HUNTER DWORACZYK [email protected]
AUSTIN — A state lawsuit accusing several Texas school districts of “illegal electioneering” now includes the Hutto Independent School District as a defendant.
According to a news release issued Tuesday, March 5, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed suit against the district alleging the use of state resources to conduct illegal electioneering.
Hutto ISD officials indicated surprise at the legal action and denied violating any state laws.
“Hutto ISD, using official government resources, advocated for certain political policies and measures on its social-media accounts,” the attorney general’s press release said. “Such actions directly violated the Texas Election Code’s prohibition against the use of ‘state or local funds or other resources of the district to electioneer for or against any candidate, measure, or political party.’” While not able to prosecute criminal violations of the election code due to a recent Court of Criminal Appeals decision, the press release said Paxton is pursuing an injunction.
The filing targets a Feb. 28 post from Hutto ISD’s Facebook account that comments on the voucher program.
“Vouchers hurt our public schools,” the Facebook post reads as presented in the filing. “For every 100 Hippos lost to a voucher, Hutto ISD would lose $1.15 million … which could mean a loss of 18 teaching positions (or) eight new school buses.”
The lawsuit lists all Hutto ISD trustees as defendants, along with Superintendent Raúl Peña. Each defendant is listed as being sued in their official position.
“Hutto ISD was surprised to learn of a suit filed by Attorney General Ken Paxton,” a Hutto ISD statement said. “At no time has the district used public resources to advocate for or against a candidate, ballot measure or political party, in violation of state law. At Hutto ISD, our focus remains on empowering student success and advancing our district. We’re committed to enhancing every student’s journey towards excellence.”
Paxton’s office has also sued the Aledo, Huffman and Denison independent school district.
A press release said Paxton secured an injunction against Castleberry Independent School District and a restraining order against the Frisco Independent School District.
Gov. Greg Abbott has long been a proponent of school vouchers, saying that parents’ or guardians’ money should follow students to a school of their choosing.
Though Abbott called four special sessions of the 88th Legislature to consider the item, the measure has yet to pass.
Opponents of vouchers, primarily advocating for rural school systems, say such a program could rob small, struggling districts of needed funding.
