DFPS Controversies
A three-member Texas Third Court of Appeals (Austin) panel on March 21 reinstated, for now, an order by a Travis County judge that prevents the state Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) from pursuing “gender affirming care” of minors as child abuse.
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Legislative News
Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, who chaired the stand-alone Senate Higher Education Committee, was appointed by Patrick to chair both the Senate Education Committee and the higher-ed subcommittee. Patrick said the committee and subcommittee will continue to meet separately during the interim.
See also this in-depth analysis from the Association of Texas Professional Educators.
Sentenced
Stealing $2 million from 9,870-student San Felipe-Del Rio CISD in an email phishing scheme netted Georgia resident Donald Ray Lockard, 67, a 52-month prison sentence on March 17.
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Convicted and sentenced
A state district judge sentenced (March 17) former Ballinger ISD business office manager Janna Halfmann, 54, to the equivalent of seven years in prison after the judge found her guilty — following a trial — of embezzling $213,987.79 from the 839-student BISD by using district credit cards to pay for her personal expenses and for obtaining fraudulent overtime pay over a period of several years.
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Mascot Controversy
The latest (of many) controversies involving the use by Port Neches-Groves ISD of Native American imagery as the districts’s mascot occurred during the high school band and drill team’s spring break performance at Disney World.
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