June 18, 2024 — Regular Meeting

Name: June 18, 2024 — Regular Meeting
Start: 2024-06-18

Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees — Regular Meeting

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Conroe ISD Board Meeting — 2024-06-18

Regular Meeting — Unofficial Notes

Based on auto-generated transcript. Not an official record.

Generated 2026-03-28 17:10 UTC

Unofficial Meeting Notes

Conroe Independent School District Board of Trustees

Regular Meeting — June 18, 2024

Note: These are unofficial notes based on an auto-generated transcript and may contain errors or omissions.

Board Members Present (Quorum Confirmed)

Scott Henry Hubert (President)
Misty Odenweller
Stacey Chase
Theresa Dungan
Tiffany Nelson
Datyon Williams
Skeeter Wagman

1. Opening Items

Invocation: Led by Trustee Datyon Williams
Pledge of Allegiance: Led by Trustee Odenweller

2. Special Recognitions — Ambassador Awards

A. Child Nutrition Department

Presented by Robin Hughes. Honorees:

Martine Plunkett — Associate at Houser Elementary (7 years of service)
Gina Baker — Manager at Glenlock Elementary (3 years; stepped up to manager role)
Megan Medina — Manager at Veterans Memorial (4 years; not present)
Kelly Highberger — Associate at The Woodlands High School (3 years; not present)

B. Custodial & Maintenance Department

Presented by Marshall Shrader. Honorees:

Michael Figueroa — Athletic Ground Supervisor (14 years)
William Dwayne Faulber — Maintenance (joined 2022)
Maria de la Flores — Custodial (since 2014)
Margarita Guajardo — Custodial (since 2017; also named Humanitarian of the Year)
Buddy Herman — Custodial at Suchma Elementary (since campus opened; nominated for Teacher Achieving Excellence two years running; honored by Habitat for Humanity)
Miguel Gonzalez Castillo — HVAC Lead Technician (since 2016)
Robert Washington — Irrigation Team

3. Citizen Participation (Public Comments)

Approximately 27–30 speakers signed up. Key themes:

School Naming

Lorraine Rice advocated for naming the new elementary school after Anthony Thatch, a recently retired CISD janitor who served 44 years and immigrated from Cambodia. Noted her Facebook post was shared ~900 times.
John Meredith (President, Conroe Community Cemetery Restoration Project) advocated for naming a school after Midy J. Campbell, the first African-American woman principal in Conroe (1918), whose school name was changed to Booker T. Washington in 1927.
Victor Yore supported the Midy J. Campbell nomination.
Craig Eissler advocated for naming the Woodlands feeder elementary after his father, Rob Eissler, who served 18 years on the CISD board and 10 years in the Texas Legislature (6 as chairman of the Public Education Committee).
Janice Chroman and Keith Cartright advocated for naming a school after Lynn Cartright, a 40-year CISD teacher at Conroe High School.

Gender Identity / Title IX Policy

Jason Roacho (Woodlands Pride board member) opposed the proposed gender fluidity policy, directing encouraging words to LGBTQ+ students.
Landon Richie (Transgender Education Network of Texas) cited extensive case law supporting trans student rights and warned about risk to federal funding.
Saia Parekh (student) opposed the policy, citing harm to trans students and calling out contradictions with the district's "all means all" motto.
Lana Lindsay (Woodlands High School student) challenged the policy's reliance on "biological facts" and cited Trevor Project data on suicide attempt reduction when pronouns are respected.
Jared Burton (Katie ISD student) testified about living under a similar policy at Katy ISD, warning of dangerous consequences and noting Katy's federal investigation.
Mandy Giles (Resource Parents of Trans Youth) estimated ~1,000+ trans/non-binary students in CISD and cited research showing higher sexual assault rates for trans students with bathroom restrictions.
Elizabeth Fouse (therapist, 17+ years) described harmful mental health impacts on LGBTQ+ youth.
Martin Atwab (Citizens Defending Freedom attorney) argued the new Title IX guidance did not go through proper legislative process and should not be followed.
Robert Phillips supported board members standing against gender ideology.

Book Removals / Level Three Appeal

Juliet Lucus (incoming freshman, College Park High School) read a list of banned books and advocated for restoring them, emphasizing representation and diverse voices.
Earl Hensel supported reinstating books including Slaughterhouse-Five, Brave New World, Beloved, and The Color Purple.
Deborah Liber strongly opposed book removals, arguing no parent or trustee should impose personal values on all students.
Kelly Loftus noted CISD has banned more books than any other Texas district, with many challenges originating from a single trustee (~80 challenges).
Rachel Walker (Woodlands Pride) announced the upcoming Woodlands Pride Community Library opening with 300+ titles.
Angela Asen defended Brave New World, The Color Purple, and Beloved from personal experience.
Cameron Samuels (invited by a CISD student) connected book bans to targeting of LGBTQ+ students and people of color.
Crystal Lowry (rising 5th grader reading at 10th grade level) spoke about the importance of representation in books.

Special Education

Amber Fusa criticized the district's handling of her autistic son's case following a level three hearing, noting the district did not acknowledge Autism Acceptance Month.
Mark Fusa challenged the board's decision not to discipline a school counselor who allegedly violated policy and his son's constitutional rights, questioning why students are held to higher standards than employees.

4. Consent Agenda

Item D (Communities in Schools contract) was pulled from consent for separate discussion.
Remaining consent items: APPROVED unanimously by voice/hand vote.

Item 4D — Communities in Schools (CIS) Contract

Dr. Taylor presented the contract for 16 campuses at $26,500/site ($424,000 total to CISD). CIS supplements remaining salary costs.

Discussion:

Trustee Nelson raised concerns about spending $424,000 given the district's ~$17 million projected budget shortfall.
Dr. Taylor explained services include: backpack buddy program, attendance assistance, home visits, behavior assistance, food pantries, clothing closets, mobile markets, and Social Service referrals.
Hiring equivalent district staff would cost over $1 million.
Trustee Williams noted the supplemental value from the CIS partnership.
Trustee Odenweller suggested exploring additional voluntary organizations to supplement services.
Clarified: Contract is for the same 16 campuses (down from 20 last year), not additional campuses.

Vote: APPROVED unanimously.

5. Naming of New CISD Campuses

Discussion (Item 5A)

Board members discussed nominations received through surveys, emails, and public comment. Dr. Blakelock provided an overview of the naming process and policies.

Names discussed by trustees:

Lynn Cartright — 40-year Conroe High School teacher
Anthony Thatch — Retired janitor, 44 years of service (received 758 survey votes, highest on the list)
Midy J. Campbell — First African-American woman principal in Conroe (1918); name was removed from a school in 1927 (brought to board's attention by Trustee Wagman, not on original survey)
Rob Eissler — Former CISD board member (18 years), Texas State Representative (10 years, 6 as Public Education Committee chair); instrumental in bringing The Woodlands High School, Woodforest Bank Stadium, and Lone Star College-Montgomery County to the area
Timber Mill — Geographic/historical name reflecting the area's timber industry heritage

Dr. Null noted future naming opportunities exist for schools opening in subsequent years and existing unnamed facilities.

Item 5B — Name New High School (Conroe Area)

Motion: Name the new high school Timber Mill High School

Vote: APPROVED unanimously. 🎉

Item 5C — Name New Elementary (Oak Ridge / Caney Creek Feeders)

First Motion: Name the school Anthony Thatch Elementary

- Vote: 3 in favor, 4 opposed. Motion FAILED.

Second Motion: Name the school Midy J. Campbell Elementary

- Brief discussion about whether her married name (Campbell) or maiden name (Turner) was preferred; confirmed Campbell was her married name.

- Vote: APPROVED unanimously. 🎉

Item 5D — Name New Elementary (The Woodlands Feeder)

Motion: Name the school Rob Eissler Elementary

- Discussion included Trustee Nelson expressing preference for recognizing someone from further back in history but noting there won't be another Woodlands feeder school.

- Trustee Wagman detailed Eissler's specific contributions to The Woodlands area.

- President Hubert noted Eissler's name has appeared on the short list nearly every year for 12 years.

- Vote: APPROVED unanimously. 🎉

6. Capital Improvement Updates (Item 6A)

Presented by Mr. Foster.

| Project | Status |

|---------|--------|

| Safety & Security (2019 bond, final installment) | On schedule; ready for August school start |

| Janet K. Bartlett Elementary | Opens August 2024; substantially complete, furniture being moved in |

| Eissler Elementary (Flex School #24) | Opens August 2025; building pad underway |

| Campbell Elementary | Opens August 2025; foundations being laid |

| Grand Oaks 7-8-9 Grade Campus | Opens January 2027; building pad under construction |

| Campus Renovations (David, Lamar, Houser, Rice Elementaries) | On schedule; AC work, kitchen renovation (Lamar), roofing |

| Conroe High School Major Renovation | Fine Arts Wing ready for July summer practices; Dining Commons on track for August; Phase 3 demolition of tower underway; New front entrance expected during 2025-26 school year; Overall completion end of December 2025 |

Tennis Courts Discussion:

Portables occupy current tennis court site at Conroe HS until Timber Mill HS opens (August 2027).
Plan underway to build a varsity tennis complex at the Conroe HS Ninth Grade Campus using bond funds.
Competitive sealed bid process planned; board approval expected in August.
Campus administration, athletics, and tennis parents are all supportive of this plan.

7. Purchasing Items

Items 7A-7D (Vendor Pool Expansions)

Presented by Karen Garza. Four RFPs to supplement/expand vendor pools:

7A: Instructional Supplies and Materials for Classrooms
7B: Supplemental Contracted Educational and Professional Development Services
7C: CTE Construction Instructional Supplies and Equipment
7D: Catering Services

Contract terms firm through June 2025 with four additional one-year renewal terms.

Initial Motion to approve all four together (7A-7D): FAILED (3 in favor).

Items then voted on individually:

Discussion on 7A centered on Savvas (formerly Pearson) as a vendor:

Trustee Nelson raised concerns that Savvas had not yet made promised changes to biology textbook language from the prior month's meeting.
Dr. Upshaw clarified the biology textbook purchase is separate from this vendor list approval and is pending State Board of Education approval (meeting June 27).
If SBOE does not approve the biology book, the district will bring an alternative to the board.
Savvas provides materials for math K-8, social studies K-5, English 6-12, science K-12, and state assessment rescoring; removing them as a vendor would create significant gaps.

| Item | Vote |

|------|------|

| 7A | APPROVED unanimously |

| 7B | APPROVED unanimously |

| 7C | APPROVED unanimously |

| 7D | APPROVED unanimously |

Item 7E — Website Design and Hosting Services (Apptegy)

Presented by Dr. Blakelock. Current WordPress website facing security vulnerabilities as plugins cease updates for WordPress Classic.

Initial expenditure: ~$200,000 for design, migration, and first year
Annual ongoing costs significantly lower than current ~$61,000/year system
Five-year total: ~$478,000 (compared to $411,000 for first two years of current WordPress site)
Includes mobile app and social media management integration
New district website launch planned for January 2025; campus rollout on rolling basis
Vote: APPROVED unanimously.

Item 7F — Apptegy/Thrillshare & ThoughtExchange (Fulcrum Management Solutions)

Dr. Blakelock presented request to add Fulcrum Management Solutions (parent company of ThoughtExchange) to the over-$50K vendor list.

Engagement platform for community feedback using AI-powered analysis of open-ended responses
Six-month pilot: ~$42,000; 32 exchanges conducted with ~2,500 participants
Requesting another six-month contract to evaluate fit
Maximum calendar year expenditure: $127,128 (includes contingency for possible year-long contract)
Potential uses: attendance boundary process, website redesign feedback, employee onboarding/exit surveys

Vote: APPROVED unanimously.

8. Financial Report (Item 8A)

Presented by Karen Garza for month ending May 31, 2024.

| Fund | Total Assets |

|------|-------------|

| General Fund | $333.7 million |

| Debt Service | $78.4 million |

| Child Nutrition | $16.1 million |

| Self-Funded Insurance | $13.7 million |

2023 Bond Referendum: $228.95 million encumbered/expended; ~$1.7 billion remaining
Self-Funded Insurance: Good month in May; revenues exceeded expenditures by $822,000; surplus of $2.3 million heading into summer
Investments: Par value just over $1 billion; pools yielding 5.46%; combined portfolio at 5.37%; 90-day T-bill at 5.23%

9. Board Policy and Instructional Items

Item 9A — Adopt Revised Board Policy EIA (Academic Achievement, Retention, and Promotion)

Expands standards-based report cards from grades K-1 to K-2 (previously grades 2 was grouped with 2-4).

Discussion:

Dr. Winkler explained benefits: better identification of skill mastery, earlier interventions, teachers better able to speak to specific student strengths/weaknesses in MTSS meetings
Standards-based reporting has been fully implemented in first grade since 2021-22
19 campus principals surveyed; all ultimately supported expansion to second grade
Trustee Hubert shared positive personal experience as a CISD parent with standards-based reporting
Report card format change does not affect how teaching/grouping is done—only how progress is reported to parents
No plans to extend beyond second grade unless board requests

Vote: APPROVED 6-1 (Trustee Odenweller opposed).

Item 9B — First Reading: Local Policy Manual Update 123

Information item only (first reading). Eight local board policies being updated, primarily implementing regulations from the last legislative session. Policies include:

BBD (Board Members Training), BBFA (Ethics/Conflicts), CKC (Safety/Emergency Plans), CKA (Security Personnel), CQC (Technology Resources), DEC (Employment Practices), DEC (Compensation/Leaves), EH (Homebound Instruction)

Will return in July for adoption. No vote required.

9C. Level Three Consolidated Appeal Hearing — Book Removals

Background

Consolidated hearing for complaints filed by Erin Miller, Andrea Young, DD Fox, and Teresa Neeman (proxy: Deborah Liber, as Neeman was in Cincinnati scoring AP exams).

Complainants disagreed with the informal Instructional Materials Review Committee's decision to remove 19 novels from use as instructional materials. They requested:

1. Books be re-evaluated through a formal reconsideration process

2. Books be reinstated as instructional materials

Level Two ruling (hearing officer Greg Kouchan): Committee complied with board policy EFA; formal reconsideration process is for removal requests, not reinstatement; denied relief.

All board members affirmed they could be impartial.

The 19 Books at Issue

Slaughterhouse-Five, My Sister's Keeper, The Bluest Eye, Perks of Being a Wallflower, The Color Purple, Beloved, Homegoing, Brave New World, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Girl in Translation, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, Salvage the Bones, Sold, The Hate U Give, The Kite Runner, The Underground Railroad, We Are the Ants, Where the Crawdads Sing, Speak

Complainant Presentations (10 minutes each)

Andrea Young — Defended Slaughterhouse-Five:

Classic in the American literary canon; on numerous "best of" lists
Based on author's WWII experiences; addresses war, PTSD, free will
Previously ruled not obscene (1979 district court); Supreme Court ordered return to libraries in Island Trees v. Pico (1982)
Argued the informal review process facilitates censorship; committee members didn't all read the books

DD Fox — Defended Speak and My Sister's Keeper:

Read the passage from Speak used to justify removal; argued it depicts sexual assault (not sex) told from a 13-year-old's perspective
My Sister's Keeper incorrectly classified as "adult" based on Titlewave software
Criticized committee composition (few secondary-level educators, no meeting recordings)
Warned of negative national attention and potential First Amendment litigation

Deborah Liber (proxy for Teresa Neeman) — Defended multiple titles:

Committee members did not read books; relied on biased sources (Booklooks.org/Moms for Liberty blog, Common Sense Media)
Committee applied criteria inconsistently and did not evaluate books as a whole per the Miller test
79% removal rate in informal review vs. 21% in formal reconsideration
Cited Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling (Llano County) supporting return of books to shelves
Drew parallels between Llano County case and CISD's situation regarding board member influence

Erin Miller — Defended The Bluest Eye, Perks of Being a Wallflower, We Are the Ants, Where the Crawdads Sing, and others:

Questioned whether removals were politically motivated by outside groups
Noted AP course audit requirements could be jeopardized
Requested books be returned or at minimum restored to formal challenge process
Asked that future review committees include parent volunteers (not just CISD employees) and that members read books in their entirety

Administration Presentation

Dr. Jared Lambert (Director of Information Systems):

Appeals filed under EFA (instructional materials), not EFB (library materials)
Informal review committees are standard practice for ensuring consistency
Committee made "best decisions they could" following board policy
Level two hearing officer confirmed committee complied with EFA local
Encouraged board to "respect and validate their work"

Board Discussion (Significant and Heated)

Trustee Williams raised concerns about racial profiling in book selections:

Of 19 books challenged, 9 (47%) were by minority authors or contained LGBTQ+ content
Argued this was not representative of the ~5,000-book collection and suggested systemic targeting
Drew analogy to racial profiling in policing
Stated: "I'm calling the spade a spade... the policy lends itself to discrimination"
Noted Mark Twain's works (which use racial slurs) were not removed

Trustee Chase questioned how The Color Purple (Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award, on AP exam 11 times) could be deemed educationally unsuitable. Dr. Lambert cited "explicit language" and "vivid depiction of a rape scene" as committee's basis.

Trustee Dungan asked about committee timeline and procedures; expressed concern about the informal process.

Trustee Nelson noted some removed books (including Brave New World, Beloved, The Hate U Give) are still available in CISD libraries, just removed from instructional use.

Trustee Wagman noted she couldn't find where the policy specifically excludes the challenged books and acknowledged the policy needs "complete overhaul."

President Hubert stated he hadn't read the books and felt he should support the committee's implementation of the policy, but acknowledged "glaring issues" needing future attention. He proposed revisiting policy at a later date.

Key exchange: When Trustee Williams stated the policy "lends itself to discrimination," Trustee Odenweller took exception, saying Williams was "calling the committee racist." Williams clarified he was criticizing the policy outcomes, not individuals.

Votes on Level Three Appeals

Each complainant's appeal was voted on separately. For each, a motion to reinstate books as instructional materials was made and failed, followed by a motion to uphold the committee's decision that passed.

|------------|-------|-------------------|--------------------------|

| Teresa Neeman | Underground Railroad, The Hate U Give, The Color Purple, Sold, Salvage the Bones, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, The Kite Runner, Homegoing, Girl in Translation, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Brave New World, Beloved | FAILED (3-4) | PASSED (4-3) |

Outcome: All 19 books remain removed as instructional materials. The board will send written notice to complainants.

⚠️ Notable: Multiple trustees acknowledged flaws in the policy and procedure, including that committee members did not read the books. A future agenda item to re-evaluate EFA and EFB policies was requested (see Item 13).

Executive Session

Board entered closed session at 11:03 PM under Texas Government Code sections 551.071 and 551.074.

Returned to open session at 11:23 PM.

12. Post-Executive Session Action Items

Item 12A — Superintendent Evaluation and Contract

Motion: Having completed the superintendent's evaluation, approve amendments to the superintendent's contract as discussed in executive session, including extending the contract for an additional year.

Vote: APPROVED unanimously.

Item 12B — Purchase of ~20-Acre Parcel (Caney Creek Feeder Zone)

Delegated superintendent to authorize final negotiation and execute contract documents.

Vote: APPROVED unanimously.

Item 12C — Easement and Right-of-Way Agreement with Blackfin Pipeline LLC

Payment to district: $250,941.

Vote: APPROVED unanimously.

Item 12D — Resolution Against Title IX Changes (Trustee Nelson)

Trustee Nelson presented a resolution opposing the Biden administration's changes to Title IX regulations.

Extended and contentious discussion:

Trustee Williams submitted a counter-resolution criticizing "politically based agendas at the expense of students" and calling out hypocrisy in board actions on books, vouchers, and other issues.
Trustee Chase argued the Title IX changes have nothing to do with restrooms and characterized the resolution as "fear mongering."
Trustee Williams stated Title IX regulations do not mention restrooms and called the resolution political theater.
Trustee Odenweller argued for protecting students in bathrooms and locker rooms and cited lawsuits against teachers over pronoun usage.
Miss Gadus (legal counsel) noted a current injunction is in place against enforcement of the new Title IX guidance documents in Texas; anticipated regulations would also be enjoined.
Trustee Nelson read from a same-day update from the Texas Attorney General's office regarding a ruling covering all Texas school districts.
President Hubert raised fiscal concerns about potential litigation costs if the district takes a stance against federal law.

Procedural votes:

1. Motion to reject all resolutions on the table: Made and seconded.

2. Amendment: Wait for clear legal direction from attorney general and resolution of pending lawsuits before taking action.

- Amendment vote: PASSED 4-1-2 (2 abstentions)

3. Amended motion (reject all resolutions and wait for legal clarity): PASSED (exact count unclear from transcript; appeared to carry).

Outcome: No Title IX resolution adopted. Board will wait for final legal direction.

Item 12E — Gender Fluidity and Parental Notification Policy (Trustee Odenweller)

Trustee Odenweller requested discussion and development of a local policy addressing gender fluidity and parental notification.

Discussion:

Dr. Null stated he has never received a complaint from a parent that a campus withheld information about their child's gender identity; campuses handle these situations individually, privately, and with families.
Trustee Chase challenged whether there is an actual problem occurring in CISD schools requiring this policy.
Trustee Williams stated: "Policies isolate or target one specific demographic."
Trustee Odenweller argued written guidance is needed for consistency across campuses and teacher protection.
Exchange became heated, with personal remarks exchanged between trustees.

Outcome: No motion was made. No policy development was initiated. ⚠️

13. Future Agenda Item Requests

Trustee Williams requested a future agenda item to re-evaluate board policies EFA and EFB (instructional materials and library materials policies) in light of issues identified during the Level Three book appeal hearing.

Meeting Adjourned

Time: 12:07 AM (June 19, 2024)

Summary of All Votes

| Item | Description | Result |

|------|-------------|--------|

| Consent Agenda (minus Item D) | Various routine items | Approved unanimously |

| Item 4D — Communities in Schools Contract | 16 campuses, $424K | Approved unanimously |

| Item 5B — Timber Mill High School naming | New Conroe-area high school | Approved unanimously |

| Item 5C — Anthony Thatch Elementary | Oak Ridge/Caney Creek feeder | Failed (3-4) |

| Item 5C — Midy J. Campbell Elementary | Oak Ridge/Caney Creek feeder | Approved unanimously |

| Item 5D — Rob Eissler Elementary | Woodlands feeder | Approved unanimously |

| Item 7A-D (combined) | Vendor pool expansions | Failed (3-4) |

| Item 7A | Instructional supplies vendors | Approved unanimously |

| Item 7B | Educational/PD services vendors | Approved unanimously |

| Item 7C | CTE supplies/equipment vendors | Approved unanimously |

| Item 7D | Catering services vendors | Approved unanimously |

| Item 7E | Apptegy website services ($200K) | Approved unanimously |

| Item 7F | ThoughtExchange (Fulcrum) to >$50K list | Approved unanimously |

| Item 9A | Standards-based report cards (K-2) | Approved 6-1 |

| Item 9C — Fox appeal (reinstate) | My Sister's Keeper, Speak | Failed (3-4) |

| Item 9C — Fox appeal (uphold) | Uphold committee decision | Passed (4-3) |

| Item 9C — Miller appeal (reinstate) | Bluest Eye, Perks, Ants, Crawdads | Failed (3-4) |

| Item 9C — Miller appeal (uphold) | Uphold committee decision | Passed (4-3) |

| Item 9C — Young appeal (reinstate) | Slaughterhouse-Five | Failed (3-4) |

| Item 9C — Young appeal (uphold) | Uphold committee decision | Passed (4-3) |

| Item 9C — Neeman appeal (reinstate) | 12 titles | Failed (3-4) |

| Item 9C — Neeman appeal (uphold) | Uphold committee decision | Passed (4-3) |

| Item 12A | Superintendent contract extension (1 year) | Approved unanimously |

| Item 12B | ~20-acre land purchase (Caney Creek) | Approved unanimously |

| Item 12C | Blackfin Pipeline easement ($250,941) | Approved unanimously |

| Item 12D | Title IX resolution(s) | All rejected; wait for legal direction (4-1-2) |

| Item 12E | Gender fluidity/parental notification policy | No motion made; no action taken |