After Keller ISD board trustee Sandi Walker resigned Feb. 18, the district board has two options going forward.
The board could either call a special meeting by Feb. 24 to add the seat to Keller ballots in this year’s May 4 election, or it could appoint a new trustee.
Regardless, the seat will have to be filled by Aug. 17, according to a spokesperson for the Texas Association of School Boards.
If the board decides to appoint a new trustee, it could do so before or after the May 4 election. If the board decides to appoint a new trustee before then, the seat would be up for election this year.
If the board waits until after the election, the seat wouldn’t be up for re-election until May 2025.
Walker, who has been on the Keller ISD board since 2022, resigned after concerns were raised about her involvement with a Dutch evangelist film crew that was allowed to film students without district or parental consent.
Walker did not respond to the Fort Worth Report’s multiple requests for comment.
The film crew, hired by the Dutch Evangelist media company EO, was filming inside Central High School on Feb. 9 for a program titled, “God, Jesus, Trump!” according to a spokesperson for EO.
On Sunday, Feb. 18, after parents and community members voiced concerns about political polarization in schools, Walker posted her resignation to her now-deleted Facebook page.
“After spending time in prayer… I have made the decision to resign from my position,” Walker said. “My faith is in Jesus, and I can rest in the confidence of knowing His plans are good.”
The district was notified Sunday of Walker’s resignation, according to a district statement.
This is the district’s second trustee resignation in less than three months, after former trustee Ruthie Keyes stepped down in December, citing frustrations with the board.
Keller ISD appointed Heather Washington to fill that Place 7 seat. Washington is running for re-election in May.
Last week, district Superintendent Tracy Johnson sent a letter to Central High School families confirming that Walker toured Central High School with the film crew and talked with students and employees on camera. Walker was also joined by Keller ISD trustee Micah Young.
On Friday, Feb. 16, Young posted an apology to his Facebook page.
“I briefly assisted my colleague in an interview about Texas public schools,” Young said. “During the time that I was there, I did not observe any students being interviewed. I regret if any students were captured on film.”
Johnson confirmed that the district and the board were not aware of the scheduled interview.
“Student safety is our top priority, and we are taking this matter very seriously,” she said in her letter to parents.
Keller ISD has assured parents that the district is pursuing legal channels to prohibit the footage of students and staff from being used in the production.
All media requests, including the filming of trustees, students and staff, should go through the Keller ISD communications department, district policy states.
Chief communications officer Bryce Nieman said EO made no such communication with the district.
“Keller ISD leadership shares parents’ concerns about this situation,” the district said in a statement to the Fort Worth Report. “We will continue to have discussions about how we can assure that something like this does not occur in the future.”
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @MatthewSgroi1 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
