BRENHAM SCHOOL BOARD TO REMAIN WITH TASB AFTER 5-2 VOTE

  

The Brenham School Board is set to remain a member of the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) after voting 5-2 on Monday to renew membership with the organization for legal policy updates.

The school board’s decision matches that of its past two votes on the matter in 2023 and 2024, with trustees who were opposed to renewing saying they do not feel that TASB’s beliefs reflect Brenham and expressing a desire to explore other options.  Supporters of renewing said TASB has served the district well and do not think there are many other reasonable alternatives at the moment.

Trustees Kyle Hafner and Archer Archer voted against the renewal.  Both said the district is essentially being forced to renew for insurance purposes, with Archer saying TASB has a “monopoly” on the school insurance business.  Hafner believes TASB’s ideological stances on issues such as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) do not match those of the Brenham community.

Superintendent Clay Gillentine said he is not pro- or anti-TASB and that he is “all for healthy competition”, but he believes TASB provides the district with the best product for the best price.

Trustee Shawn Koonce asked Hafner what other options are available to look into.  Hafner replied that Texans for Excellence in Education (TEE), who has been considered by Brenham ISD trustees before, has been utilized by area school districts in Schulenburg and Conroe. 

Board President Jared Krenek referenced a lawsuit filed last month by TASB against TEE for alleged copyright infringement regarding the TASB Policy Service.  When Koonce asked Hafner and Archer if they believe that, in this current moment, TEE would be just as viable for Brenham ISD as TASB is, they both answered yes.

Board Vice President Bonnie Brinkmeyer said she feels that, while a better alternative may become available in the future, TASB is the best fit for Brenham ISD right now. 

In other action, the board approved an update to local policies impacted by the 89^th Legislative Session. Gillentine said the updates are a reflection of what was established by lawmakers during the session and cover items such as parental rights, restrictions on DEI practices and increased transparency with instructional materials. 

Trustees also held a public hearing on the purchase of library books before approving their purchase.  Lead Librarian Charlotte Polk said the lists of books being purchased, including 287 items on the November list and 119 on December’s, did not receive any comments from the public.

Other business included a financial update, approval of a required annual investment policy review and a resolution for the review of investment policy and strategies. 

At the beginning of the meeting, representatives from Communities in Schools (CIS) of Houston and H-E-B presented a donation of $1,657.  The funds, which were raised through a point-of-sale fundraising campaign at H-E-B in August, will support students in need with supplies and related resources. 

Additionally, Brenham ISD Education Foundation board member Carl Prihoda recapped results from the KBTX Food for Families Food Drive earlier this month at the Washington County Expo and thanked Brenham ISD students, staff and administrators for their support of the event.  Next year’s food drive is set for Wednesday, December 2^nd. 

Trustees also offered remarks following Monday’s distribution of one-time $500 retention checks to all Brenham ISD employees.  The board thanked the community for allowing the district to do this for the staff and said the recipients were shocked, excited and very appreciative.  The board also thanked the district’s finance team for crunching the numbers to make this a possibility and a reality.