Lake Highlands Advocate Reports on First Hispanic Trustee Elected in Richardson ISD After Brewer Storefront Voting Rights Case
On July 27, 2020, The Lake Highlands Advocate reported that Debbie Rentería was sworn in as the first ever Hispanic trustee on the Richardson Independent School District (RISD) Board of Trustees in May.
Rentería represents majority-minority District 3, which was created after a Brewer Storefront Voting Rights Act lawsuit was brought on behalf of plaintiff and former RISD board member David Tyson. The Storefront is the community service legal affiliate of Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors.
A settlement reached with RISD established a new election system including five single member districts, of which two districts are minority “opportunity” districts. Regina Harris, who is African American, was elected to the District 4 opportunity district in November 2019.
“When I saw that Debbie Rentería didn’t draw an opponent – and I don’t mean this to sound biblical – I said, ‘It is finished. My part is finished. We’ve achieved what we sought,” Tyson told the Advocate. “What we wanted was opportunity for people of color to feel comfortable running.”
Lake Highlands Advocate Reports on Positive Impact of Brewer Storefront Voting Rights Case
On February, 19, 2020, the Lake Highlands Advocate reported on increased diversity among Richardson ISD (RISD) school board members following a Brewer Storefront voting rights lawsuit brought on behalf of plaintiff and former RISD board member David Tyson. A settlement reached with RISD established a new election system including five single member districts, of which two districts are minority “opportunity” districts. The Storefront is the Brewer firm’s community service legal affiliate.
The article reported that Regina Harris, who is African American, was elected to the District 4 opportunity district, which includes the historic Hamilton Park neighborhood in November 2019. Debbie Renteria, who is Hispanic, filed for the District 3 opportunity district seat and will be taking that seat in May 2020.
Tyson reflected on the additions of Harris and Renteria to the board: “My part is finished. We’ve achieved what we sought.’ What we wanted was opportunity for people of color to feel comfortable running. Winning is equally important, but they first have to feel comfortable enough to run. I have always said we needed to have black and brown representation on the board. I’ve put my reputation on the line and my business on the line. My job now is finished.”
Tyson also reflected on the lawsuit: ““I expected to win…because attorneys at Brewer Storefront had a track record in Grand Prairie, Irving and Carrollton-Farmers Branch, and they wouldn’t have taken the case if they didn’t think they had a reasonable chance of winning.”
Brewer Storefront Hosts RISD Candidates Forum
Brewer Storefront, the firm’s community service legal affiliate, and the North Dallas Suburban Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority hosted a Candidates Forum on October 14, 2019, at Hamilton Park United Methodist Church in Dallas for the upcoming Richardson ISD Board of Trustees Election.
The Storefront represented former RISD trustee David Tyson in a voting rights case that resulted in an agreement to establish a new election system with five single member districts and two at large districts on the board. Candidates for District 4 (Regina Harris, Patricia Price Hicks, Taler Jefferson and Sakennia Reed) and District 2 (Vanessa Pacheco) participated in the forum.
Community Impact reported about the debate in an Oct. 15 article titled "Richardson ISD board candidates discuss priorities ahead of first single-member district election on Nov. 5."
"This is really a historical time for Richardson Independent School District under this new five-two model," said Lacy Durham, a North Dallas suburban alumnae and moderator at the forum. "It's an opportunity for us to be more reflective of our diverse community."
On Nov. 5, voters elected Regina Harris to the new District 4 seat. The Dallas Morning News Editorial Board endorsed Harris, and reported that she is a webinar services manager who has also served in various RISD PTA leadership roles, and on the district's diversity committee. Harris is the first African American woman elected to the board.
Brewer Storefront Announces Resolution of Richardson ISD Voting Rights Act and Texas Open Meetings Act Cases
The Brewer Storefront announced on January 17, 2019, that a settlement was reached with the Richardson Independent School District (“Richardson ISD”) in the Voting Rights Act and Texas Open Meetings Act (“TOMA”) lawsuits filed against the school district last year on behalf of plaintiff and former Richardson ISD school board trustee David Tyson, Jr.
The parties’ agreement resolves all claims against Richardson ISD. All seven members of Richardson ISD’s school board are currently elected at-large. Mr. Tyson claimed that the district’s voting scheme violates the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The agreement provides for a new electoral system consisting of five single-member districts and two at-large districts.
“We are pleased that the Richardson ISD school board agreed to adopt an electoral system that provides minority voters a fair opportunity to participate in the political process,” said William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer Storefront, the firm’s community service legal affiliate. “We also commend the board members for taking steps to provide greater transparency in connection with their decision making. This is a transformational outcome for the local community – a moment that celebrates all who were part of this agreement and hopefully provides instruction to other school boards across the state.”
Joining Brewer in representing Mr. Tyson were Partner Michael J. Collins and Katherine Leal Unmuth of the Brewer Storefront’s Public Affairs Division.
The Dallas Morning News, Texas Tribune and other media outlets reported on the news. The Dallas Morning News published an article on the settlement on the front page of the January 18, 2019, newspaper.
Texas Tribune Reports on Brewer Storefront Lawsuit
The Texas Tribune published an in-depth article regarding the latest voting rights lawsuit brought by Brewer Storefront, the firm’s community service legal affiliate. The firm recently filed a lawsuit against the Richardson Independent School District on behalf of plaintiff and former RISD Trustee David Tyson. The Dec. 11 article is titled “Richardson ISD’s student demographics have significantly changed. The makeup of its school board hasn’t.”
The article highlights the firm’s long track record of advocacy in the area of voting rights and states, “Over the last several years, William Brewer, a Dallas corporate lawyer with a reputation for playing hardball, has challenged North Texas school districts and city councils to change their elections systems — and his firm hasn’t lost a voting rights fight yet.”
The article is part of an education series being published by the Tribune titled “Dis-Integration.”
Dallas Morning News Watchdog Columnist Applauds Brewer Storefront TOMA Action
Dallas Morning News Watchdog Columnist Dave Lieber wrote a column, “Here’s How a Trustee Says School Boards Violate Texas Open Meetings Law,” dated August 3, 2018, that explores a newly filed Brewer Storefront Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA) lawsuit. The column focuses on a lawsuit filed by Brewer Storefront, the firm’s community service legal affiliate, against Richardson Independent School District (RISD) and the RISD Board of Trustees.
In part, Lieber writes that the “12-page lawsuit is the most detailed explanation The Watchdog has seen for how a public government board can ignore the open meetings law.” He writes that the Brewer Storefront plaintiff is “showing leadership here by standing up to a widespread secretive culture that enables public officials to keep private what's supposed to be public.”
Lieber is a veteran Dallas/Fort Worth investigative journalist whose focuses on “exposing bad practices in business and government.”
Lawsuit Claims Richardson ISD Trustees Violated Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA)
Brewer Storefront filed a lawsuit on July 6, 2018, in Texas state court on behalf of plaintiff David Tyson, Jr. against the Richardson Independent School District (RISD) and the seven members of the RISD Board of Trustees, alleging that they have continuously and systematically violated the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA). The fundamental tenet of TOMA is that, except for certain narrowly construed exceptions, all meetings of a governmental body must be open to the public. However, the complaint states that, instead of conducting all meetings in public, the Board members are “coordinating a backroom consensus” outside the view of the public.
The lawsuit states that, over the last seven years alone, the Board has voted unanimously on the overwhelming majority of more than 500 votes, and alleges that the votes were not preceded by any meaningful discussions or deliberations at the meetings at which the votes occurred. According to the complaint, plaintiff requests that all actions taken in violation of TOMA be declared void.
“Our client believes that Richardson ISD trustees are not being fully transparent about the operations of the school district,” says William A. Brewer III, partner at Brewer Storefront and lead counsel for plaintiff David Tyson. “Through its alleged violations of the Texas Open Meetings Act, the Board has deprived the citizens of Richardson of the right to know how the Board reaches its decisions – and denied them their lawful right to participate in the democratic process.”
An article in The Dallas Morning News, dated July 10, 2018, reports on the lawsuit and its significance to the local community. The Lake Highlands Advocate also reported on the filing.
Richardson ISD Slaps Back At Ex-Trustee Who Filed Voting Rights Suit, Says System Isn't Broken
The Dallas Morning News columnist James Ragland reported on March 12, 2018, "Richardson ISD, you’re on the wrong side of this lawsuit." The column explores a voting rights lawsuit filed recently by the Brewer Storefront against Richardson ISD. The column observes, "When the only minority trustee who has ever been elected tells you that the system is broken and that minority parents feel disengaged, and when the system isn't working out well for students of color, 'That should be reason enough to get to the table,' said firm partner William A. Brewer III."
Ragland interviewed Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD board member Candace Valenzuela, who became the first Latina and African-American female elected to that board following a previous Brewer Storefront lawsuit against that district that resulted in a successful settlement. Valenzuela commented, "People don't understand that voting is a feedback loop, meaning that if you're in a group that's been disproportionately underrepresented, it discourages participation... By facilitating for the community, you're going to get a lot more participation."
https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2018/03/09/richardson-isd-slaps-back-ex-trustee-filed-voting-rights-lawsuit-says-system-isnt-broken