Southlake’s Carroll Independent School District named Granbury ISD Superintendent Jeremy Glenn as the “lone finalist” that trustees are considering to replace their retiring superintendent.
But the decision to hire Glenn as head of the prestigious school district is not yet final.
Monday’s announcements from Carroll and Granbury ISDs stunned conservatives in both districts.
“I would not wish Jeremy Glenn on any conservative school district,” one mom in Granbury ISD posted on social media. “He is a step backward for sure. Just a tiny bit of research and they would know.”
“I am very concerned about this selection,” Carroll ISD resident Leigh Wambsganss told Texas Scorecard.
Wambsganss is co-founder and president of the Southlake Families PAC that helped elect conservatives to the Carroll school board.
She returned from an out-of-state trip to discover her district’s trustees were considering Glenn.
“Thankfully it’s not final yet,” she said. “There is a legally required 21 days, and I hope our board will use that time to do their due diligence and go in another direction.”
Texas law requires a 21-day waiting period after a district publicly announces a lone finalist before the candidate can officially be hired. That’s the only time a community has to vet a potential superintendent before a contract is signed.
The earliest Carroll ISD trustees could vote to hire Glenn is August 26.
Wambsganss and others hope Carroll residents and trustees take a closer look at Glenn before making a final decision.
Glenn has faced multiple misbehavior accusations from the area’s conservative residents during his six years as superintendent of Granbury ISD, a B-rated district in rural Hood County that serves about 7,900 students.
While Glenn earned acclaim from conservatives in early 2022 for taking a strong stance against sexually explicit books in school libraries, he back-pedaled after left-wing activists attacked. Parents report inappropriate books are still in Granbury ISD libraries.
In November 2022, a reporter revealed that Glenn’s assistant superintendent had been using a district-owned airplane for private trips with his family.
Locals allege Glenn and other district officials hushed up the October 2023 arrest of Ethan Dobelbower—a serial trespasser charged with committing three counts of unauthorized use of a vehicle and two counts of bestiality while on district property— to avoid bad press ahead of a bond election.
As Granbury ISD superintendent, Glenn failed to pass three school bonds in three years—most recently losing a contentious bond election in May, although he did succeed in convincing voters to raise the district’s property tax rate.
He was accused of using district resources to electioneer for the November 2023 school bond and tax rate increase after school employees were offered free meals to complete surveys about whether they would vote for the bond.
Residents have also raised questions about a land-swap deal Glenn negotiated with the Hood County Appraisal District. City and county officials have called for a forensic audit of HCAD over funds set aside by the agency for new offices that would be built on the land, but the school board trustees voted 4-2 against even considering a resolution calling for an audit.
Glenn is seen as temperamental when questioned and adversarial toward the board’s two conservatives, Trustees Melanie Graft and Karen Lowery. The two often question administrative policies and decisions, putting them at odds with Glenn and the other five board members.
Lowery was elected in 2023, defeating an establishment incumbent after running on a platform of removing inappropriate books.
During an August 2023 school board meeting, the five establishment board members voted to censure Lowery for going into a school library to verify what books were on the shelves. Glenn belittled Graft for pressing him to admit that a so-called “outside investigation” into Lowery was conducted by school staff.
“I can explain it again, but I can’t understand it for you,” Glenn responded to Graft’s repeated questioning.
In November 2023, Glenn directed school police to remove a resident from a meeting after board President Barbara Herrington said she wasn’t allowed to speak twice during public comments.
District policy has since changed to allow public comments about non-agenda items only during quarterly “town hall” meetings.
Several Granbury ISD residents have filed grievances against Glenn—including Lowery’s husband Mark Lowery, a retired federal law enforcement officer whom Glenn tried to ban from school property, and Jerry Doherty, a former school superintendent.
Glenn’s supporters say Lowery, Graft, and their conservative supporters are the problem and simply like to stir up trouble, but many in Granbury are glad to see him go. People in both districts who are familiar with Glenn are asking why Carroll ISD trustees chose him when they could have their pick of candidates.
“I was one of the many that helped elect strong Christian conservatives like Melanie Graft to the school board in Granbury,” Pastor Rafael Cruz commented on Facebook. “The church needs to wake up and encourage their congregations to be salt and light in every area of society, and none is more important than school boards! To whom much is given, much is required. Wake up and get involved!”
“Sad to see Southlake embrace a man who caused so much grief in Granbury,” a GISD parent posted on social media. “He was especially unkind to anyone who spoke truth. I don’t expect him to last over there.”
Carroll ISD is an attractive workplace. The A-rated district of about 8,300 students is in an affluent Dallas-Fort Worth suburb.
Superintendent Lane Ledbetter announced in April that he was retiring at the end of the year.
Trustees did not hire a search firm to help locate a new superintendent, choosing instead to conduct their own candidate recruiting.
The list of applicants is kept confidential, since often—as in this case—candidates already have a superintendent position in another district.
Whoever else Carroll trustees may have interviewed, they settled on Granbury’s superintendent as their top candidate.
Glenn began meeting Carroll ISD staff at this week’s convocation.
If Southlake residents object to Glenn, Carroll ISD trustees may decide to keep looking. They have time, as Ledbetter is on the payroll through December 31.
Glenn might also change his mind.
In March 2018, while superintendent of Waxahachie ISD, Glenn was named lone finalist for the superintendent spot in Lumberton ISD. But within days, Glenn announced that he had reconsidered and was staying put.
Five months later, Glenn took the superintendent job in Granbury.
If Glenn and Carroll ISD finalize their deal, Granbury ISD’s board will appoint an interim superintendent and then begin a search for Glenn’s replacement.
Texas has more than 1,000 school districts. At any given time, dozens are in the process of looking for new leadership. TexasISD.com tracks active superintendent searches throughout the state.
Districts currently searching include Grand Prairie (once home to the second-highest paid superintendent in Texas), Hutto, Socorro, Waco, and Victoria.
School superintendents take in taxpayer-funded salaries that can top $400,000. Many receive tens of thousands more in benefits and bonuses.
As of October 2023, Granbury ISD paid Glenn a $225,000 base salary.
Carroll ISD paid Ledbetter $328,000—$100,000 more than Glenn received in Granbury, although it’s not known what amount Carroll offered him to make the move.
Questions about the superintendent search can be directed to Carroll ISD school board trustees. The district’s next regular school board meeting is scheduled for August 26.
