WilCo District Judge Delays RRISD Board Members Lawsuit

Round Rock TX

01 December, 2021

12:02 PM

Description

ROUND ROCK, TX — A district court judge delayed a lawsuit on Monday over the proposed censure of two Round Rock ISD board trustees until lawyers can prove whether or not the court has the jurisdiction to hear the case. Judge Betsy Lambeth of the 425th District Court in Williamson County said she will review briefs from lawyers on both sides by Dec. 22 before deciding whether the court should hear the lawsuit. Trustees Dr. Mary Bone and Danielle Weston sued the other five board trustees after facing the possible censure, which would have limited their abilities on the board. The other five trustees claim Bone's and Weston's actions at a Sept. 14 board meeting led to disruptions. Live in Round Rock? Click here to subscribe to our free breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox and mobile devices. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and download our free mobile app on Android or iPhone. On Sept. 14, Round Rock ISD board members were set to discuss extending the district's mask rules. But attendance inside the meeting was capped. Board members said they were trying to maintain social distancing, but members of the public say they were unfairly kept out of a public meeting. RELATED: Round Rock ISD Pushes Mask Mandate Update After Crowd Gets Unruly Bone and Weston, who are against mask mandates, repeatedly insisted on calling for a vote on spacing rules that limited public seating due to COVID-19, even though the matter was not on the agenda. The two eventually walked out during the meeting after being yelled at for not wearing masks despite the mandate that was still in effect at the time. The board meeting ended early after disruptions, and two men were arrested following the meeting. The board voted on Sept. 22 to reinstate the district's mask mandate, which had expired on Sept. 17. Both Bone and Weston filed the lawsuit in September against the other five board members, asking first for a temporary restraining order and then a permanent injunction on a censure vote scheduled to be taken against the two women, according to court documents. A temporary restraining order against the school board taking a vote to censure Weston and Bone is in effect until late January.