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South San Antonio ISD board approves state-mandated DEI compliance certification after debate
Summary
Board members voted to certify compliance with new Texas statutes restricting diversity, equity and inclusion duties in district operations and classroom instruction following a lengthy discussion about the law's vagueness and staff protections.
The South San Antonio ISD Board of Managers voted Sept. 15 to approve a district certification required under new Texas Education Code provisions restricting diversity, equity and inclusion duties and certain classroom instruction.
The vote, taken at the board's September meeting, formalized a required certification that the district will not require employees to perform DEI duties and that classroom instruction will comply with the new statutory prohibitions. Superintendent Dr. Hinojosa and the district attorney recommended approval, and the motion passed by roll call.
Board members and the superintendent said the district already does not teach or require the types of instruction the state lists, but several trustees urged caution and asked for clearer operational guidance. Trustee Carla Gomez Sanchez moved approval; a board member seconded, and the motion passed on a roll-call vote with all members present voting yes.
Trustees challenged how the statute defines DEI duties and how it will be applied in practice. Trustee (and board president) Raymond Tijerina and others said the district has no intention of curtailing respectful acknowledgement of student backgrounds but acknowledged the law's language leaves room for interpretation.
"This law is very interesting," the board president said during debate, noting that statewide guidance from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) is still developing. Dr. Hinojosa told trustees the district's existing policies and employee rules already provide discipline mechanisms if staff violate newly codified restrictions.
Trustees asked whether routine acknowledgments, such as Hispanic Heritage Month programming, could run afoul of the law. Counsel and the superintendent said current understanding allows campus-level recognition and that TEA guidance will clarify enforcement questions.
Board members also discussed employees'due process protections if allegations arise. The district attorney told the board the certification requires notifying employees that they cannot be required to perform DEI duties and that disciplinary action may follow proven violations, but that normal investigatory and disciplinary protections would apply.
The board directed administration to track guidance from TEA and to update policies as needed; trustees said they expected further clarification from counsel and from TASB policy updates in the months ahead.
The vote came during the district's final September meeting; the board will file the required certification with TEA by the Sept. 30 statutory deadline.
The action addresses a state requirement rather than the adoption of new instructional content. District officials said they will notify staff about the law and continue to consult TEA and legal counsel on implementation details.
