No images? Click here
June 25, 2023
NEWS DIGEST
by Brandon Waltens
Good morning,
$1.8 million. That's the value of the house just purchased by a North Texas school district for their new superintendent to live in.
Highland Park Independent School District purchased the home for Superintendent Mike Rockwood to live in—rent-free.
Rockwood began working for the district in April 2023, with his contract running through June 2026 unless HPISD extends his term.
HPISD hired Rockwood after their previous superintendent, Tom Trigg, announced that he would leave the district at the end of the 2022-2023 school year. Trigg’s exit came amid dissatisfaction from parents over concerns that HPISD was increasingly focusing on critical race theory, radical gender theory, and other leftist ideologies.
Highland Park parents who want the 7,000-student district to focus on classical education and core academics objected to district trustees hiring the “woke” search firm Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, which has a record of controversial recommendations.
Following Trigg’s resignation, HPISD signed a voluntary exit agreement with the outgoing superintendent that committed taxpayers to forgiving at least $655,000 of the remaining $750,000 on a real estate loan made to Trigg.
Whenever his contract ends, Rockwood will have 30 days to vacate the home—when it will then turn over to the next superintendent.
Do you think school districts should pay for multimillion dollar homes for administrators?
Featured
by Katy Marshall
HPISD School Board President Maryjane Bonfield called the newly purchased house “modest” and said the district has historically paid for superintendents to relocate to Highland Park.
Bonfield also claimed that the $1.8 million home with four bedrooms and four bathrooms was provided to Rockwall for his services to the district.
State
TCU’s Drag Queen Class Has Taken Place Since 2021
Texas Christian University’s course called “The Queer Art of Drag,” meant to showcase the history of drag and teach students how to become drag queens, has been running since 2021.
Senate’s Impeachment Trial of AG Ken Paxton to Begin September 5
Rules have finally been set in the Texas Senate’s impeachment trial of Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Texans Asked to Conserve Electricity During Record Heat Wave
ERCOT previously issued a “Weather Watch” warning that higher temperatures mean higher demand on the power grid.
Local
Keller ISD Previews Policies to Counter ‘Transgender’ Ideology
Proposed bathroom and pronoun policies drew complaints from local LGBTQ advocates and the ACLU of Texas.
Harris County Approves Guaranteed-income Pilot Program
The program uses COVID-19 funding to send checks to citizens living below the poverty line.
Central Texas Community Wants Divisive ‘Pride’ Flags Off County Buildings
New building use policies would require Bell County Commissioner Louie Minor to remove a “Pride” flag from his courthouse window.
Federal
Former Texas Rep. Will Hurd Announces Run for President
The moderate Republican joins an extensive list of candidates seeking the GOP’s nomination.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to Visit Eagle Pass on Presidential Campaign Tour
The Republican presidential candidate is expected to address solutions to the Texas-Mexico border crisis.
Vice President Kamala Harris Fundraises in Texas
Harris’ Texas trip comes as the Biden campaign is ramping up fundraising efforts.
Texas Scorecard TV App!
Have you checked out Texas Scorecard's streaming video apps for Roku and Apple TV?
In addition to our growing library of shows and video content, the Texas Scorecard TV app also includes gavel-to-gavel live coverage of the Senate and House chambers.
The app is available for free right now: simply go to the Roku or Apple TV app store, and search for "Texas Scorecard."
Quoting...
"Without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure."
- Ronald Reagan
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Join the conversation with Texas Scorecard on any or all of our social media accounts!
The Texas Scorecard Journalism Fellowship is a comprehensive program designed for conservative Texans under the age of 25 with an interest in public policy, effective civic engagement, political accountability, and Texas history.
