Jo Lynn Haussmann
According to Keller Independent School District trustees Jo Lynn Haussmann and Brad Schofield, opposing a policy meant to protect LGBT students and employees is, in fact, about the kids.
At least that’s what the two implied in text messages on Thursday, Aug. 13.
The exchange was prompted when, just hours before the board was set to vote on the protections, Superintendent Randy Reid texted the board, recommending they pull the vote from the agenda.
“Just an FYI…I just sent all of you an email to your [school district accounts] recommending that we pull the antidiscrimination policy tonight. Please read and confirm so we can proceed with getting information out,” he wrote, according to records obtained by the Dallas Voice.
“Count this as my ok,” replied board president Craig Allen.
“Mine as well,” Karina Davis replied.
“With hesitation, mine too,” wrote Ruthie Keyes.
Jo Lynn Haussmann disagreed, however.
“I feel we should go through with the vote. We’ve had plenty of time to make any changes. I requested a meeting between the preview [and] vote to have a team discussion and it was refused. We could have even used our Team meeting to do that. Apparently the majority feels good about it as is. You said you supported it 100 percent,” she wrote.
Postponing wouldn’t make any difference, she continued.
“You said you wanted to protect the students. If we postpone the vote, your opportunity to do that is not going to be in effect when school starts,” she wrote.
Another opponent of the policy, Brad Schofield, agreed with Haussmann.
“I think we should not hesitate and move forward with a vote. The kids are counting on all of us,” he wrote. “Don’t let them down.”
Absolutely, Haussmann replied in all caps.
“I have pulled the item,” Reid replied.
But Haussmann wasn’t just concerned about the kids; she was concerned about open meetings laws as well.
“Did everyone vote? I was just thinking, ‘Won’t this be considered an Open Meeting [sic]?”
The decision to pull the item is within the superintendent’s jurisdiction.
“I really wasn’t asking for a vote. Just your opinion,” Reid replied.
In an e-mail to the Voice earlier this week, Haussmann wrote her opposition to the policy was not “against the LGBT’s [sic]” but a student breaking a rule.
Evidently it wasn’t just about breaking the rules either.
It was actually just as other opponents of the policy have said: it was about the kids.
Who knew?
