Fort Worth Court of Appeals holds trial court lacked jurisdiction involving school district’s disciplinary decision
This is an interlocutory appeal from the denial of a plea to the jurisdiction filed by Northwest Independent School District.
Plaintiffs sued Northwest ISD on behalf of their minor child, C.R., seeking a temporary restraining order and injunctive relief based on the violation of C.R.’s rights to freedom of speech, freedom of association, and procedural and substantive due process. Parents allege that Northwest ISD enforced its “zero tolerance” policy when a search team found a substance in C.R.’s vehicle that was alleged to be marijuana. Parents utilized the Northwest ISD three-level appeal process. Ultimately, the consequences for C.R was assignment to an alternative school program and exclusion from drill team. Northwest ISD filed a plea to the jurisdiction asserting disciplinary decisions under Chapter 37 of the Texas Education Code could not be appealed. The trial court granted the temporary restraining order and denied the plea to the jurisdiction. Northwest ISD appealed.
Regarding discipline, the court held Chapter 37 expressly states such decisions are final and cannot be appealed. Therefore, the trial court lacked jurisdiction to consider Northwest ISD’s decision. The Court then held that “students do not possess a constitutionally-protected interest in their participation in extracurricular activities,” such as drill team. Parents’ claim of a constitutionally protected interest in their monetary investment in drill team was therefore invalid. Regarding the due process claims, the Court held that transferring C.R. to an alternative education program did not deprive C.R. of her right to receive an education. Further, there was no due process violation by infringing on C.R.’s right to her “good name and reputation.” Finally, the Court found the appeal process laid followed by Northwest ISD did not implicate due process violations. As a result, the plea should have been granted.
If you would like to read this opinion click here. The panel consisted of Chief Justice Sandee Bryan Marion and Justices Patricia O. Alvarez and Irene Rios. Opinion by Chief Justice Bryan Marion. Docket page with attorney information can be found here.
