That precedent established a three-part test, including a requirement that enough minority voters live in a geographically compact area to form a majority in a single-member district.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Keller ISD lawyers said Vallejo acknowledged he could not meet that condition.<\/p>\n
Without that, the district\u2019s attorneys argued, there is no valid Voting Rights Act claim.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnly the U.S. Supreme Court can overrule one of its precedents,\u201d district attorneys wrote. \u201cAnd \u2026 there is no reason to believe it would do so.\u201d<\/p>\n
But Vallejo\u2019s attorneys said those standards were never intended to apply to non-redistricting cases involving cumulative voting systems. They argue that relying on geographic compactness ignores modern patterns of community and voter alignment.<\/p>\n
Vallejo\u2019s lawyers argued that even if current legal precedent blocks their case, that precedent is outdated \u2014 and the Supreme Court should reconsider it.<\/p>\n
The case arrived as Keller ISD faces a possible budget deficit<\/a> and governance decisions have sparked debate.\u00a0<\/p>\n The lawsuit references the board\u2019s now-abandoned effort to divide the district in two<\/a> \u2014 a plan that triggered public backlash<\/a>, lawsuits<\/a> and legislation from state lawmakers<\/a>.<\/p>\n Vallejo\u2019s attorneys said the Keller ISD split plan illustrated the district\u2019s pattern of ignoring diverse communities west of Denton Highway, where most Hispanic families in the district reside.<\/p>\n Vallejo pointed to academic disparities<\/a>: 51% of Hispanic students in Keller ISD met grade-level standards on recent state exams, compared to 69% of white students.<\/p>\n \u201cThis case seeks to ensure that the voices of Hispanic voters are heard and accounted for in school board elections,\u201d said William A. Brewer III, counsel for Vallejo. \u201cCumulative voting offers a constitutionally sound, locally empowered solution that aligns with the values for which the Voting Rights Act was adopted.\u201d<\/p>\n Keller ISD attorneys maintain that the lawsuit lacks a legal foundation and should be dismissed.<\/p>\n If the court denies Keller ISD\u2019s motion to dismiss, the case could proceed to discovery and, potentially, trial.<\/p>\n Vallejo\u2019s legal team is asking the court to block further use of the current voting system and require a more representative alternative.<\/p>\n Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org<\/a> or @matthewsgroi1<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n
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