Parent alleges booster-club fundraising and coach conduct problems at Plano ISD; requests district investigation
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Sign Up Free
Summary
A parent whose child quit a sport told the board the coach diverted booster-club funds, disclosed a FERPA-protected email and operated with improper control over student fundraising; the parent said they will escalate complaints to state authorities if the district does not act.
During non-agenda public comment at the May 6 Plano ISD board meeting a parent raised allegations about booster-club financial practices and a coach's conduct at a high school.
Jontay Ratliff told trustees he had previously raised concerns in September about a coach's control over booster-club activities and alleged that booster funds were spent outside student-activity accounts. Ratliff said a school administrator forwarded an email he sent (which Ratliff described as a FERPA-sensitive communication) to the coach with his name attached, risking retaliation against his son. He said he believes those actions violated district rules and the board's policies and called on the district to recoup misdirected funds.
Ratliff said the situation led his son to quit the sport; he told the board he would escalate complaints to the State Board of Education, the University Interscholastic League, the Texas Education Agency and the IRS if the district did not address the matter. The superintendent and trustees did not provide a public response to the allegations during the comment period; staff follow-up, investigations or other actions were not recorded in the meeting minutes.
Another student speaker urged the district to separate the duties of athletic director and head coach to avoid conflicts of interest; that speaker said a single person managing both duties can be biased when allocating money or resources between programs.
District policy and procedures govern booster-club finances, extracurricular fundraising and FERPA-protected communications; parents and district staff should coordinate on next steps if an investigation is requested.