Keller school board responds to lawsuit alleging secrecy and open meetings act violations
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Keller school district kills plans for split
The Keller school district has abandoned plans to split the district, citing high costs of dividing district debt.
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On March 24, attorneys for the Keller school board responded to a lawsuit that alleges the board violated the Texas Open Meetings Act when members privately discussed splitting the district back in December. The plan was called off on March 14.
The response was signed by attorney Tim Davis of Jackson Walker, LLP, and referenced board president Charles Randklev as the associated party. In it, the board categorically denied all allegations of impropriety with regard to the Open Meetings Act, claiming no harm was caused to the plaintiffs by anything the board did or failed to do.
The response also claimed the plaintiffs had no proof that any laws were violated, nor could they positively identify which trustees, if any, took part in secret discussions. Additionally, the school board believes Tarrant County District Court, where the suit was filed, does not have subject matter jurisdiction. The response included a counterclaim against the plaintiffs for court costs and attorney’s fees.
Bill Aleshire, an Austin-based attorney with the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas, told the Star-Telegram in January that the board likely violated the Open Meetings Act with its closed-door discussions.
That same month, district resident Matthew Mucker sued, seeking an injunction to ensure the board didn’t meet “in any manner that violates” the Open Meetings Act for further discussions about the split, which would have seen the Keller district broken in half using U.S. 377 as the dividing line. District residents largely opposed the move, with many viewing it as an attempt by the more affluent, less racially diverse eastern half to separate itself from the less affluent, more diverse western half.
On March 4, members of the Heritage Homeowners Association, working on behalf of district residents, joined the suit as intervenors, bringing in high-powered Fort Worth law firm Kelly Hart & Hallman as representation.
The Heritage group sought to prevent the board from taking further action to split the district. Even after the plan was killed, Mucker said he would not drop his suit, though he had no comment for the Star-Telegram after the board’s response was filed.
Cary Moon, a named plaintiff on the Heritage intervention, said on March 26 that his group would fight on. They hope to force the board to codify its decision to keep the district intact.
This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 12:37 PM.
