Is it possible to get rid of a superintendent or school board trustee?

FAQs from the TASB, 2006, legislative session review


ETHICS

Recall and Financial Statements

Recall elections and requiring school board members to file financial disclosure statements nearly passed the legislature. The recall legislation, which targeted only school board trustees, did not pass because the author of the bill agreed to study the issue to allow input from everyone on the specifics of the legislation.

One proposed bill required only 10 percent of the voter turnout from the last election to recall a school board member. For example, if 300 votes are cast, then 30 signatures of registered voters is all that would be required to overturn an election result.

Currently, no law permits recall of any school board official in Texas.
Lawmakers tried to create a laundry list of detailed responsibilities that school board members must meet to prevent a recall election from being triggered (i.e. attendance at meetings).

Removal of school board members, however, is allowable under current law using the county or district attorney. It has only been done once since inception and is considered to be a political nightmare for the CA or DA’s office.

Attempts were made to pass a requirement that school board members file financial disclosure statements with the Texas Ethics Commission similar to other elected officials (including legislators).

Legislators heard anecdotal information that trustees “are not doing their job in the interests of the people who elected them.” Many believe trustees should police themselves if they don’t want the legislature to do it for them.

"Nightmare", huh?

Not, however, "impossible".