know that the lawyer earns $400/hour from GCISD. With that money that went to the lawyer, classes, programs, and teachers may not have been cut.
August 22, 2022: The board voted 4-3 to pass a 9-page policy about library materials that goes well beyond state law. Almost 200 citizens spoke at the open forum; the majority asking for the policy to be tabled, since there was no community input. The 4-3 vote happened at midnight. This was the first time the New School Board Majority 4 suspended Robert’s Rules of Order to push through the vote without debate. “Keep debate, comments, questions and answers to 3 minutes per trustee and each trustee may only speak 1 time and proceed to vote without amendment.” The New School Board Majority 4 also nominated the two new trustees as TASB delegates using this suspension of debate.
September 26, 2022: Once again, the New School Board Majority 4 suspended Robert’s Rules of Order to push through a vote without debate to continue legal services with Cantey-Hanger law firm. The public has already discovered Cantey-Hanger’s other clients are the Patriot Mobile PAC school boards in Keller ISD and Carroll ISD.
November 14, 2022: Three highlights this month. The New School Board Majority 4 voted 4-3 against using fund balance as aligned with state law, and suspended Robert’s Rules of Order to censure the teaching certificate of a history teacher who quit mid-year under contract. [ Watch our College Impact Panel to find out why she felt she could no longer teach for GCISD! ] And finally, the New School Board Majority voted 4-3 to pass legislative priorities that were friendly to charter schools and taxpayer vouchers.
February 27, 2023: The New School Board Majority 4 voted 4-3 against supporting the Council of PTAs’ Legislative Agenda, which included a pro-public school statement against charters and vouchers. [ Read more: Why is the GCISD Board not taking a stronger stance to protect public school funding? ]
April 24, 2023: The video feed in the Board of Trustees meeting was not working, but we do have audio of Trustee Jorge Rodriguez asking Board President Ford why Ford did not include Rodriguez’s agenda item requests. Ford once again did not answer. Listen here on GCISD TV. Then, read/hear the update from Rodriguez that lists the 7 important items that Ford refused to add to the agenda.
And now — on May 6th, 2023 — 3 more Patriot Mobile PAC-endorsed people want to be elected to GCISD School Board! We can’t find out what will happen if the entire board is managed by Patriot Mobile PAC. Read United for GCISD’s Voter Guide to find out which candidates our kids and teachers deserve. Then vote on May 6th at Grapevine Library, Colleyville Library, or the Euless Senior Center, between 7am and 7pm.
