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Heads up, Texas taxpayers: we’ve reviewed the upcoming MAGNOLIA ISD agenda and found 8 items that deserve your attention before the gavel falls.
| ALERT (LEVEL 8) |
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District Pays $53,360 for Vague ‘School AI’ Service
A payment of $53,360 is listed for ‘School AI’ with the only description being ‘Supplies, Technology.’ The lack of detail for such a large expenditure on an AI platform raises serious questions about student data privacy and what information is being collected, analyzed, and stored.
Response
DEMAND THE DETAILS: Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding the $53,360 payment to School AI in the September financials (Item 8.B), what data does this platform collect on students, who owns the data, and what are the parental consent and opt-out policies? Publish the contract before approving payment.’
💰 Impact: $53,360 for AI Data Tool
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| ALERT (LEVEL 8) |
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District Pays $3,105 to Anti-Taxpayer Lobby Group
The check register under the consent agenda includes a $3,105 payment to TASB Inc. (Texas Association of School Boards). TASB is one of the most powerful lobby groups in Austin, frequently working against property tax relief, parental rights, and educational freedom.
Response
DEMAND A RECORDED VOTE: Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Pull Item 8.B from the Consent Agenda. I demand a separate vote on the $3,105 payment to TASB Inc. Taxpayers deserve to know who supports funding this anti-taxpayer lobby.’
💰 Impact: $3,105 for Lobbying
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| WARNING (LEVEL 7) |
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District Creates New Delays for Public Records
Under Agenda Item 8.D, the board will designate 10 specific days as ‘non-business days’ for the purpose of calculating deadlines for the Texas Public Information Act. This is a tactic, enabled by a recent change in state law, to legally delay the public’s access to government records.
Response
DEMAND A RECORDED VOTE: Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Vote NO on Item 8.D. While HB 3033 allows you to designate non-business days, choosing to do so is a vote against transparency. The public deserves timely access to information.’
💰 Impact: Reduced Public Access
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| WARNING (LEVEL 7) |
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District Spends $15,984 on SEL Curriculum
A payment of $15,984 was made to Character Strong, LLC, a provider of Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum, found in the check register. SEL programs can shift the focus from core academics to subjective emotional and social ideologies, often without full parental transparency.
Response
Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding the $15,984 payment to Character Strong in the September financials (Item 8.B), what is this curriculum, is it mandatory, and how can parents review all materials and opt their children out?’
💰 Impact: $15,984 for SEL
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| WARNING (LEVEL 7) |
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District Pays $9,500 to School Finance Lobbyists
The district paid $9,500 to ‘Equity Center,’ an organization that lobbies the Texas Legislature for changes to the school finance system. Taxpayer dollars are being used to fund political advocacy, bypassing the voters’ own voices. This payment was found in the September check register.
Response
Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding the $9,500 payment to Equity Center in the September financials (Item 8.B), I oppose using my tax dollars to fund lobbying. Please end this relationship and focus funds on the classroom.’
💰 Impact: $9,500 for Lobbying
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| WARNING (LEVEL 6) |
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School Safety Audit Kept Secret from Public
In Agenda Item 8.E, the board will review a school safety audit report that is explicitly labeled ‘confidential’ and ‘not available to the public.’ While some security details must be protected, keeping all findings secret prevents parents and taxpayers from verifying that the district is truly meeting safety standards.
Response
Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding Item 8.E, parents deserve to know the general findings of the safety audit. Please direct the administration to prepare and release a public-facing summary that protects sensitive details but confirms accountability.’
💰 Impact: Lack of Accountability
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| WARNING (LEVEL 6) |
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District Spends $56,810 on ‘Community Engagement’ Software
The check register shows a $56,809.60 payment to ThoughtExchange, a software platform used for ‘community engagement’ and surveys. This is a significant expense for a service that can be used to manufacture consent for controversial policies rather than facilitate genuine, open dialogue.
Response
Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding the $56,810 payment to ThoughtExchange (Item 8.B), what specific, measurable value has this platform provided? Please justify this recurring expense over using free or low-cost survey tools.’
💰 Impact: $56,810 for Surveys
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| WARNING (LEVEL 6) |
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District Pays $9,180 for ‘Everyday Speech’ Program
The district spent $9,179.83 on ‘Everyday Speech, LLC,’ another vendor in the Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) space. This represents further spending on programs that can introduce controversial social concepts into the classroom under the guise of ‘speech’ or ’emotional wellness.’
Response
Email the Board (contact info on district website): ‘Regarding the $9,180 payment to Everyday Speech (Item 8.B), please provide a public link to all curriculum materials and clarify the parental opt-out process.’
💰 Impact: $9,180 for SEL
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