Two Southlake parent groups are urging Carroll ISD Superintendent Lane Ledbetter to acknowledge the findings of a years-long investigation that found the district violated students’ civil rights.
Lawyers for families involved in the complaints announced last week that the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is initiating negotiations with the district after deeming four complaints of racism and harassment to be valid.
At a news conference Tuesday, members of the Southlake Anti-Racism Coalition (SARC) and the Cultural & Racial Equity for Every Dragon (CREED), along with Dignity for All Texas Students, said the situation is creating a hostile environment for marginalized students, and urged the district to negotiate solutions in good faith.
“This is our best path forward to move out of the downward spiral and ensure a safer, more inclusive learning environment for all our children,” Dignity for All Texas Students member Vikas Chowdhry said.
The groups sent an open letter to the school district last week urging Carroll ISD leaders to address the complaints but have yet to hear back.
CREED member Angela Jones said she fears if CISD does not negotiate with the Department of Education, the families will have to accept the school board is racist.
“Why else would a district not negotiate?” Jones said. “Why else would it not want to put into place policy that will make marginalized students feel safe?”
KERA reached out to Carroll ISD but has not heard back.
The Legal Defense Fund first filed the complaints on behalf of students and families in 2021, describing incidents where students were subjected to racial slurs, homophobic comments and physical harassment. The families said there was never appropriate intervention from school officials and administrations.
“While OCR conducted its investigation, CISD students have continued to endure repeated harassment on the basis of race, religion, gender identity, and sexual orientation,” the groups wrote in their letter made public last week. “During this time, the Board utterly failed to take steps to address the hostile environment that harmed students within CISD schools.”
