Secretly recorded footage reveals three Frisco school trustees have been working to silence the voices of conservative parents and other trustees—and they plan to keep doing so. The audio and video are from a left-leaning parent-led meeting.
The stated topic of the meeting, which took place in November, was exploring ways to be more welcoming to transgender students at FISD. Asked to address the meeting were trustees René Archambault, Dynette Davis, and Debbie Gillespie.
The meeting was held in response to an attempt by conservative-leaning trustees Marvin Lowe and Stephanie Elad, who had proposed a policy that would keep bathrooms and locker rooms restricted to students of the same gender. However, Board President Archambault has continued to delay discussion, claiming she was waiting on the federal government to conclude lawsuits on the matter.
The undercover footage, first reported by Current Revolt, tells a different story.
“They wanted to vote on this [transgender bathroom policy] in July,” Archambault can be heard saying in the recording. “It’s November. … That’s how long I’ve been able to push this out. I have mechanisms by which I can do that. I can also put it on any agenda.”
Elad told Texas Scorecard that she was “disappointed” when she heard the undercover footage. “I had assumed that the delay [of the bathroom policy] was done in good faith.”
One unnamed person in the meeting voiced concerns about how they believe Lowe and Elad will continue trying to “ruin every meeting this year.”
Archambault can be heard refuting that, saying that if Lowe and Elad continue pressing the issue, she would put the policy in a “special meeting in the middle of the day that no one goes to.” In her words, that would deny the opportunity for the conservative parent “hate crowd” to voice opposition.
“I have mechanisms in place that I can push [using] our subcommittee structure,” Archambault added.
During the November meeting, the three trustees were joined by parents in bashing Lowe, who was not present, for pushing a “transphobic” narrative that made students feel “unsafe” and “dehumanized.”
Unknown individuals in the meeting also spoke about conspiring with the media and controlling local news and journalists’ messages to silence conservative voices and push their narratives.
The trustees agreed with the idea and said that they tend to get “good” interviews in the media during elections. It was suggested that would be the best time to push their narratives.
Since the meeting was revealed, concerns have been raised regarding whether trustees violated the Frisco ISD Board of Trustees Operating Procedures or the Texas Open Meetings Act.
“Board operating procedures require these items to be dealt with within 60 days,” Elad told Texas Scorecard. “What was done was a flagrant violation of the board operating procedures.”
If two (2) or more Trustees request that an item be included on the agenda, the Superintendent shall add the item to an agenda for a Board meeting at an appropriate time in the near future, not to exceed sixty (60) days after the Superintendent receives the request from the second Trustee. The Board President shall not have the authority to remove an item placed on an agenda upon request of two (2) or more Trustees.
— Frisco ISD Board of Trustees Operating Procedure
“I hope that going forward, people will conduct themselves in accordance with morals, ethics, and in line with our board operating procedures.”
Elad explained all trustees are elected by the people, which made this a blow to the community and conservative parents.
“The community deserves an apology,” said Elad. “What they did was to the people.”
The Frisco ISD Board of Trustees usually hold regular meetings of on the second Monday of each month, and citizens are welcomed to speak to the board during the open sessions.
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