'This is a nightmare': Parents in Collin County, nationwide, make voices heard at school board meetings

As parents across the nation are becoming more involved in the decisions and policies of their local school district, residents of Collin Country are no exception. Following concerns over bathroom policies, accusations of sexual assault and district realignment, parents in several Collin County school districts are making their voices heard at school board meetings as the November election nears.

In Prosper, Texas, parents are up in arms over a lack of transparency in an incident involving a bus driver facing allegations of sexual abuse of two girls, according to a Twitter post, and parents in the Prosper Independent School District (ISD) are demanding the resignation of district leaders, with one parent calling it a failure of leadership and others promising to keep filling the meeting rooms. The incident drew the ire of former Dallas Cowboy Randy White, who lives in Prosper, according to a video posted to Twitter by @TrueTexasTea, who noted that the district learned of the allegations in May but parents are only now learning about it, thanks to a newspaper report. 

“This is a nightmare,” White said in a video clip posted on Twitter by @TrueTexasTea.

A group of parents in Frisco, Texas recently took action when the Frisco ISD met to discuss Title IX and bathroom policies in the district and a lack of established rules, according to localprofile.com. The district contends that Title IX requires them to ensure equal facilities for all, regardless of sexual orientation, but there is no policy in place, the website noted, and students must make a request for accommodations. Despite the requirements laid out in title IX, not everyone was buying it, according to the website. 

“Why are we changing all of our rules for less than 1%, when we know that more than 1% are going to be uncomfortable?” Frisco ISD board member Marvin Lowe said, receiving a large amount of support from those in attendance.  

Elementary school realignment has parents in the Allen ISD up in arms, according to Fox 4 News, with plans to close some schools, but many parents are crying foul. 

"There hasn’t been enough transparency," parent Holly Barnard said, according to Fox 4. 

Elsewhere, academic achievement is a growing concern, particularly in the wake of the pandemic, which is being cited as a reason for slipping academic achievement, according to Houston Public Media, noting that before the pandemic half of students in grades three through eight were at or above their grade level proficiency, and that fell to 35% last year. However, Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath noted that scores have been on the rebound in 2022 to 40%.

"This is really an improvement for all kids,” he told Houston Public Media. “Kids at the top of the proficiency spectrum and kids at the bottom of the proficiency spectrum.” 

English proficiency stood at 47% prior to the pandemic and slipped to 43% last year before jumping to 52% this year, according to Houston Public Media. 

This has not been lost on parents, according to a poll by The Education Trust, that found eight in 10 parents were concerned the pandemic would result in their children falling behind in academics, while eight in 10 cited increased stress among their school children. 

Statistics also show that parents remain worried about the quality of education their children are receiving, according to The Education Trust. Politicians are poised to use it to their advantage, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) establishing an agenda titled “Putting Students First, Protecting Parents’ Rights,” according to his website. 

In Arizona, Democrat Katie Hobbs has formed a plan, “Deliver a Prepared Arizona Plan to Bolster the State’s Education System,” according to her website.  

In Collin County, voters are poised to decide races for representatives, including school board members, according to the Texas Secretary of State’s website.