BUCKHOLTS, Texas — Editor's note: The video above cites the "Texas Education Association" but is meant to say, "Texas Education Agency."
Five Buckholts ISD employees, including the principal and athletic director, were suddenly let go. The school board voted to approve the non-renewal of their contracts last week.
Community members came out to protest the decision on Monday.
"This is hard enough in the coronavirus. They don't need to lose their teachers," Melissa Evans said at the protest.
Buckholts' accountability rating by the Texas Education Association went from an F in 2017 to an A in 2019.
The superintendent at the time, Nancy Sandlin, said she credited the district's success to the students, teachers and the Education Service Center.
"These teachers are the teachers that brought this school from an F to an A rating," Lisa Plumley said.
Maxie Morgan took over as Superintendent. 6 News ran into Morgan before the protest Monday. He referred us to Buckholt ISD's Lawyer Trevor Hall with Powell, Youngblood & Taylor, LLP in Austin.
In a statement that responded to our questions about the decision to not renew multiple employee contracts, he said, "Buckholts ISD complies with all provisions of Texas law and Buckholts ISD Board Policy. The District does not comment on personnel matters."
Not everyone is against the school board. Ruth Ramirez said she knew the protest was happening but said "This voice" needed to be heard as well.
"Whatever the school board decides is what I am going to go with, but I think they are making the right choice," Ramirez said.
6 News reached out to the TEA with the names of four of the employees who were let go, to check to see if they were under any kind of investigation or have faced any kind of disciplinary action.
The educator investigations team said they haven't received a report on any of them and haven't gotten a report from Buckholts since Feb. 2019.
