Two-thirds of the student population are people of color. Yet, their seven-member school board is entirely white.
Two people of color who have children attending the district, ran for the school board during separate years between 2019 and 2021. Both of them lost.Two parents in Pearland ISD are fighting for more diversity on the school board as two-thirds of the student population are young people of color. Yet, their seven-member school board is entirely white.
"In practice, the at-large system discourages minority or minority-preferred candidates from seeking office, because it effectively functions as a white-controlled referendum on all candidates. In PISD, a bloc of white voters controls all seven trustee positions," the complaint stated. The complaint claims that since 2018, 11 minority candidates have had an unsuccessful bid in the school board elections. The plaintiffs want the at-large process to change to single-member districts, so that each area can elect their own representatives. In June 2021, a similar lawsuit was filed against Spring Branch ISD. Latino civil rights group LULAC is considering one as well against the City of Houston.
"They live in clusters in far more affluent neighborhoods, then the neighborhoods of the majority of the students who actually are served by Pearland ISD. We believe this election system violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, because it enables the majority to discriminate against, frankly, a very healthy minority," Brewer said.
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