After launching lawsuits against the school districts in Denton and Frisco accusing them of electioneering, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says he's now suing the Castleberry and Denison ISDs saying they have also unlawfully endorsed specific political candidates and policies using official resources.
The attorney general said Denison ISD promoted its preferred policy agenda on its website earlier this month and stated its support or opposition to specific political candidates, according to Paxton in a statement. A resolution approved by the Board of Trustees of Denison ISD was also posted, further endorsing specific political measures.
Similarly, the superintendent of Castleberry ISD sent out a list of political candidates she endorsed using her official email account, telling the district's management to "vote accordingly," Paxton's office said.
“I am extremely troubled by this pattern of government officials engaged in illegal electioneering. These are government employees charged with the education of our children. They must respect our laws,” Paxton said in a statement.
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Paxton's office said Thursday they secured an injunction in the Castleberry case and the district "agreed that the superintendent and all employees would not use any funds or resources, including emails, to engage in illegal electioneering."
In Frisco, Paxton's office secured a temporary restraining order and the court "instructed Frisco ISD to immediately cease the activities that triggered the state’s lawsuit."
Aledo ISD posted on its website that the Texas Attorney General's office has filed suit against the district although the district has not heard from the OAG or been served with the suit alleging electioneering.
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Aledo ISD went on to say after consulting with its legal council "it is clear that the email cited by the OAG in the suit does not constitute electioneering."
"In all things, we work hard to be transparent and make sure our community and staff are well informed. We also believe that exercising one's right to vote is a civic duty that should be encouraged and promoted. If you have lived here for the last several years, you know that we regularly encourage voting in every national, state and local election," Aledo ISD said in a statement online.
The attorney general's office said Texas law strictly prohibits publicly funded educational institutions and personnel from using official resources to advance political agendas.
It is illegal to engage in unlawful electioneering, and while the OAG is not currently able to prosecute offenders, local law enforcement may be able to charge the districts with a crime.
Paxton said he is pursuing legal action as part of an ongoing campaign to prevent improper use of state resources by public officials to influence elections in Texas.
