The lawsuit filed Monday alleges some members of the board illegally worked to split the district.
KELLER, Texas — Members of a Fort Worth homeowners’ association filed a lawsuit against several members of the Keller ISD school board Monday afternoon.
The Heritage Homeowners Association and residents Cary Moon and Brian Black filed the lawsuit against board members Charles Randklev, Heather Washington, John Birt, Chris Coker, and Micah Young.
The lawsuit aims to prevent the board from taking further action on a plan to split the district in two, with U.S. Highway 377 as the dividing line.
The lawsuit alleges violations of the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA).
The Plaintiffs are intervening in an existing lawsuit (Mucker v. KISD Trustees), and they’re seeking a temporary restraining order, temporary injunction and permanent injunction to prevent the board from enforcing any actions related to alleged TOMA violations. The lawsuit also aims to ensure the board complies with TOMA and terminate all contracts entered into by the board in alleged violation of the law.
“It will be a legal battle. There will be a lot of emotions behind it. It will be a long hall, and we are in it for the long haul,” Moon, a former Fort Worth city council member, said in an interview with WFAA. “We just want to be there to fight for our kids and our property values and our ISD.
It’s unclear what, if any, next steps trustees plan to take on the plan to split.
“We are respectfully requesting that the court enter judgment,” Moon said. “In the end, it’ll be the court’s decision on time.”
The plan to split has triggered the resignation of Superintendent Dr. Tracy Johnson, opposition from city and county leaders, calls for a public vote and student walkouts.
The case was filed in the 348th District Court in Tarrant County by Dee J. Kelly Jr. of the Fort Worth-based law firm Kelly Hart & Hallman. According to Kelly Hart & Hallman’s website, the law firm also represents DFW-based American Airlines.
WFAA reached out to the five board members named as defendants in the lawsuit for comment but did not hear back.
