The Board of Trustees of the DeSoto Independent School District considered taking action to censure one of its members this week. In the meeting agenda for April 25, a closed session item was listed as “personnel matters,” specifically naming Third Place Trustee Karen Daniel.
District administrators and fellow trustees declined to reveal the specific nature of the complaint against Daniel publicly.
However, a draft resolution on the district website indicates that Daniel allegedly emailed sensitive data from a certified meeting agenda to a person who was not a part of those private executive sessions.
The complaint further suggests that her actions were “disruptive and undermined” the board’s ability to conduct business smoothly.
The DeSoto School Board is subject to the Texas Open Meetings Act (Government Code 551). The code states, in part, that “an individual that knowingly discloses to a member of the public the certified agenda of a meeting that was lawfully closed to the public” is liable for damages.
It is not clear if Karen Daniel actually violated the law.
Per the April 25 agenda, the board met with the school attorney during the closing portion of the meeting. There was deliberation regarding real property, personal matters, security devices, and security audits. The board spoke with the school attorney regarding issuing a trespassing notice to a community member and the lone finalist superintendent contract.
A discussion was also held regarding a resolution to censure Daniel.
Listed on the April 20 agenda were superintendent interviews, discussion, and the naming of the lone superintendent finalist.
The draft resolution issued on April 25 stated that a possible course of action for the district would have been to publicly criticize Daniel, ensure that the public understood that the board did not sanction her actions, and ensure Daniel understood the gravity of her situation.
Should the motion have passed and a censure been issued, Daniel would have been required to take further training courses to educate herself about the proper trustee functions.
However, Karen Daniel told The Dallas Express that these measures will not be necessary.
“All is well. The board voted to dismiss the resolution to censure,” Daniel wrote in an email.
Since 2020, DeSoto ISD has operated under the management of the Texas Education Agency, which took over after years of financial misappropriations and lavish spending, resulting in a budget shortfall of over $20 million, multiple staff cuts, and the temporary closure of one of the district’s schools.
As a result, all decisions made by the board and superintendent of DeSoto ISD are subject to review and approval from state-appointed conservator A.J. Crabill.