Mansfield ISD says Board President Jandel Crutchfield is legally eligible to serve after an independent review found she has been a district resident since at least 2018.
The Mansfield ISD Board of Trustees said district counsel Leasor Crass, P.C., engaged an independent investigator to examine allegations concerning Crutchfield’s residency and eligibility to serve on the board.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, Crutchfield faced scrutiny after tax records surfaced showing a Mansfield ISD property listed as nonhomestead while other records identified a residence outside the district as her primary homestead.
The district said the review included utility bills, mortgage statements, bank statements, other records, and personal interviews.
“After reviewing utility bills, mortgage statements, bank statements, other records, and personal interviews, the findings are conclusive that Dr. Jandel Crutchfield is a resident of Mansfield ISD and has been since at least 2018,” the district stated. “She is therefore legally eligible to serve on the Board of Trustees.”
The district said the board appreciated the community’s patience and remained committed to “following appropriate procedures, addressing concerns thoroughly, and focusing on the work of serving Mansfield ISD students, staff, and families.”
Crutchfield Addresses Scrutiny
Following the district’s announcement, Crutchfield addressed the controversy in a Facebook post, thanking supporters and discussing the impact the allegations had on her family.
Crutchfield also said followers should not expect “commentary on investigations involving myself or anyone else,” writing that those processes “should be allowed to run their course without interference.”
“Families of elected officials already live under a microscope,” Crutchfield wrote.
“Let’s try not to add extra targets on their backs. I regret that my family, my husband in particular, has had to face undue scrutiny these last few weeks. My husband did not run for office. He chose a private life, and he deserves to enjoy that choice without becoming collateral damage in political disputes,” she added.
Crutchfield also said she hopes the community can continue to engage in disagreements respectfully.
“My hope is that we can continue to raise the bar for public dialogue in our community,” she wrote. “I believe the best about this community. We can disagree, debate, and hold each other accountable while still treating each other with respect.”
Crutchfield said she remained focused on her duties during the review.
“To Mansfield ISD students and staff: I hope what you’ve seen throughout the past two weeks is that I kept showing up,” she wrote. “I never stopped preparing, serving, listening, and working. That is because you have always been my priority in this role, and you will continue to be.”
The findings came less than two weeks after Crutchfield was elected president of the Mansfield ISD Board of Trustees in a 6-1 vote on May 26.
