Watch CBS News

Keller ISD School Board set to discuss controversial split district proposal

Keller ISD School Board set to discuss controversial district split proposal
Keller ISD School Board set to discuss controversial district split proposal 02:17

KELLER — On Thursday, the Keller ISD school board is expected to discuss a proposal to split the district. The reason for this remains unclear, but the board president has posted on social media, giving some insight.

A few days ago, Keller ISD School Board President Charles Randklev announced the Board of Trustees would be holding an executive meeting on Thursday to discuss the possibility of reshaping the district.

"School districts throughout our state are being faced with unprecedented challenges," Randklev said. "As an example, neighboring districts are closing campuses, increasing class sizes and cutting programs. We refuse to accept this as our fate."

On Facebook, Trustee Chelsea Kelly weighed in. She said she and Trustee Joni Shaw Smith hope the board will pause this process and establish an orderly, transparent approach. 

"The board has only had one closed session meeting about it, and this was the first time I heard about it," she wrote. "I am not ok with this."

"The first time we found out was December 20," Laney Hawes said. "I got a phone call and someone warned me and said, 'I need to tell you this, it is in secrecy, it is in privacy.'"

Hawes is a Keller ISD parent and the co-founder of Keller ISD Families for Public Education, which represents hundreds of other parents in the district.

"We were shocked," she said. "We were angry, but we were absolutely not surprised. We forced their hand. We brought it to the public's knowledge. We know the information they've given us thus far is very minimal and we wait."

Monday, Randklev clarified Thursday's meeting will be about gathering information and input, which includes input from the community. No formal action will be taken.

At Tuesday's Tarrant County Commissioners Court meeting, some parents showed up to express their dissatisfaction with this whole process.

"We demand to put a hold on everything and we want a task force to research the reality of it and we want to see a functioning plan before we make a decision," Hawes said.

She expects a lot of parents will show up to the meeting Thursday night.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.