Powerful Fort Worth law firm enlisted to help neighborhood to fight Keller school split
A Fort Worth-based law firm with deep ties to some of the city’s most prominent power brokers has been enlisted in the fight against a proposed split of the Keller school district.
Kelly Hart & Hallman, whose past clients include the members of the Bass family, Hillwood and American Airlines, have been retained by the Heritage Legal Task Force.
The firm also successfully represented the city of Fort Worth in its fight to ban eight-liner gambling machines.
“This significant step underscores Heritage’s commitment to ensuring that any decision to divide the district is made with the full participation of the community,” the press release said.
The Hillwood-developed community encompasses roughly 3,400 homes straddling Heritage Trace Parkway between Riverside Drive and Ray White Road.
The legal task force has raised $40,000 through private donations, and is soliciting additional funds through a GoFundMe campaign, according to the press release.
The GoFundMe raised $6,340, as of 4:05 p.m. on Feb. 11. At least three Fort Worth city council members — Michael Crain, Charlie Lauersdorf and Alan Blaylock — have contributed.
The press release also credited Mayor Mattie Parker’s support for helping to raise funds in Heritage’s legal effort.
“It’s on!!” Lauersdorf wrote in a Facebook post supporting the GoFundMe campaign.
Both he and Blaylock have come out in opposition to the proposed split, citing a lack of transparency from the Keller school board.
Lauersdorf helped confirm rumors swirling in early January that the board was discussing a potential split.
His account was backed up by board members Chelsea Kelly and Joni Shaw Smith who noted the plan had been discussed during a Dec. 19 executive session meeting.
Board members supporting the split have argued the move is needed to address funding challenges brought on by dropping enrollment and the failure of the state legislature to raise per pupil funding to keep up with post-pandemic inflation.
However, a Dec. 19 email from a school finance consultant to members of the school board revealed the split would shift costs for underfunded programs onto the new district west of U.S. 377.
Residents opposed to the split have pointed to the letter to question the board’s motives in splitting the district.
Representatives for the school district and the school board did not immediately respond to an email from the Star-Telegram requesting comment.
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