Charges dropped against former Carroll board members accused of violating open meetings law
Charges against two former Southlake Carroll school board members accused of participating in secret deliberations that violated open meeting laws have been dropped.
A Tarrant County grand jury accused Todd Carlton and Michelle Moore, who were serving as president and vice president of the board when the charges were filed, of sending text messages to each other about the school district’s proposed cultural competence plan. The plan was created after Carroll students were caught saying racial slurs on video.
The charges came as a result of a lawsuit filed by Southlake resident Kristin Garcia, who claimed board members were talking about the cultural competence plan via text.
The cultural competence plan was the subject of debate across the district and was met with backlash from a group of Southlake parents who teamed up to fight it. They formed the Southlake Families PAC and got their own PAC-backed candidates elected to the school board.
The plan never got off the ground.
The pair’s charges were dropped Wednesday, according to court records.
Moore, who was on the board for eight years, did not seek re-election this past election cycle. Carlton left the school board in 2022 after six years of service.
When reached Friday, Moore referred questions to her attorney, Mark Daniel. Daniel responded in a press release sent to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Friday morning.
“It has been our position since this matter began that no violation of the law occurred,” Daniel wrote. “No one cares more or has done more to protect the safety and welfare of the children in the Carroll Independent School District than Michelle Moore. On behalf of Ms. Moore, I am pleased that this unfortunate matter is concluded.”
Efforts to reach Carlton early Friday were unsuccessful. Carlton’s attorney Jeff Kearney could not immediately be reached for comment via phone.
A spokesperson for Carroll schools did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
