CFB ISD board partially grants and partially denies teacher Aaron Lucero’s level‑3 appeal after hearing

The Carrollton‑Farmers Branch ISD Board on June 4 heard a level‑3 grievance from teacher Aaron Lucero and then, after closed deliberations, issued a mixed ruling: the board denied several of Lucero’s requested remedies, granted one, partially granted another, and directed review of board policy on off‑duty employee expression.

Lucero and his attorney Tiger Hanner argued that his social‑media comments—posted on his personal account—addressed matters of public concern, caused no documented disruption to students or instruction, and therefore did not warrant the prolonged administrative actions taken by the district (administrative leave, investigation, a written reprimand and speech‑restrictive directives). Lucero asked the board to rescind the discipline, remove directives, clarify the record with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and provide other relief.

Administration (Ross Mitchell) told the board the matter began when TEA issued guidance on Sept. 12 instructing districts to report posts related to the Charlie Kirk assassination matter and that a parent filed a complaint; the district reported the incident to TEA and followed its procedures, the administration said. Administration also said the district had sealed the written reprimand and related investigative materials in an earlier grievance resolution and that Lucero was returned to work. Mitchell said TEA has not yet issued a final finding.

In open session the president read the board’s motion: "I move that the board deny in part and grant in part Mr. Lucero's requested relief on the issue as follows. Relief number 5 was already granted at the level 1. Relief number 1, number 2, number 4, number 7, and number 8, not granted. Relief number 3, granted. Relief number 6, partially granted. The board will review board policy related to off duty expression." The motion carried by a vote of 7 in favor, 0 opposed.

The board did not list the dollar amounts Lucero sought (administration maintained that six‑figure monetary remedies would raise legal constraints including the Texas constitutional prohibition on gifts of public funds). Board counsel and administration noted the district had limited options for monetary relief given budget pressures and legal constraints. The board's instruction to review policy signals an intention to clarify local rules on off‑duty speech for employees.

Trustees did not detail in public which numbered relief items correspond to each textual remedy in the record; the transcript and materials show Lucero sought rescission of discipline, removal of directives and clarification to TEA among other remedies. The recorded vote was 7‑0 in favor of the board’s motion.