A member of the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees may have engaged in some electioneering in violation of Texas law.
According to documents obtained by Current Revolt, Dallas ISD Trustee Maxie Johnson endorsed Dr. DeAndrea Fleming for the State Board of Education in an August work email.
“Our children need and deserve leaders who will stand firm in the face of adversity, leaders who won’t back down when the job gets tough, and leaders who will never abandon our students,” he wrote. “This is why I am proud to endorse Dr. DeAndrea Fleming for the State Board of Education.”
“Dr. Fleming embodies the qualities we need: strength, knowledge, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to fighting for every student in the State of Texas,” he added.
The email appears to violate the Texas Education Code.
“Notwithstanding any other law, the board of trustees of an independent school district may not use state or local funds or other resources of the district to electioneer for or against any candidate, measure, or political party,” the statute reads.
Johnson did not respond to a request for comment.
His endorsement email may have hinted at his opposition to school choice measures supported by Gov. Greg Abbott.
“As you know, we are facing critical challenges in public education, especially with the recent efforts by the Governor to defund our public schools,” he wrote. “I have always believed, and continue to advocate, that public funds belong in public schools.”
Dallas ISD employees dispersed anti-school choice talking points in emails, according to documents obtained and previously reported by The Dallas Express. The documents included complaints about Abbott.
“The pressure Abbott is putting on anti-voucher, independently elected Republicans is enormous. The pressure he is putting on his own appointees must be even worse,” Dallas ISD Trustee Dan Micciche wrote in an email.
A married couple working at Denton ISD reportedly admitted to electioneering this month in a deal with the Denton County District Attorney’s Office to avoid criminal proceedings. The couple sent emails this year urging school employees to vote for candidates that oppose school choice measures.
The superintendent of Castleberry ISD similarly faced a complaint that alleged he urged employees to vote for candidates opposed to school choice measures, as previously reported by DX.
Wylie ISD also saw allegations of electioneering, albeit in 2022, after it sent a mailer to residents on the eve of the election, as previously reported by DX. The flyer claimed the district did not teach critical race theory or make pornographic material available.