The community members of Forney, TX are writing to express our strong opposition to the nomination and awarding of the Superintendent of the Year award to Dr. Justin W. Terry, Superintendent for Forney Independent School District, Forney Tx.

As concerned members of the community, we have closely observed the actions and decisions made by Dr. Terry over the years, and we strongly believe that he does not deserve this recognition.

First and foremost, Dr. Terry has demonstrated a consistent lack of transparency and accountability in his leadership. He has failed to communicate important information to parents, teachers, and other stakeholders, and has often made decisions that have subsequently proven to be detrimental to the education and careers of students and faculty behind closed doors without seeking input from those who will be affected by those decisions.

Secondly, Dr. Terry has repeatedly shown a complete disregard for the well-being of students, teachers, and staff. He has contributed to a culture of secrecy and quietly dismissing critical issues that have resulted in significant disruptions to the learning environment and staff and student safety, such as we see in the way the district is handling student discipline, lack of service provisions for special education students, student protection from assault and harassment by staff, and ignoring the concerns of educators and parents.

Moreover, Dr. Terry has failed to address the systemic issues that continue to plague our schools, including unequal access to resources, disparities in academic outcomes, and persistent racial and socioeconomic inequities. Instead of taking meaningful action to address these issues, he has focused on maintaining the status quo and protecting the interests of the powerful.

Finally, our community has expressed a desire for the district to continue live streaming school board meetings to allow for more transparency and participation of those whom cannot be physically present, but the district has not honored that request. During our April 3, 2023 school board meeting, the school board seemed to strategically structure the meeting to have as few community members present as possible. Many of us noticed that over half of the chairs had been removed, and then learned that the board would hold the closed session prior to conducting the public meeting, though it was listed in the program it would come after the public session and comments. Additionally, the board had a representative standing near the podium challenging both a former teacher and a current student, almost disallowing their comments to be heard because their family member had signed to preserve their spot due to traffic delays. The board allowed that challenge, while witnessing the community opposition to it before finally allowing the speakers to proceed. Dr. Terry, himself, made no attempt to stop this interaction.

Dr. Terry’s nomination was announced as agenda item 10. Whereas a member of the school board spoke out in opposition of the nomination, citing all of the reasons above. She added that during Dr. Terry's time as the superintendent, our district has fallen from an A rating to a B rating, and that he has provided no guidance or discussion on rectifying this situation. She urged the school board members to consider the complaints of parents and students, and acknowledge the need for significant changes within the district, and with the community vocalizing support of her comments, the board voted to accept the nomination and proceed with submission to TASB.

For these reasons, we as a community, standing in solidarity and support of our educators and students, strongly urge you to reconsider the nomination and awarding of the Superintendent of the Year award to Dr. Justin Terry. Instead, we urge you to recognize and celebrate those leaders who prioritize the needs of students, families, and communities above all else.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

The Forney ISD community