A year after the DWI arrest of Karla Duran, fellow trustees said they want to research how other school districts handle such reprimands.
Northside Independent School District board members are looking at possible ways they might censure fellow trustees for misconduct and have asked for examples of such a policy. The issue came up during an annual review this week of the board’s operating procedures, nearly a year after the driving while intoxicated arrest of a board member, Karla Duran .
The charge was dismissed in February at the request of a special prosecutor, though Duran’s critics have continued to call on trustees to censure or remove her. At least one trustee at Tuesday’s discussion referred obliquely to the case. But the board’s president, Bobby Blount, later said the talk of adding a censure option was unrelated Duran. “It’s not really about her,” Blount said. “It’s about the board and what we do.” READ MORE: Northside gets its 75th year going with convocation A judge ruled Aug. 15 that Duran can keep her position while a lawsuit is still pending, brought by a district resident, that seeks to remove her from the board under provisions of state law. The plaintiff’s attorney plans to seek a jury trial in the fall. Critics have said the Northside ISD board should at least take action similar to the San Antonio City Council’s censure of Councilman Marc Whyte in January — a reprimand with no tangible consequences — after his Dec. 29 DWI arrest. The school district’s board policy prevents trustees from demanding Duran’s resignation directly, and Blount has said any attempt to remove her would require asking a state district judge to order it. Texas allows a school board member to be removed if convicted of “any felony or for misdemeanor official misconduct” or for “intoxication on or off duty caused by drinking an alcoholic beverage.” Since her DWI charge was a misdemeanor first offense, any action to remove Duran would have to rely on that last provision. Trustees agreed at a retreat in July to study adding a censure option to the board’s operating procedures — an action that in some school districts can result in suspension from committees, put pressure on a trustee to resign or even be a first step toward removal from office. Trustees at Tuesday’s meeting said a censure provision could be a tool for future board members but also expressed worry that it might harm board relationships. “It bears discussion, but I think this board may have some differing opinions … The process needs to be delineated,” trustee Karen Freeman said. “There needs to be not only the process in which a board could censure, but perhaps pitfalls that they might want to consider.” “Can it be something as simple as…‘We feel like you’ve embarrassed us’?” asked trustee Corinne Saldaña. “We don’t have to give punishment.” Trustee Carol Harle asked if the board could use other wording besides censure. “I know my definition of it, and it is like a punishment…versus another form of communication or something else,” she said. A North East ISD trustee was censured twice in 2019, accused of leaking information from executive sessions. The South San Antonio ISD board has censured three trustees since 2021, citing behavioral issues or meeting absences. Blount said the Northside ISD board needs to develop a definition and scope of any action that runs a risk of “isolating a board member,” and should probably reserve the action only for egregious behavior. “I think it’s got to be pretty serious before we even think about doing it,” he told trustees. READ MORE: School board alliance honors Northside president Board members asked Superintendent John Craft to research the wording of censure policies in other districts — and outcomes when they were used. The discussion gravitated toward news coverage of the district that gets published or broadcast before board members know it’s coming. Freeman asked if a board policy could require trustees about to be featured in a news report to notify the rest of the board. Following up, Saldaña mentioned “what happened in September, should we have been notified first?” Because “it can shock us,” Saldaña noted, when “something comes out in the media that we didn’t know about.” Duran, who left during the meeting to attend an event, said she regretted missing the discussion on something the board believes it needs “so we could move forward.” A bilingual educator with experience as a school administrator, teacher and adjunct professor, Duran was backed by the local teachers union when elected last year to an open seat on the board and a four-year term. She said she has “renewed passion and commitment to serving,” having heard from supporters who “want me to continue to represent them,” but said said she wasn’t sure if she’ll seek re-election in 2027. “I’m still trying to do what I’ve been elected to do and finish this term strong,” Duran said. Blount said he should have announced Duran’s departure from the meeting to avoid any appearance that she was being excluded from the discussion on a censure option. “She had already told us in advance. She had another event for her family to attend,” he said. “We would expect her to be fully a part of that conversation.”
North East ISD South San Antonio ISD San Antonio City Council Karla Duran Bobby Blount Corinne Saldaña Marc Whyte Carol Harle Karen Freeman John Craft Freeman Texas DWI
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
East Central ISD, Harlandale ISD teachers surprised with $40,000 in school suppliesThe United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County distributed $40,000 in school supplies to teachers in the East Central Independent School District and Harlandale Independent School Districts on Tuesday, according to a press release.
Read more »
Northside ISD equips older buses with air conditioningThe district retrofit 75 of its older buses with air condition ahead of the start of the new school year
Read more »
Northside ISD rolls into school year with air-conditioned busesAC for buses and schools are being assessed across San Antonio as districts prepare to welcome students back amid sweltering conditions.
Read more »
Northside ISD officials acknowledge importance of available substitute teachers for upcoming school yearNorthside ISD has about 2,500 people in its pool of substitutes. Anyone interested in becoming a substitute teacher can apply now.
Read more »
Northside ISD cellphone guidelines boost student focus, reduce conflicts, district saysNorthside ISD has a cellphone policy that allows principals to make guidelines that fit their campus community.
Read more »
Carroll ISD, Dallas ISD investigate unrelated school safety incidentsCarroll ISD is investigating threats made online, and Dallas ISD is looking into a recent incident when a student was found with a gun on campus.
Read more »