Round Rock Independent School District trustee Mary Bone has released a video containing bribery allegations against Board President Amber Feller.
In the video, Bone accuses Feller of accepting a de facto bribe from scandal-plagued Superintendent Hafez Aziez following a misconduct investigation in 2022. The board voted to reinstate the embattled superintendent in March of that year.
Bone cites information obtained in a public information request to allege that two payments Feller received from the district, totaling over $76,000, were a quid pro quo to support Aziez’s reinstatement.
The two payments are said to be reimbursements for special education expenses Feller incurred for a family member.
According to Feller:
I am the parent of a child with special needs. In the 2021 and 2022 school years, there were alleged violations regarding the implementation of my child’s IEP. I filed a complaint with the TEA, according to the process for Special Education complaints outlined here.
After a mediation process, RRISD Special Education Department offered to pay for compensatory intensive reading services for my child by an external provider. I paid for these services with my personal credit card, and per the terms of the mediation agreement, after submitting credit card statements and invoices from my child’s service provider, was reimbursed by RRISD.
These reimbursements have nothing to do with my role as a Trustee but merely as a parent advocating for their child.
Bone explained that her request for additional information stemmed from the fact that the settlements “include multiple parts not just ‘reimbursements.'” She added, “It is highly unusual to directly reimburse a person for these types of payments but instead the district almost ALWAYS directly pays the company to protect the utilization of tax dollars.”
Bone attempted to initiate a formal investigation of the payments during a board meeting on September 19. Her motion to do so failed, 2-4-1. Bone was joined by fellow conservative trustee Danielle Weston, while the Board’s five Democrats either abstained or voted against it.
In the video, trustee Alicia Markum describes herself as “appalled” that members of the public would question the district’s financial management. For her part, Feller told Bone to “be careful about the line you are walking, and accusations you could possibly be making about a fellow colleague.”
“Please be very careful about that Trustee Bone, be very careful in choosing your next words,” Feller continues.
Texas Scorecard previously chronicled the months-long saga at Round Rock ISD in a 2022 special report and exclusive podcast series, Exposed, which included three separate investigations into the district and Azaiez. Also investigated were five of the seven school board members facing allegations of covering up the superintendent’s alleged violence as well as weaponizing “censure resolutions” against their two dissenting trustees.
Texas Scorecard contacted Round Rock ISD and Amber Feller for comment, a district spokesperson said Round Rock ISD will not respond to “baseless accusations.”
Concerned Texans can contact the Round Rock ISD board through this web form.
