Keller ISD’s pursuit of a split district is over, but the school board’s legal woes aren’t
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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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The Keller school board may have abandoned the idea of splitting the district, but they won’t be able to walk away from the multiple lawsuits and investigations that the controversial proposal triggered.
The school district faces legal complaints about how it structures its elections, allegations of violating state laws over transparency, and accusations of misconduct by board members. A bill in the Texas Legislature aimed at ensuring the public will always have a say in district splits also remains very much alive.
Keller ISD leaders may have stepped into more legal mess Friday with their announcement about killing the split plan; one legal expert questions whether they once again violated Texas open meetings laws.
Since secret discussions of a split came to light about two months ago, a Dallas-based law firm filed suit in U.S. District Court challenging the Keller district’s at-large election rules, saying that electoral system violates anti-discrimination laws.
The Heritage Homeowners Association, representing a far north Fort Worth neighborhood that would have been cut from Keller ISD, joined a lawsuit on March 3 against members of the school board, alleging that they violated the Texas Open Meetings Act when they met in private to discuss the split plan.
More recently, the Texas Education Agency revealed it was investigating allegations of misconduct against Keller’s school board. The TEA is the state agency that oversees public education under the Texas commissioner of education.
In a statement Friday, the law firm suing over Keller ISD voting rules said it would not withdraw its suit.
“We are pleased that Keller ISD — in the face of the legal action taken by our client — is reconsidered splitting the district,” said William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer, Attorneys and Counselors. “Of course, our client will press forward with his Voting Rights Act lawsuit against Keller ISD and continue to shine a light on actions detrimental to the district’s academic mission.”
This story was originally published March 14, 2025 at 5:53 PM.
