Outgoing Mansfield school board members call ‘highly irregular' special meeting

Yahoo

20-05-2025

The Mansfield school board has called a special meeting for Tuesday, May 20, at 6 p.m. to take action on the contract of Kimberley Cantu, the district's superintendent.
The move has some in Mansfield questioning the timing, considering that recently elected board members have not yet been sworn in. In the May 3 elections, board President Keziah Farrar and trustees Craig Tipping and Bianca Anderson lost their seats to challengers Ana-Alicia Horn, Jason Thomas and Jesse Cannon.
Farrar declined to discuss Monday what would happen with Cantu's contract.
'You can watch the meeting tomorrow night,' Farrar told the Star-Telegram.
Incoming trustee Horn said she found out about the special meeting the same time as the public. In a text message exchange, Horn called it 'highly irregular' since votes have been tallied and new trustees are awaiting swearing in at the next regular board meeting, scheduled for May 27.
Mansfield residents who spoke to the Star-Telegram voiced support for Cantu and said they were worried about the outgoing trustees' motives for taking action on her contract now.
'Decisions of this magnitude should reflect the will of the current electorate, not be rushed through at the 11th hour,' Horn said.
Cantu was hired as superintendent in 2019. She previously served as a teacher and administrator in the district. Cantu's most recent contract was signed in 2024 and is set to expire on June 30, 2029. According to the Texas Education Agency, Cantu's annual salary is $365,315.
According to the Texas Association of School Boards, of which Mansfield is a member, predecessor trustees continue to function in their role until new trustees take the oath of office.
Neither the Texas Association of School Boards nor the Texas Education Code prohibit outgoing trustees from calling a special meeting before incoming trustees take office.